I’m annoyed with myself. I’ve stayed up way past my bedtime for two nights to watch the finale of The Bachelor, a television show where one guy gets to date 25, that’s right, 25 women simultaneously until he finds his “true love” and proposes marriage. It’s addictive. I got suckered right in this season because the “bachelor” was a single dad who had a history of being dumped.
Sometimes by the time I end my day, I just want completely mindless TV. I don’t want to have to think. Reality television fits that hole perfectly for me. I sit down, open my eyes wide, and let all the bad-for-my-intelligence digital airwaves fill my brain. I find it quite relaxing.
But, after reflecting on this past week, I’m ready to admit that I have a little addiction. Am I trying to live vicariously through these people? No. I would never compete against 24 other girls for one dude. Plus, if my parents saw me making out in a hot-tub with him on national TV, I think they’d disown me.
I’m definitely not interested in trying out to become the next American Idol, or being stranded on an island without food or shelter on Survivor. And besides, racing across the world in The Amazing Race would definitely put me in an emergency room from all the anxiety. I’m just spending way too much time at watching this stuff. It’s embarrassing.
After watching two nights of The Bachelor back-to-back, I’ve thought of the hundreds of other things I could’ve been doing with those four hours that I gave up. I could’ve read a great book, watched the stars, put pictures in an album, a job I’ve put off for five years, or cut my toenails that are so long they’re cutting my bed sheets.
I guess I wouldn’t be so mad at myself if this ending didn’t let me down (I know, I need to get a life). Even though I don’t expect much, I still carry hope. The only couple still standing from The Bachelor are Trista and Ryan, a cute couple that met on season 2 who now live in Vail with a baby and another one on the way. In 9 seasons, the “date 25 people until you find the one you’re going to marry” recipe hasn’t worked very well, but has made for some interesting TV.
This time, it was just plain awkward. The bachelor, Jason Mesnick, proposed to one girl at the end of the show. Then, after the show ended, they had him back on in an hour-long interview. With his “fiancé” waiting in the wings, he admitted he made a mistake and then, once she was sitting next to him in the interview, he dumped her on national television. Then begged the second runner-up to take him back!?!
Imagine getting your heart broken on national TV? Oh, it hurt to watch. I gave up four hours of quality time to squirm in my chair and feel so bad for the dumpee. She was sweet, she didn’t deserve that. I felt like such an intruder watching it play out. Why was I watching this again? Sigh.
He followed his heart, I guess. I have to respect that, I guess. Everyone makes their own decisions and nobody’s perfect, I guess. Hey, I guess I don’t feel that bad that I wasted so much time. I guess I’m not perfect either. I’ll just have to work on my addiction…
Maryann Castronovo can be reached at raisingmommy@aol.com or for past columns visit www.raisingmommy.com.
