stephbg | Interesting entertainment choices (Reply)

Tonight I expect I'll at least start to watch America's Next Top Model, where it takes the programming slot recently filled by Search for the Next Pussycat Doll. I also really miss So You Think You Can Dance, but I haven't kept up with Extreme Makeover.

Husband is sometimes puzzled by my choice of entertainment ("Why? Why?" he cries before fleeing to the bedroom to flick through The Marx Brothers Encyclopedia and make corrections in the margins) but I find these shows irresistable for a range of reasons I shall attempt to list in no particular order:

I love makeovers, the idea of transformation, the three-way conflict between what I, the individual in question, and the stylist thinks is appropriate or an improvement. It's just great when it all goes--IMHO--horribly horribly wrong

I get to shout, pronounce, proclaim, judge and/or mutter "Skank!" at regular intervals (it's a hobby).

I enjoy analysing how drama is created by direction, production, sound and editing choices. It amuses me to observe the attempts to manipulate the audience into shouting "Skank!" at Tiffany one week and at Jessica-Brittney the next. Silly really, I just shout (or mutter etc) "Skank!" at all of them. All the time.

There are pretty dresses and shiny things to look at.

There is the circus-freak attraction of looking at oddly shaped humans wearing impossible heels. Given that my personal standard of "impossible" vis a vis heels is anything above one inch in height and a surface area smaller than Tasmania, I'm easily satisfied in this way.

Allowing for the filter of production choices, I enjoy watching how people respond to performance-based challenges. I'll happily watch someone struggle to learn a new dance routine if they're competing to be a dancer, but I've no interest in watching Survivor or Big Brother contestants inhale coconuts or balance goats on their eyeballs or whatever it is they do.

I have a broad appreciation for almost anything done skillfully and well.

I find it reassuring to see the effort it takes to turn even reasonably symmetrical humans into the media's standard of attractiveness.

See? Lot's of perfectly reasonable reasons to watch certain types of allegedly valueless TV programs.

*randomly shouts "Skank!"* Try it, it's lots of fun.