Guilty pleasures.

I'm coming out of the closet and will declare to the blogsphere that I too, am baduy. lol While I am never fond of teleserye or telenovela, I would be honest and tell you guys that yes, I guess I've always just been fascinated with relationship-type of dramatics borne out of the 'reality' tv. For awhile, I was following the likes of Survivor, The Apprentice and America's (or Canada's) Next Top Model but when I get the chance, I do sit down and watch Amazing Race (I like this more than Survivor) but Saturdays are normally reserved for The Real Housewives (of New York and/or Orange County).

I like Amazing Race because it gives me a chance to see the world and the locals who live in it. It's survival of the fittest and the smartest and it seems that there's more reality in it because while you do 'jet-set', the real emotions emanating from the 'contestants' seem more realistic to me (ie not scripted) as opposed to that of Survivor where they are just trapped in that one location. The variety of the places they go to and the types of competition they have to endure keeps me wanting to watch it more and more and more.

Now, the Stepford Wives are personified in this series of the Real Housewives from the Slice channel. I have to admit, I never followed the episodes as we're seldom home on the weekend but during the times that I was, I watch them with wide eyed glee - not!!! :P Truth be told, I like the Real Housewives from New York as I think, they are more REAL. You know, they probably are from the inner circle of Manhattan who each owns a mansion at the Hamptons but I find that they are more in touch with the real-life than those in their Orange county counterparts. The New York series has more depth and their struggles are relate-able and they are beautiful without being fake. You know how it is in the Cali area right, almost everyone has been Botox-ed, one wonders which of their great assets are God-given or medically altered!!!

I find that the Orange County girls are sooooooo obsessed with money, blings, and shopping that I always thought - gee, is that all they ever have issues about??? Not a lot of them are working - some marry off to a millionaire and is now living the high life while the other ones are so obsessed with being called 'hot' that never mind whatever else is happening in their lives as long as they are shopping and they retain the 'hot mama' title. WTF????

The New York series I find has more sense and even though they are so different in their personalities and obviously, in social status (one is a countess!!!) they still manage to have great friendships and the story line is not skewed with just monies or obsession for the material things. Actually, come to think of it, there were lessons of proper etiquette on the show (c/o LuAnne), a quick Cooking 101 c/o Bethenny who is a personal chef, and although creepy, how one couple can be truly inseparable and be over-the-heels in love with each other. I think the NY series is elegant and classy without being over-the-top. For the Orange County series, I have yet to pick a good episode because everything can be dismissed as quite low/lame/shallow.

Oh, hang on - there is one saving grace to the show - and that's how a lot of money in the United States does not seem to threaten the millionaires' buying power. Geez, the mansions that are for sale there - unbelievable!!!! Seriously, how can one truly afford that???