The Real Housewives of Orange County

Once I'd seen the trailers for the show I knew it would be hard to watch and hard not to!

As for the complete reality of the show - which is like the other shows, doubtful - I can only draw a distinction in themes: in reality TV, the " little guy'" is pitted against an adversary larger than life, the message being that the little guy can win against the odds, that we are all, in some ways, heroes. This show gives the opposite message: that we are all victims of forces beyond our control. The show is bittersweet because these women, their communities, their families, are incapable of rising above the clichés and traps of too much cash, too much free time...and too much high hair!!

It is hard to stomach so much tackiness without a trace of irony or humor ( Footballer's Wives deals with the same kind of characters, but better). These women are deadly dull, and marriage looks less like a sacred institution worth protecting, and more like a form of prostitution! Thank god for the gates which keep them inside, an effective quarantine for the rest of us. I chuckled when I heard one of these dames complain about downgrading to a 2500 sq. ft home!

But as I considered it- or tried to consider it seriously - I decided that for women such as these that would be a calamity, which is disgusting if it weren't so pathetic. Conspicous consumption? how about contemptuous consumption! And where is CPS? Shouldn't they be alerted to the abused children in these gilded cages? But all this said I do think the show should be watched if only for its shock value: evidently hair hoppers and 80's has been skeezers do win out, even if no one else does. I hope this show does not see broadcast outside of America. We don't need another 5 reasons for the world to despise us

I do enjoy this show, and I can only chalk it up to "guilty pleasure". As a woman who has as much money as them I am not envious of their money, but it does make me feel good to know that I don't present myself as a fake bimbo hungry for 15 minutes of "fame". It's always nice to know that at least you don't portray yourself as badly as others do. Also, having always been a natural beauty, I marvel at the frozen faces these women want to have as well as the overblown lips and fake boobs. At least they give the plastic surgeons something to do! I don't care one way or another what they do with their faces, but it does bother me that they slaughter the English language so much.

Tamra, in particular. She held up her shirt tonight and said "you have to show your tots". Of course she meant tits, but she thinks it's cute to say it as a cross between "tots" and "tats". Because you know, that's Valley girl talk and that is going to make her look young, right? That's her reasoning. Tamra, wake up and realize you are in your 50's now and you can stop the "cute talk" and your kids might not be so embarrassed! Also Gina seems like a nice girl. She is probably going to stop slouching so much after watching herself on this season. She could cool it with the vocal fry. If you don't know what vocal fry is, google it because it is driving me really super crazy! I like Gina and Emily seems sincere as well.

Finally, for any young people out there watching this show please know that this is NOT how the real world is, people DO grow up and become intelligent, loving people who do not act like arrested development, personality disorder junior high school women like the stars of this show act. Don't despair; junior high does not continue on forever. It's just that these women have chosen to act this way for one reason or another and the producer Andy Cohen does not want intelligent, talented women to be shown on reality TV.

Seriously? This is what society sees as "entertaining?" What's so entertaining about this? It's nothing but a bunch of episodes of a bunch of drama queens with their mindset stuck in high school, always bickering and complaining of the stupidest little thing possible. Seriously! They need to grow up! What's so interesting about them? Someone just kill off this show already.

Theme 1: Extreme materialism is normal.

Theme 2: Wanting something for nothing.

Theme 3: Wanting something in exchange for something other than hard work.

Theme 4: "We have morals."

Theme 5: "I behave like X, but tell my children not to behave like X."

Theme 6: I work hard, so I deserve to play hard.

Theme 7: Knowledge is valuable if it helps you make money.

Theme 8: Wealth = achievement.

Theme 9: My family means everything to me--10 minutes a week.

Theme 10: Responsibility is cultivated through having something, not through doing something.

Like most cable reality shows, this one draws you in like mangled wreck on the side of the road. It's a world that most will never experience, and many wouldn't want to anyway. It's wrong on so many levels but such is life when it comes to entertainment I guess. I'm particularly drawn to the value system of these people... 1.) Looks 2.) Clothes 3.) Home 4.) Cars 5.) Jewelry 6.) Self worth.

Overall, I think most of these women get it. I would hope so given their age and their role as parents. Unfortunately, they are unable to pass on their time-earned experience to their children so they are producing self-absorbed dependents for life. Nothing shocking here, just a bunch of spoiled rich people with everything they could ever buy and none of the appreciation that comes from working hard for it. (I'm talking about the kids, not the parents.)

Another interesting thing to note is that these people seem to be completely devoid of culture. Maybe that's SoCal or maybe that's just the way the show is shot. I guess I expect more from the filthy rich.

Am I jealous? Only of the weather…I'm in NYC and it's freezing!