Scott Baio has taken my brain hostage

I think I have the writer's strike to blame for my current problem. Yeah, it's all their fault. Left to my own devices with no well-written stories to amuse me, I've fallen into a trap of watching embarrasingly bad reality TV. This is not my proudest moment, confessing this to the world at large is not easy. But they say realizing you have a problem is the first step toward recovery. so here I am.

I am hear to stand (well, sit, I can't type and stand) that, "My name is Candy and I am a bad TV-aholic." This is where you all respond and say, "Hi,Candy."

It might also be the bad weather, winter in New England doesn't exactly lure you to be active and inspired. Also, I write about entertainment and pop culture as my job, so I HAVE to know what's going on. I know, they warned me about this - I'm rationalizing my addicition, aren't I? One look at my DVR schedule shows the nasty evidence, there's no hiding from the truth.

I think the only way to get beyond this is to just lay it all out there. So here my friends is my story.

It all started pretty innocently with "Scott Baio is 45 and Single," last year. I don't know why I was watching, Baio is a bit of a douche and not all that bright, but I started watching and wanted to find out if his long-suffering life coach got anywhere with him. So when the series closed last season with his proposal to his girlfriend, Renee, and her announcement of being pregnant, well OF COURSE I had to find out what happened! So, my DVR has recorded "Scott Baio is 46 and Pregnant," this winter.

I scoffed when I heard about "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew," I couldn't believe anyone would want to watch a group of D-list celebrities with drug and alcohol problems, but hell, I've been there talking to the TV and shaking my head telling Jeff Conaway, "Yeah, well, if you are that bent on ruining your life, maybe you should leave rehab!" Obviously I should not change careers and become a drug counselor. And then of course I was disgusted when the holier-than-thou Daniel Baldwin (by the way, being a called a "Baldwin" no longer means you're hot - those ships sailed in the early 90s) left the center and one of the young women in recovery (a former porn star) confessed that he had been texting her while he was a patient, wanting her to send him photos - and this was the guy with a pregnant wife at home.

I could go on - there's "Keeping Up with the Kardashian's," "The Hills," and "Project Runway" (by far the least cringe-worthy of the above selections - at least these people have talent)

I am hoping that in a few weeks, when my favorite shows like, "The Office" return, I will be able to pull myself away from these horrible people. Seriously, when did I decide I wanted to waste any time or valuable brain cells thinking about Kim Kardashian or Lauren Conrad? I am totally disgusted with myself.

This does remind me however, "Keeping Up With the Kardashian's" returns to E! on March 9. I have to know that, some of my Pop Goes the Culture readers might want to know!

Pardon me while I go set my DVR. Baby steps, friends, I'm still taking baby steps.