Good Television - Part 4: Guilty Pleasures

Ah, yes ... the "guilty pleasures". Everyone has them. The television shows that you love no matter what. Those shows that you just have fun watching. You know the ones. Nowadays, for many people it's normally some sort of "reality tv". Well, yeah, there's (sort of) a little bit of that in there with me. I've peeped my fair share of "reality tv". Hell, at one point, I was selected by a major network, flown to beautiful, sunny Burbank, California for a week because someone, somewhere thought I should've been on a "reality" show. Not all these shows featured below are "reality tv", but they are shows that I just have a ball watching for one reason or another. Also, the best part about this particular catagory is there's really no right or wrong show to pick. Everyone has their favorites. If mine are on your list, then cyber back me a big high five. If mine aren't on your list, then pimp out the show that is! It's a free for all!

Time to start the ballroom blitz!

Iron Chef -- Ever since I saw Kaga Takeshi take a bite out of that bell pepper in the show's opening sequence I was hooked. When I saw the episode where the secret ingredient was octopus and the Iron Chefs were picking them, live mind you, out of the the big ass tank and beating the living crap out of them to cook them, I was a disciple. It's not quite the show to glean recipies off of, but it is a helluva thing to watch. I mean, having only an hour to prepare gourmet dishes on the fly? That's impressive no matter what country it's from. Oh, and speaking of that, I do prefer the original Japanese version of the show. I liked the American version to be sure, but the original Japanese version is the best. Those Chef's get nuts. I mean, you'd never get Fish Ice Cream on the American version. That's just awesome!

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart -- Laugh out loud funny. All of it. Filed directly under "Stuff I Should Have Come Up With When I Had Access To Raw News Feeds And A Television Studio", TDS is without a doubt a "do not miss" show for me (surprise, surprise). I've watched this show unerringly from the first episode back when Craig Kilborn hosted. Then Jon Stewart perfected it. Heck, even reporting what he calls "the fake news" has wierdly thrust Jon into the realm of quasi-punditry. The multiple Emmy's (and a Peabody Award) Jon and the show has earned give well-deserved credibility to, what I consider, one of the best social commentary shows on the air today. The hilariously brilliant, scathing "reporting" (i.e. comedy) on the national and world news events is partly one of the reasons Dangerously Accurate Opinions was even born. Television gold, baby. Sweet, sweet television gold!

Real Time with Bill Maher -- Ah, yes... rearing it's head, once again is (say it with me) ... the HBO. Mad props to the HBO for giving a home to Bill Maher after Politically Incorrect was completely hamstrung by ABC. Quite frankly, Bill needed to be on the HBO. Bill needed to be unfettered, as it were, to do the show that he wanted to do without the shackles of S&P (Standards & Practices) or the FCC crawling on (and in) his ass. I've been a fan of Bill Maher since his stand up comedy days. Hell, I was even a fan before he was in the movie Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death! The point is on this show. many a time have I thought it, and Bill has said it. Bill Maher (to me, at least ... again, no big surpirse here) has, and continues, to cut through all the bullshit surrounding an issue and go straight for the jugular. As has sometimes been said about yours truly, Bill Maher is often rude, frequently amicable, more times than not (dare I say it?) "politically incorrect", and always funny. [side note: Is anyone getting tired of me calling it "the HBO" yet? LMAO!!! ... heh heh ... (sigh) I don't care. Sometimes these things are just for my amusement. ]

Celebrity Poker Showdown -- To me, for the longest time, watching poker on television was just shy of watching a golf or a fishing show. Then CPS came along, and I caught it a couple of times (usually really late when there was nothing else on but informercials). It was pretty fun to watch, plus I had no idea how to play Texas Hold 'Em. So, I watched every now and then. I started paying attention to how they were playing. I'd listen to poker expert and co-host Phil Gordon on what each player was doing wrong and right. My intrest was piqued. This show slowly grew on me like a fungus. I really like this show now. I love to see how these comedians, actors and singers interact with each other. Even more, I even started playing Hold 'Em poker online to kill time. Beware this show. Start watching it at your own risk (especially if you're any kind of "gamer"). You will get hooked. You've been warned.

Honorable Mentions:

• Dog, the Bounty Hunter -- Great show. Dog's the man. Hell, Ozzy even did the opening theme song. I'd watch this over COPS any day.
• The Colbert Report - The Daily Show's new spin off show is great. Stephen Colbert is fantastic. Too new to get a feature spot, but I'm sure that'll change over time (if they don't cancel it ... I'm still mad about Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn going away, dammit.).
• Inside the Actor's Studio -- Usually always interesting. Depending on the guest.
• Whose Line Is It Anyway? -- Both versions (the U.K. reruns and Drew Carey's version ... although I've noticed they don't rerun the U.K. shows that Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles aren't in. Dammit.) are usually always funny. [side note: Drew Carey's Green Screen show which essentially is the same show on a chromakey ("green screen") background, is also pretty good]