Reality is a Bitch

My name is Ex-Restaurant Manager and I'm a reality junkie. Not all of them, mind you. There are many levels of addiction. Sometimes I like the format, other times there's a participant that I empathize with, some are just schlocky fun. Below, I list the ones that I obsess over.



PROJECT RUNWAY. The official reality show of all that is gay. If Tim Gunn was just this much (hold thumb and first finger one inch apart) butch-er, I would probably move to New York (again) and be on his official stalker list. I like his style, his humor, and his empathy. I tolerate Heidi Klum, but get a kick out of her Auf Wiedersehen at the end. Three years in Germany will do that to ya. And there's usually plenty of gays to root for, although they never seem to do well, not counting Jay from year one. He's from another planet, I'm sure, so he doesn't count.



TOP CHEF. Having been in the restaurant business for so long, this one is a no-brainer. I've worked with many chefs who would go far on this show, many who wouldn't make it through the first Q&A session. I've got to say, the first year was my favorite, although if Dale goes far in this one, things could change. The dialog between Dave and Tiffany on year one was priceless. I still want a "I'm not your bitch, bitch!" T-shirt. The only thing missing is Smell-O-Vision.



THE NEXT FOOD NETWORK STAR. The first one had so-so contestants, but this one has Paul, my next boyfriend. Although, I hope he won't cry as much when we're a couple. That's only permissible when we're watching "Ghost" or "Sophie's Choice" on DVD.



STYLESTAR. I've always had the "gay decorating gene", so this one is always entertaining. When the super-hot David won Season One, I had that proud gay man moment. His shows prove he wasn't a flash in the pan. The second season is coming up in a couple of weeks, and I can't wait.



AMAZING RACE. Love. This. Show! I love it especially when they go somewhere I've been, and I've been all over Europe. The only draw-back is that this is one show where you have to pay attention. No reading is possible, it moves so fast. And I have the bad habit of trying to read while watching TV.



There have been other reality-TV shows that I've watched; Big Brother, Survivor, America's Next Top Model, etc. But they never hold my attention. Some rely too much on gimmicks (Big Brother), some take themselves too seriously (Survivor). The ones that seem to capture my attention are the ones that poke fun at themselves or just exist to have fun. Some I can't stand at all (Hell's Kitchen, reminds me too much of some people I've worked with!). They all have that human element though, that SOMETHING that not even the best writers extent can reproduce...real human drama.