Reality show junkie?

June 13, 6:31 PMMental Health ExaminerJerilyn Dufresne

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Lauren Conrad of the television reality show "The Hills"
(AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Will Jon and Kate go from separation to divorce? If you don't know who Jon and Kate are, then this column is definitely not for you.

For the rest of us, we not only know who Jon and Kate are, we can name most, if not all, of their eight children.

Will Speidi go back into the jungle? For the uninitiated, Speidi are Spencer and Heidi Pratt, reality TV "stars" of The Hills, who were on I'm a Celebrity. Get Me Out of Here!

What makes some of us watch not only these shows but also The Amazing Race, Survivor, Charm School, Daisy of Love, The Hills, and countless more?

First of all, reality shows are everywhere. They cost much less to make and they've found an audience, so they crowd our TV Guides. Also, according to the Today Show, the people on reality shows are a lot more relatable. They're like our uncle or our neighbor.

Additionally, there's probably a bit of a voyeur in all of us who watch reality TV. We get a glimpse into other people's lives and it makes us forget our own problems. Just like when we watch(ed) I love Lucy or The Honeymooners. We can see what goes on elsewhere and suddenly our problems don't seem insurmountable.

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