Nunzio DeFilippis & Christina Weir

So I was sitting at the dining room table, enjoying a cup of coffee and typing away on the computer when Nunzio says "What're you doing?"

"Posting on Amy's blog," I answer innocently.

"Why aren't you posting on OUR blog?" is the response I receive.

So here I am, posting on our blog. I admit it. The two of us have blog envy. We have friends with blogs and they get traffic and people engaging in conversations and our blog has crickets. Okay, not quite crickets, but we're not the main street running through the downtown of blogs.

But that's our fault. We don't post here frequently enough. So I'm here to start a new trend. Except there's just one problem... what to write about.

My husband's suggestion? American Idol.

So for anyone who's about to make fun of me, just remember, this was Nunzio's idea.

Confession time. I'm hooked on American Idol. I have been since Season 5. I guess among diehard fans that makes me late to the game. But I'm busy trying to make up for lost time. It's a little sad because Nunzio and I have long since been vocal reality TV show haters. Aside from being stupid (which they are), they also take away from our work pool. As freelance writers struggling in Hollywood, we rely on there being lots of jobs on scripted television shows. But as networks get more and more enamored of the reality TV show and how cheap it is to make it, our job pool shrinks.

We've even had some serious fights with Nunzio's family who are avid Amazing Race fans. But the general mantra in our house remains the same. "Reality TV bad."

Except I turned on American Idol one night. I'd been hearing lots about it. That Simon Cowell guy. He's so mean yet he always speaks the truth. I had a nagging curiosity. I would see for myself.

I've been watching ever since. And lo and behold, every Tuesday night I would curl up in front of the TV and watch the performances. Now our apartment wasn't that big so Nunzio could avoid hearing what was on the TV. And little by little, he went from a 2 second pause when he'd pass through the living room on his way to the kitchen to sitting down every time Chris Daughtry performed. And by Season 5's end, we were both hooked.

So here it is Season 7 and we're both watching waiting to find the next Chris Daughtry. Which isn't that hard because this season they have David Cook and he's talented in similar and yet different ways. And I occasionally stick my head out to my friends to ask cautiously 'hey, do you watch American Idol?' And I'm pleased that I've found a few "yeses" so that I can trade e-mails on Wednesday and Thursday mornings and vent my displeasure at the totally unfair cutting of Michael Johns.

I've also had to swallow my pride and admit to Nunzio's brothers that yes, I do watch one reality TV show now. Sadly, I haven't been able to get either of them over to the American Idol camp.

But there you have it. And this post has served two purposes. One, I have hopefully appeased my husband by posting on OUR blog (and not someone else's). And two, I have given you all fair warning if I start posting every Wednesday and Thursday with my American Idol thoughts.

posted by Christie # 11:11 AM

Comments:

I'm a more recent convert. I'd seen occasional audition episodes in prior seasons until it just got too embarassing to watch (my pet peeve about reality TV in general is that people are so willing to humiliate themselves and we all sit down with popcorn to watch).

That being said, I now watch religiously on Tuesdays but only via the TiVo. As the number of contestants continues to drop the amount of inanity continues to rise and I just can't take it live. Plus, it makes it a bit easier to vote once the 9:00:01 rush wears off.

And yes, I vote. Seems to me if I'm gonna reserve the right to be pissed if my favorites get eliminated then I have to vote to help them stick around. But I have a system so that once I start I won't be there all night: I'll call no more than 5 times for the ones I like. My favorite gets all 5 attempts no matter how often I get through and the others only get a single vote.

So far, so good. But will I break that system as we get closer to the end? Undoubtably. But then I'll just come up with a new one. I'm fickle like that.

# posted by

Anonymous : April 16, 2008 at 12:29 PM

Does Mythbusters count as reality TV? I'm addicted to that show. :)

And yeah, I like Simon Cowell.

# posted by

David : April 16, 2008 at 7:44 PM

I usually don't bother watching AI once the first few episodes of the season are done with. Simon's alternating snark and suffering during the open auditions are a whole season's worth of entertainment right there. After that, I just get bored.

I think "Animal Cops/Precinct" and "The Dog Whisperer" are about as close as I get to regular reality TV viewing. The artificial drama slathered all over everything is too much of a turn-off.

# posted by

Suzene : April 16, 2008 at 8:13 PM

I've seen a few Mythbusters. That's a cool show.

And no, I don't think it counts as "reality TV." Doesn't it get to fall under the much more prestigious "educational" banner?

# posted by

Christie : April 16, 2008 at 8:23 PM

sniff, sniff...i thought American Idol was OUR thing to talk about. and now you've gone and invited the whole world in on your blog! (and by entire world, i mean the three other people above who've commented. ;) )

I'm not anti-reality TV, even as an actor/writer. I love Survivor and Amazing Race. I'm not OVERLY ashamed to admit that my ex and I would have way too much fun watching programs in the Wife Swap/Meet Your New Mommy ouevre (actually, i think those are the only ones. :p). But i avoided American Idol for the longest time. I'd watch the audition episodes to see the embarrassing ones and the finale to see who won, but i just really didn't care about the rest of it. then a little while into season 4, i just got hooked. it was partly my crush on Carrie Underwood, i'll admit. and partly my desire to see Bucky Covington ripped apart by wild dogs (he was my proto-Sanjaya). and i also dug Bo and Constantine and a few others. Went so far as to blog every Wednesday with critiques and predictions from the night before. It...it got bad. Be careful, Christina...don't fall into the same sand trap i did. it's hard to pull yourself out. even now, when every new season starts, i feel the call to rush to the internet and let people know what i think about American Idol...i've stayed strong so far. and i'll pray that you can do the same.

besides, no one seems to read my blog anymore either, so it doesn't make much difference one way or another. :p

# posted by

Anonymous : April 17, 2008 at 2:55 PM

I didn't know you had a blog, Jordan. Give?

# posted by

Suzene : April 17, 2008 at 7:04 PM

Every reality show hater has a couple of shows they can't stop watching. Mine are 'America's Best Dance Crew' and 'The Paper' (2nd episode this monday!)

# posted by

Anonymous : April 17, 2008 at 8:54 PM

Don't know anything about those shows - never even heard of the Paper. What's that?

# posted by

Nunzio DeFilippis : April 17, 2008 at 8:57 PM

The Paper follows the workings of Cypress Bay High School's award-winning newspaper The Circuit, which means, yes, holy crap, MTV has a show about the smart, verbal kids. I don't know who fell asleep on the job over there at MTV, but I'm sure whoever let this one slip through development has been relegated to hot tub cleaning duty over at the Real World house.

The first episode followed the competition to pick the new editor-in-chief, which went to a super smart, little bit obnoxious girl, who is completely demonized by her staffers. You just want to reach into the screen and tell her it's all going to get better for her in college.

# posted by

Anonymous : April 18, 2008 at 7:19 AM

The Paper sounds excellent--thank you for the tip, previous poster. But as the Amy in the post that Nunzio dismissed so blithely, I must say: Hey! Christie is a women of many talents. She can post on your blog, watch American Idol (and rehash with me afterward) AND throw me an occasional bone.

# posted by

ASW : April 18, 2008 at 9:59 AM

I wasn't dismissing you, I promise.

I just noticed she was posting almost daily on your blog, while I had to drag her to our blog to try and get some life into this place!

She can do it all... trust me, after watching her push her way through this wound nightmare and then seeing her take the lead in the film script we're writing, I know that pretty well.

By the way, Amy... she LOVES reading your blog.

# posted by

Nunzio DeFilippis : April 18, 2008 at 10:06 AM

The Paper sounds kinda cool. Might have to check it out. No!!!! More reality TV.

And Jordan, I never said we were in an exclusive relationship. There's just too much of my American Idol opinion for just one man. I must share and share and share.

Hooray Andrew Lloyd Webber next week!

# posted by

Christie : April 18, 2008 at 10:41 AM

No more crickets