Sunday, January 06, 2008

How reality shows are born


I'm getting more cautious about web dates. I recently emailed back and forth with a guy who invited me to a party. Let me describe the party as he described it to me.

He's not Jewish, but it's a Shabbat dinner. He thought it sounded fun to use candles and stuff and eat Jewish food. Mmmmm unleavened bread with gefilte fish. Party food indeed.

Still, it's something unusual and I'm always down for something unusual. But then he explained further.

He's inviting himself, his two roommates and a bunch of girls he met on the web who "sound cool".

Uh huh.

And in order for him to not be a douche and invite a bunch of girls with him being one of the only guys, he's decided it's a "used-to-date" party. I have never heard of this but he talked about it like it was the latest in awesome.

Apparently each girl brings someone she used to date as her guest at the party. Doesn't that sound fun?

Actually the more I think about it the more it sounds like a reality show...

"On guy chooses from an array of girls who are all vying for his affections. The catch? The girls' ex-boyfriends are trying to win them back. Who will choose love? And who will choose familiarity? And who will sit back and stuff her face with knishes? You'll find out this season on Train Wreck Party."

If the thought of actually participating in this didn't horrify me so much I might actually go just to watch what happens, but since I have no desire to drag either of the men I've dated who still live in LA through this poorly thought out concept, I think I'll just wait for the DVD.

11 comments:

  1. Yeesh.

    Arguing about yearbook class even sounds better than this.
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    B (totally high on glue sticks)

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  2. Anonymous7:24 PM

    B (totally high on glue sticks)

    What brand do you prefer?

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  3. This type of "used to date" party was featured in an episode of Sex and the City years ago.

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  4. I have always wanted to see a reality show which included writers who must stay away from a keyboard. Oh the pain.

    Spencer

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  5. Anonymous9:56 PM

    I have always wanted to see a reality show which included writers who must stay away from a keyboard. Oh the pain.

    How about a reality show where writers, at least those who prefer to procrastinate, must sit at a keyboard for a pre-determined amount of time and come up with something?

    Now that would be even more painful and I would happily sign up as one of the judges.

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  6. Anonymous4:00 AM

    Crap. I only just picked up on your sarcasm, spencer. I blame the late hour.

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  7. Emily, all I can say is, "I never really liked reality TV. There's very little that's 'real' to it." This sounds more like something out of a bad '80s comedy.

    I mean, OK, the whole "watching a car wreck, can't turn away" thing is there, but still... I think it was a wise choice indeed to stay away. Life is interesting enough without such cockamamie schemes. And that's "real life", not the game shows that are trying to be edgier by calling themselves "reality TV".

    Damn - did I wake up on the cranky side of the bed or something?

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  8. FYI, unleavened bread (aka matzoh) would be very unlikely to be present at that shabbat dinner, unless it is a really BAD dinner. We Jews only eat that on Passover.

    That being said, I'd still avoid this madness like the plague (one of the 10 we remember on said Passover). :-) And I wonder exactly what kind of Shabbat dinner it is where this dude can show up and drag along 10 or so strangers as well.

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  9. It's HIS party. He's designing it to be a Shabbat dinner even though he's not Jewish. That's why the party is him, his roommates and a bunch of girls and their boyfriends.

    Also my reference to the unleavened bread was a joke. I picked some food at random to point out humorously how Jewish food is not ideal party food.

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  10. Anonymous1:03 PM

    Also my reference to the unleavened bread was a joke. I picked some food at random to point out humorously how Jewish food is not ideal party food.

    You got that right. Matzah's only good for cream cheese spreading and tuna salad.

    Gefilte fish also isn't ideal. ;)

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  11. You could have gone and brought along some mayonnaise and Wonder bread to spice things up.

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