I'm A Cookie, And Sharon Shoulda Won

The first step to overcoming a problem is admitting you have one, right?

Well, I have a problem. I seem to have become hooked on reality television shows.

I blame it on the Writers' Strike. Since the few shows the family and I watch together had no new episodes, we were forced to find other avenues of entertainment. I mean, God forbid we should play a board game or go visit Mom or clean the house or something stupid like that.

That's just now how we roll.

And that's how I found myself caught in the jaws of Big Brother this past season, rooting for Sharon, a gal from my area. While she made it to the final four, she was too nice to make it to the end. Another guy won the grand prize instead.

And I was sad.

Enter American Idol.

A young man from my area was one of the contestants. David Cook by name. He had weird-looking hair at the beginning of the season, but that changed. What didn't change was the talent that showed through. He had an incredible range. This guy could sing a ballad as well as he could rock out.

(And yes, I said rock out. I'm allowed. I'm a child of the 70's, and we did that way back then.)

He sang with ZZ TOP tonight!!! For those of you who do not remember ZZ Top because you were in the pre-embryonic stage when they became popular, let me just say this; I pity you. The same goes for Graham Nash.

Not so much for George Michael.

Anyway.

David Cook did his hometown proud tonight. He is the new American Idol, and I couldn't be more happy for him. When the results were announced there was much shouting and jumping for joy in my household.

We live vicariously through our television. It's really very sad.

I will now return to my regularly scheduled programming and fast from the reality for a while. Because after all, isn't that what television is all about, avoidance of reality?

I thought so.