Reality TV

Now I know I said I would not watch certain shows this summer...Bachelorette in particular. I caved in after July 4th after I was caught in a storm of terrible shows on satellite. I never said I had any viewing class.

The Housewives of New Jersey was one of my favorites. It is complete with mafia type women, elaborate houses, Italian tempers and threats. Marlon Brando would be proud of this production. The finale features all the "cast members" at a restaurant owned by one of the housewives and her hubbie. The excitement of this segment was an overturned table and shouts of bitch , bitch...an unhappy guest whose ex husband wrote a tell all which another housewife found and circulated it around the small burg they live in. The book had all the right details...alleged prostitution, drug use, connections with a South American drug lord. Wow. It was so hot that now this show may not be renewed.

I caught the Bachelorette mid season. There was too much testosterone in the guys' house for me....and too much reference to "man code." Ed was the winner after Reid came back in the last episode after being eliminated for one last chance to win Jillian's heart. Drama. The other finalist's name was Kiptyn..now I would have not given him a rose just because of his name. Wes a semi finalist was kicked off due to his references to a questionable girlfriend at home, using the program to further his country "singing" career and just being a complete fool. His monologues with the camera caught him sneering and making incriminating comments.He was the guy everyone loved to hate. Good luck with that tour, Wes ...you need it. Ed is from Lasalle Michigan, just down the road. Small town guy that done good!!!

Now in my rapid clicking at channels I found Dating in the Dark. I was instantly sucked in. Choices were made in the complete darkness by voices and commonalities. Three guys and three girls made up the cast. Megan a bigger girl with a great personality and a rowdy sense of humor got her guy at the end after the reveal. That guy was on the fence because he always dated small petite girls and couldn't get past the fact that when he hugged her she was thick. Her attitude and personality won over her looks although I doubted that it would happen.

The trashy Kardashian family has now spawned another reality show with classless daughters Kourtney and Khloe in Miami. Previews look pretty shadey as they lock lips with each other and romp around with lots of men. Oh wait a minute I just heard Robert Kardashian turn over in his grave!!!!

Tori Spelling stars in her own show with hubby. She whines, she cries , she needs help with everything. Her husband gives up yet another hobby as Tori becomes hysterical after he falls off his bike at the track. Ms. Spelling continues to rant and rave about her estranged mother. Put it to rest Tori!!!

Denise Richards is another star of her own reality mess. Did anyone else hear her sing "take me out to the ball game" at a major league game? She gives tone deaf a new meaning and guess what? She had a voice coach!!!! The boos indicated that she should never ever attempt another song in her life.

I saved the "best" for last. Kendra. A one time Hefner live in girl friend, 23 yrs old with an obnoxious laugh, an IQ of 60 and fake boobs. Yes Kendra we can see you have had some work, leave your shirt on please. She is currently just married to Hank Baskett (?) an NFL player and newly pregnant. Her stripper pole remains in the kitchen of her new home for all to see. I am ashamed to have even tuned in to this!

So here they are in their sordid details...the shows of summer 2009. Stay tuned for Jon and Kate returning on August 3rd with tales of 8 kids, a messy divorce and a introspective look at two parents who have gone over the edge with their own greed.

The Narcisissism of My Space and Facebook

The term narcissism means excessive love of self, synonym conceit. It can got to extremes with egotism and unusual interest in one's appearance and abilities. The word narcissism comes from the Greek mythological god named Narcissus who fell in love with his reflection.

If all of this sounds familiar than you are probably a frequent user of the My Space or Facebook pages. I subscribe to several blogs...some are written by people considered to be celebrities. The blogs themselves are well written and interesting but the people who are listed as friends tend to be some real egotistical folks. Smutty pictures and equally smutty comments are submitted into cyberspace for all to view. Sometimes I feel like I have stumbled into a computer driven singles bar where anything goes.

Everyone seems to believe that they are physically perfect, interesting and wonderful human beings because their profiles say so. And I am probably guilty of the same sins except the physically perfect part!!! Why are we narcissitic? Because we try to market ourselves to others to become their friends online.

I recently read a column written by a man who was Al Pacino's friend on Facebook. He was thrilled that he was chosen by this wonderful actor. Al Pacino had over 400 friends listed. Then one day his Facebook profile disappeared and was left with just one quote. Mr. Pacino left to become his own friend. It makes you really think for at least a minute.

Everyone gets so caught up the number of friends they have. And are these really your friends?? Are we really that lonely to need a list of people online? It seems that way.

In this day and age with people connected all over the world the feeling of isolation and neediness seem to be at an all time high. It is such an enigma.

Maybe we should all listen to Al Pacino and become friends with ourselves all over again. Forget about what pictures we have chosen for our pages and not worry about selling ourselves to the masses. After all aren't we our own best friends??