Top Chef

This whole reality TV thing is becoming a burden on my ability to focus and those nasty programmers at Bravo know how to take advantage. Did we really need both the finale of Top Chef Masters and the premiere of the original Top Chef last night? Over the course of the two hours of cheftastic television I kept thinking I should watch later only to keep the TV on. I have a problem! And tomorrow marks the return of Tim Gunn and Project Runway. Ugh. How can I Make It Work myself if I'm not actually not being productive!? Sure, this competition reality is better than an addiction to truly terrible fare like Real Housewives or The Hills but there's just way too much of it! (My anomaly summer interest in the admittedly worthless Big Brother is easily turned off.)

And this is just the start. There's The Amazing Race coming soon. Plus shows like Deadliest Catch and Top Gear. And if I'm flipping through channels on a lazy afternoon, I can easily get sucked in to a marathon of Mythbusters.

The funny thing is I don't just sit in front of the TV and watch crap in all of my spare time. I see people, I workout, there's bike rides and hiking. But after a long stress filled day...even though I feel guilty for not being personally productive...I can't help but settle in and watch some mindless tv. Of course with a focus on shows that actually involve people with real talent working to find success (and/or fame)--as I'm just sitting on the couch--I do start to feel a little lazy. But I keep watching anyway. I'll blame it on the DVR. I never watched all this crap when it wasn't so easily available anytime I wanted it.

OH...and by the way glad to see Rick Bayless win Top Chef Masters. If I ever get back to Chicago I'm definitely going to sample Mexican gourmet at his restaurant. As for the mainline Top Chef...it's only week one. Don't know who to root for yet. I have another billion hours of watching to pick a favorite.