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Are They For Real?

Reality shows - love 'em or hate 'em - seem to be a mainstay of cable channel programing. Personally, I hate 'em, with few exceptions. I remember, though, when the American specialty cable channel TLC first began I used to watch that cute and perky Paige Davis in Trading Spaces. I'll bet she melted a few viewers' hearts. But then HGTV came along and spawned an entire schedule of programs based on TLC's home redecorating premise.

That home-wrecker, Paige

I'm a fan of Amazing Race but never got into Survivor. And I certainly never watched those shows based on has-beens and wannabes like Family Jewels with the former KISS member with the longest tongue in the world, the short-lived "that's hot" show, although viewers were lukewarm, with Paris Hilton, the craziness that's called The Kardashians and of course the show I loved to hate - Jon and Kate Plus 8.

I kinda got into Discovery's The Deadliest Catch about five Alaska King crabber captains and their crews, but I took a pass on Ice Road Truckers.

From time to time I'll catch Storage Wars. Yuuuuuuup. It follows several guys to storage locker auctions and covers just what these poor saps come away with. It's good for a laugh. Just not on a regular basis.

I never understood what happened to A&E, dropping intelligent and thought-provoking programs in favour of mind-numbing, reality programming. I mean, c'mon, there's only so many alligators, bats and bees Billy The Exterminator can eradicate from Louisiana homes. And Dog The Bounty Hunter? We all know how each show will end. He and his buxomy wife and fellow crime-fighting cronies always get the bad guy. But now comes the worst, the weirdest, the whackiest show I've ever seen.



It's the tale of a Texas family that runs around the state hunting...wait for it...wild boars. It's called American Hoggers and hunting boars in the bush is what this family does for a living. Apparently there are over 5 million of these things running wild and causing over $50 million in damages in terms of crops, farm animals and what-not.

Jerry Campbell, a grizzly-bearded character, and a dead ringer for singer Ronnie Hawkins, leads his ass-kickin' clan as they cavort after big bad boars. The guy has such a heavy southern accent they run sub-titles every time he speaks. I'm not kidding. His son Robert is along for the ride. But the sibling that caught my attention was  Kystal "Pistol" Campbell.

A pistol isn't all Krystal's packin'

Krystal's a former beauty queen and - as the A&E blurb tells it "this Texas beauty isn't worried about breaking a nail when it comes to wrestling down a 300-pound hog".

Boy, reality TV's come a long way since Paige Davis!


Comments

Malisa said…
Gosh, I miss Trading Spaces! Before that show, I was hooked on Changing Rooms which was the original BBC show upon which Trading Spaces was based. The good old days...sigh. I must admit that I have never heard of American Hoggers, but I am sure that my husband will watch it now. Dammit! I just googled the show and see that the "star" of the show is an Aggie which explains it all. While you are channel changing, be sure and check out Discovery Channel's Oddities. No, no, I don't watch much tv! Why do you ask?
nonamedufus said…
I came across this show quite by accident. I was just flipping around on the weekend to see what was on and I came upon this. My wife walked by and I said "I can;t believe I'm watching this" to which she replied "Oh I've already seen that show". I said, "Just what the heck are you watching on the other TV, anyway? Anything else you want to tell me about?"

I just think reality TV is too "out there" these days for my tastes. I mean, really, who cares about these people?

Do you have many boars wandering around your part of Texas?

I'm thinking of doing a similar show called "Canadian Snoozers" where I track down bores north of the border.
nonamedufus said…
I came across this show quite by accident. I was just flipping around on the weekend to see what was on and I came upon this. My wife walked by and I said "I can;t believe I'm watching this" to which she replied "Oh I've already seen that show". I said, "Just what the heck are you watching on the other TV, anyway? Anything else you want to tell me about?"

I just think reality TV is too "out there" these days for my tastes. I mean, really, who cares about these people?

Do you have many boars wandering around your part of Texas?

I'm thinking of doing a similar show called "Canadian Snoozers" where I track down bores north of the border.
Linda Medrano said…
I hate reality tv. But I did get hooked on ANTM. I hated it but had to watch it. I don't like Tyra Banks. I also sometimes watch "cops" marathons but I'm not proud of it. Oh wait! Project Runway. Yeah, I guess I do watch some of it.
Nicky said…
Oh Dufus, you obviously haven't seen the trailers for Swamp People.

No, I'm not kidding.
nonamedufus said…
Ah, ha! Welcome to the sickness.
nonamedufus said…
Oh, that's totally crazy. What's next? A show about cheese lovers? Yeah, right. No whey.
Linda Medrano said…
No wait! Does Top Chef count? How about "Ice Cube Loves Coco?"
nonamedufus said…
I don't know about Top Chef but I completely forgot Hell's Kitchen and the other Chef Ramsey shows. Love 'em. I've never watched Cube and Coco. Didn't know they had a show. Something tells me I'm not missing much.

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