"Real" Housewives...

I don't watch a lot of television. Steinvic and I have some shows we enjoy during down time on the weekends, but I'm still usually multi-tasking: some home project, art project, cooking, sewing...

However, during the week when I'm home alone, I like to put on movies or Clean House on the Style Channel for some home makeovery goodness as background noise while I'm doing our laundry or cleaning or whatever. Usually, it's a movie or episode that I've already seen. That way, I don't feel compelled to glance at the TV often, or come back into the room to see what I'm missing.

But last night, Style was running some of their E! True Hollywood Stories, (for whatever reason, by the time they air on Style, they're usually several years old = out of date.) I didn't want to hear Angelina Jolie up to the year 2005 in the background, so I flipped around for something else.

I stumbled upon the Real Wives of Orange County on Bravo and while I'm not one to slow down in traffic to stare at an accident, I found myself actually watching this foolishness. Who are these people? How in the hell did they find these ladies to star in this show? I'd love to see the ad inviting people like this to apply:

Do you love yourself a lot? A whole lot?
Enough to share your self love and your drama with all of America?
Even if it makes people feel sad for your spoiled children and neglected, henpecked husbands?
If so, please apply here!

I went to junior high school for three years in a slightly tough part of town and I can tell you...even in the (super scary, drama-and-conflict-filled) gymnasium locker room, I never witnessed the kind of back biting immaturity that I saw between these ladies in an hour long show!

Last night's episode involved one of the wives, Tamra, attempting to get another, Gretchen, the newest neighbor, "naked wasted" at a lavish dinner party because they do not like her. Why they do not like her, I can't understand, since she is exactly like the rest of them in most ways except for one: she seems to know who she is and she enjoys herself anyway and doesn't give a damn what anyone on the show thinks. She knows she's artificial, she knows she loves material things, and she knows she is a trophy fiancee. But she just wants to have fun...if the other ladies like her, great! If not, great! (The fact that she is engaged to a man with a terminal illness and still macks on one of the wives' sons (Ryan) is pretty tacky, but still.) She was trashed and Ryan was beyond flirtatious and very interested in her. Also, it was kind of funny, because Ryan's mom is Tamra. Tamra had said at one point, "Let's get her drunk so she'll do something stupid!" I was laughing my ass off when I realized that the something stupid that Gretchen would "do" might be Tamra's son! I'm sure it was a little freaky for her to see her own son trying to hook up. Ugh. The show ended with the viewer listening in on Gretchen and Ryan in some closed off room (but of course, the mics are still on) in a compromising conversation..."to be continued."

Good gosh. Will I watch again? Hmmmm... Entertaining, yes. Worth my time? Not really, even though I did need some sit-on-my-ass-time after a rigorous workout. Embarrassed that I watched? A little. Will I ever get that hour back? Unfortunately, no. And I probably won't watch again, unless I'm feeling nosey, because I wouldn't hang out with people like this. Watching people on TV in my living room while I'm wearing comfy pants is kind of like hanging out with them. And I don't want their nastiness to rub off on me.

If you want to feel slightly superior about yourself, your hardworking lifestyle, good manners, reasonable appearance and true relationships, tune into this show to see these ladies not just behaving badly, but voluntarily behaving badly for everyone in the country to see, all the while thinking that they are totally hot...