I'm not sure what it is about Rachel Zoe that I find so fascinating. As an aside, this is an unusual development for me. I don't fall into chick-lit in any form (books, movies, etc) and only follow fashion in the sense that I try not to dress like a homeless person. Well, that's a lie. I do pay attention to the current stylings out there. Thanks to "The Devil Wears Prada", I understand how cerulean has trickled down from the fashion powerhouses in Paris to the Casual Corner that the typical American shops at. I remember three years ago when skinny jeans were just starting out and it was such a novelty. Look where they are now: I've gotten all of my flared jeans hemmed in so they're skinny.
But there's something about Rachel Zoe, LC Conrad, and, dare I say, Kim Kardashian, that I just can't stop watching. At first I thought it was just Rachel Zoe and her proclivity to the stars via fashion that I found fascinating, but there's more to it. I mean, while I haven't really delved into the "Jersey Shore" yet, I can get sucked into "Real Housewives" marathons. Though, to be fair (to myself), there are definitely differences to the "Real Housewives" depending on location.
I remember when the OC version started and it was still a novelty to watch these rich and slightly crazy woman. Then they moved onto NYC, which I still thought was fun since it was neat to see NYC featured so prominently (ie, NYC as the fifth cast member in "SATC"). Though, the ladies *cough I mean characters *cough seemed to get crazier and less compelling to watch with each new location. I haven't been able to even stomach an episode of the ATL or NJ episodes. The clips that I see on "THe Soup" are all I need. It's just a lot of craziness.
Being based out of the DC metro area, I imagined that I'd have a vested interest in watching the DC version. Nope, that was not the case. The crazy quotient is not as high as ATL or NJ, but the richness/decadence quotient is not as high as OC or NYC. On top of that, the entire area has turned on the show after the WH incident. It's different in DC. You have to pay attention to how others perceive you.
I enjoy watching these shows to 1) peek into the lives of the rich and 2) see all of their excesses, but only to a certain point. Is it hypocritical for me to have a standard for reality-television trashiness? I don't watch shows that feature table flipping (ATL) and accusations of prostitution (NJ). However, the "classier" arguments, I can handle. And honestly, I think it makes me feel better about myself. I may not be filthy rich, but at least I'm not crazy!
Is Rachel Zoe (and all those reality-based television shows... Housewives, Hills, Jersey Shore) pushing America to the edge? Are they a reflection of who we're becoming... or just who we're enthralled with? Are they an escape from our boring lives, so they're just an outlet for us? I'm not sure. I hope not. If you're so bored that you're living your life through these crazy people, I would really want you to just shut off the TV and go volunteer somewhere. But then, I can't seem to tear myself away.
I blame MTV and "Laguna Beach" for starting all this madness.
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