The current trend in television seems to be reality show after reality show. Maybe it is because they are cheaper to produce and you don't have to pay the people who star in them anywhere near the amount of a real actor.
Or maybe it's just a moronic television fad. You take your pick.
A year ago I began to become annoyed and tired of this trend, and found myself starving for something scripted (i.e. the good ol' days of "Friends" and "The OC.")
However, I have found that with all of the added stress of being a junior in the political science department, reality TV has become my escape from the reality of midterms, essays, and class presentations.
My current favorites in the reality television genre are Bravo's "The Real Housewives of New York City," and E!'s "Keeping up with the Kardashians."
OK, let's start with the Housewives.
As a devotee to the show's predecessor, "The Real Housewives of Orange County," I thought, "Wow this is great! A bunch of middle-aged women hanging onto the fantasy of living as dumb, blond, and overly dramatic teenagers!" (No offense to the smart blonds out there.)
But move on over Orange County, because New York has managed to one-up you.
My favorite New York housewife, Bethanny, constantly mocks the ridiculous antics of her Long Island native friend, Jill Zarin. If you don't know, Jill is loud, dramatic, and has a thick, raspy Long Island accent. Not to mention she wears enough jewelry to make Cleopatra jealous.
During one episode, Bethanny decides to dress up as Jill, wearing gobs of jewelry and a red wig. She walks around mocking Jill's thick accent and it is hilarious (sorry Jill).
Bethanny also does a fine job of ridiculing NYC Housewife, Countess De'lesseps. The countess, obsessed with observing proper social etiquette, rudely chatters to friends at a charity function during the charity spokesperson's "thank you" speech. Bethanny points out that this behavior is the antithesis to proper countess conduct. In fact, Bethanny refers to it as "dis-countess."
Essentially the show is entertaining due to the quick rapid-fire conversations between opinionated, rigid, and outspoken New Yorkers (definitely easier to swallow than the intricacies of world power politics and democratic revolutions).
Next is "Keeping up with the Kardashians." I don't even know where to start with this one. OK, so we all know that Kim Kardashian made a sex tape and her dad, Robert Kardashian, defended OJ.
Who knew younger sister Khloe and older sister Kourtney got away with embarrassing their dimwitted mother, Kris Jenner, daily?
The antics of the Kardashians are never ending and very unique.
For instance, one episode the three glammed up Armenian princesses pick up a homeless man in their Range Rover and take him to their Calabasas mansion for a shower and a meal.
The unintelligent dribble that sounds like a slow speaking, hung over valley girl, exchanged between Kim and her older sister Kourtney, proves to be mind-numbingly entertaining. Especially when the slow speaking Kim or Kourtney must battle it out with the slick tongued Khloe.
While the drama between the girls is fun, it's even more fun to watch them walk all over their mother, who works for both Kim and Kourtney as their manager.
Overall I really enjoy both shows, but with finals coming up, I can't help but feel like it's getting really hard to "Keep up with the Kardashians."
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