With the writers strike continuing even I end up watching reality shows.
Following in the footsteps of “Beauty and the Geek,” the CW is bringing us another Reality Series With a Heart of Gold, “Crowned, the Mother of All Pageants” (Wed 8/7). Not only a trashy beauty contest, this has mom and daughter teams that are expected to experience personal and familial growth during the run of the game.
The first episode introduced the teams. They came out wearing sashes bearing their team name and gave a little act as an introduction and explanation of how they got their team name. The judges (two professional spokesmodels and a guy who I guess was on “Queer Eye” in the the requisite role of Bitchy Gay Guy) then told most of them they had no idea how to name their teams (“Blonde Bombshells” is too shallow and “Silent But Deadly” is a fart, for instance) and that they didn’t understand the purpose of the contest (that “growth” crap). At the end the two teams which had done the worst were brought up front and the second worst cut the sashes off the worst. The “Blonde Bombshells” finally broke out of their Barbie doll stiffness when they realized it was they, not the judges, who had to kick out the losers, (“Reigning As” had a stupid name and a LOOOOOOONG and rambling presentation). A cruel, but interesting, twist.
People who complain about the lack of real-looking people on reality shows can enjoy this one: few of the women would cause a riot at the Safeway, though the old saying about eating crackers holds for most of them. The Bitchy Gay Guy is more ebulient but thoughtful than cruel, so he might as well be straight. The spokesmodels are lovely and intelligent. One can only hope there’s plenty of bitchiness between teams (if I wanted to pay attention to a mom and her adult daughters arguing I wouldn’t have the TV on) and entertaining challenges because this runs the risk of being preachy. But next week is the swimsuit challenge and there’s a chance that the totally-not-“not” mom from “Hot or Not” finally clocking that bitchy and spoiled daughter of hers (with the wholehearted encouragement of the judges). And then there’s the mom from “Daredevil Divas”… (collecting myself) Er, it’s just nice to have attractive ladies Of a Certain Age on TV, y’know?
Anyway, with nothing else on (Who can follow “Pushing Daisies” with people talking? I tape it for when they finally shut up.) and the expected arguments going on around me, I have nothing better to do. Except laundry, housework, and writing the Staff Report I promised.