Mindless indulgence

After an exhausting few days of midterms, I found myself lying on my couch channel surfing one evening.

It is something that used to be a cherished pastime of mine, but just isn’t an activity that fits into my daily schedule anymore. In fact, unless it is some form of news hour (the Daily Show and Colbert Report not exempt) I just have not watched it.
This all changed one evening as my tired brain sought out something mindless and non-stimulating. I found myself watching “Rock of Love: Charm School.”

As someone who in years past followed the works of Cris Abrego and Mark Cronin (the masterminds behind the bulk of VH1 reality TV) with keen enthusiasm, I had almost forgotten how infatuating it was to watch a dozen or so women flaunt their ignorance to every household in America.

The works of Abrego and Cronin include all three installments of “Flavor of Love,” two seasons of “Rock of Love” and “I Love New York” as well as countless other reality TV shows. These two men are pretty clever at what they do.

With a crucial presidential contest on the horizon and the ever-present threat of the financial crises looming over our heads, Abrego and Cronin’s depiction of the trashiest women this country has to offer kept my attention trained to VH1 for the entire hour. And worst yet, when it was over, I wanted more trash talking, cat fights and drama.

There is something about the work of these two men that strikes a chord with the TV-watching population of America. In 2007, they were responsible for eight series on VH1, none more successful than “Flavor of Love 2,” which garnered 7.5 million views for the season finale. For a show about a washed-up rapper who nicknames his contestants such fond endearments as “Like Dat” and “Deelishis” it is somewhat of an anomaly why we continue to watch.

But we do.

As we continue to watch, the mindless entertainment will continue to flow. These shows follow a system of perpetual spin-offs, which, instead of getting tedious, seem to just deepen the audience’s relationship with the characters.

Starting with “Flavor of Love,” the runner-up contestant that got her own show with “I Love New York” and those rejected were sent to “Flavor of Love: Charm School.”
The same is at work with the Brett Michaels franchise, beginning with “Rock of Love” and now “Rock of Love: Charm School” and soon to carry on with “Daisy of Love.” There is even a show called “I Love Money” that takes contestants from aforementioned series and pits them against each other to win cash.

There isn’t much mental stimulation to take from these shows, but after a hiatus, I find them just as pleasing to watch as I did before.

Is it the dumb blondes in miniskirts? The girls from the hood? Or is it just the senseless drama that ensues?

I can’t say for certain – but for mindless self-indulgence – there seems to be nothing better on TV.