Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Guilty pleasures provide living entertainment

Guilty pleasures are fun, entertaining and way out of character and comfort zone. Within that parameter I freely and wholly admit that mine glow out of a TV screen.

The two shows are polar opposites in taste, personality and depth of character and characters.

"Real Housewives of Orange County," broadcast on Bravo, is a disgusting, revealing peek at women who have too much time, too much money, and too much cosmetic surgery combined with cougar instincts, gold digging histories and narcissistic needs -- after all, they had to sign up for duty on this reality show.

Heaving bosoms, dye jobs and BMWs aside, the show reflects over-the-top consumption of material goods that reflect the worst of what a growth economy, great jobs, inherited wealth, and dysfunctional families can bring out in people. But, just like a car wreck, I can't turn away from this show.

On the other side of the spectrum is "Operation Repo," a TruTv offering. It features members of a family business that repossesses cars, trucks and boats. The show demonstrates that deadbeats come from all levels of the economic spectrum. And it also shows that some people can't seem to accept that you gotta pay the note if you expect to keep your ride.

Clearly, the family's business is challenging, dangerous and no duty for a nervous person. They face screamers, punchers, the occasional biter and all the obligatory profanity. But I love this family -- tattooed, ear-ringed, unpolished, and genuine. They do a job no one would want with dignity and professionalism.

Maybe they should be sent to repo The Housewives.

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