Reality Shows: Or, How I Willingly Sacrificed My Dignity For Fame

Much has been made lately over the suicide of a husband of a Real Housewife of Beverly Hills. Jus this morning, I read an article on msnbc.com about the ethical problem of reality shows and how they *gasp* use production techniques which heighten drama, at the expense of the mental well-being and public image of their cast members.

The tone of this article really highlights how unwilling people are to take responsibility for their choices. These reality show contracts don't just say, "Hey, let us tape you in your regular life and pay you a lot of money." on the contrary, they expressly state that the person agrees to have themselves and their lives portrayed inaccurately and in potentially false lights. In short, people know what they are getting into, so this post hoc, "I was taken advantage of by the big bad producers" is as unbelievable and false as Nicole Kidman's claims that she's never had plastic surgery.

What's even more ridiculous is that the Armstrongs filmed multiple seasons. Multiple. This is how it is: If something is exploiting you or harming you so badly then stop doing it. it isn't rocket science.

Emily Maynard Gets What She Obviously Already Wanted

I remember having no idea who Emily Maynard was when I came across the final episode of her season of The Bachelor. After watching about the last 2 minutes, in which the Bachelor proposed to her, I turned to my honey and said, "You see her expression? That's not seine n love, that's panic eyes that say 'No! I'm supposed to be the next Bachelorette!"

So congratulations, Emily, on successfully keeping yourself in the tabloids long enough to finally snag your prize. I wonder if, when Brad Womack said it was completely his fault that he and Emily broke up, what he meant was that it was his fault for choosing her in the first place.

One Of My Favorite Days Of The Year

At 9:15 PST, head to www.crazydaysandnights.net for Blind Item Reveal Day. Don't think, just do. If you've never visited that site, check out items labeled "blind items revealed" to catch up on reveals from years past.

Post Script

It's a little weird to add this little caveat in the middle of nowhere, but I think it's important. I am a solid independent who has voted for Republican, Democratic, and Green candidates. All political views expressed on here are solely from a mostly-unbiased and completely non-partisan viewpoint. Relatedly, all celebrity commentary is from a purely logical and detached standpoint. I'm not Perez Hilton, a person whose gossip is slightly tainted by the fact that what he desires most is to be a celebrity. Can't bite the hand that you want to feed you, after all. No, no, I have a regular job and a regular life. The point of this is not to be rich and famous, it's to provide an outlet for the fumbling, blustering rage I feel at certain stories, people, and events. Okay, enough of that now.

Selena Gomez Needs A New Publicist

I know I'm a little late on this, but it's just so ... WTF-y that I can't let it go. Selena Gomez was hospitalized recently for "exhaustion" and malnutrition, shortly after returning from a Hawaiian vacation with her boyfriend, Justin Bieber.

After numerous attempts to explain what happened, Selena settled on what is perhaps the most Obviously Untrue excuse since Lindsay Lohan blamed her failed alcohol test on tea: her junk food habit. Yes, that's right. Her diet of creamed spinach and broccoli with cheese left her so exhausted and malnourished that she needed to go to the emergency room.

Really? That's the best your team could come up with? This is how it is: broccoli with cheese doesn't make you malnourished, it makes you fat. Ditto creamed spinach. Why not just state the obvious: you were on vacation with your boyfriend and maybe didn't eat as much as you should have that week? No one would blame a girl for wanting to have dainty, bird-like eating habits whilst on vacay with her man.

Then we get to the even more interesting part of the story. She gave a short interview afterwards in which she said that she isn't perfect but she's already learning to cover up her mistakes. I just...I can't...what? Doll, this makes it sound way more serious than a little too much cheddar on your veggies. In fact, it makes it sound like your missteps are so bad that you have to lie about them to preserve your good girl status. In other words, this was the perfect comment to feed the abortion theorists. Do yourself a favor dear and get a better team.

An Introduction

I should begin with an explanation, if only to describe to myself why I am embarking on will what surely be a journey to convince myself of viewpoints I already hold. It is likely that I will be shouting into an abyss with only my loney "0 Comments" for company, but I simply must write this, in an attempt to inject reason and sanity into everyday dialogue which is becoming increasingly chaotic, irrational, and polarized.

So, welcome to my little corner of the world.