The Pop Tart

When the first reality shows appeared on tv I swore I'd never be a watcher. But then I started watching Survivor and got sucked in like everyone else. Now I can't get enough of the stuff. I've watched the Surreal Life and whatshername's show where she picked a man to be her boytoy on VH1. I've been sucked into watching Tough Enough on MTV (and wish they'd bring it back). And lately I've been watching Survivor, Apprentice, and America's Next Top Model - and will watch Project Runway 2 when it starts this week.

Though I think of Survivor as the show that started it all. It's not. That honor belongs to MTV's Real World. As each progressively more disastrous season of RW starts I'm there. I watched Paris and Vegas and San Diego and most recently the Austin gang. Each time it starts I hope it will be as good as I remember it being. It never is. And lately it's been just bad. Kids barely past their teens who don't seem to think of anything other then getting drunk and hooking up. And MTV pushes that meme more and more each time. The editing revolves all around who's drunk and arrested this week - and if not that then who's sleeping with who. Is this reality?

The "realest" moments of the entire season came in the reunion show. Danny was mad at Lacey. Nehemiah accused Danny of getting a swelled head (though who could tell under that stupid hat? And what's with his hats anyway? Is the kid bald?) and thinking he's Ben Afleck. Everybody apparently hates everybody else and that wasn't shown in the series. Notice I don't include that nauseating bit of Danny proposing to Melinda and giving her a big diamond ring bought by MTV - how romantic, not.

The Gauntlet 2 starts soon and that one brings back all the reality has-beens MTV has in its stable. Screaming, crying, and fighting will be the rule. Can't wait.

So why do I keep coming back? I haven't a clue. Maybe one of you wise souls can clue me in.