The Surreal Life: Fame Games

After appearing in this episode as a Judge for the "Best Scandalous Video" contest, then waiting 10 months to see this masterpiece air on VH-1 in January 2007, I submit my own review: "On what day did the Lord create 'The Surreal Life: Fame Games' and couldn't he have rested on that day as well?" I found that the Ron Jeremy video accurately represented the way Ron's adult video performances are today, "DEAD IN THE WATER!" There is no doubt Vanilla Ice's (aka Rob Van Winkle) and Andrea Lowell's use of Mini Me (aka Verne Troyer) made for the best hysterical video moment! This trio definitely deserved the first place prize. In hindsight, I sure wish I could have gotten to know more of fellow Judge Ali Masters who her boss & host Robin Leach proclaimed, "Star of 'Wild Party Girls'" because she was SUPER HOT sitting just to my left and I was HOT for her! But alas, Ali split the set before I could hook up with her! Boo-Hoo.

I haven't actually seen an episode of this program (and won't see any in the future), and had known nothing about it. I caught it as it was being promoted, and with excerpts shown, on the TV Guide channel on my cable service, while checking the program schedule crawl.

Never until now have I had any affinity for the rantings of those TV evangelists, and others, who are always predicting the impending appearance of Armageddon, and the end of our world and civilization.

Even with all the crappy game shows, reality programs, Lifetime movies, "Golden Girls" re-runs, etc., inevitable on television today with the plethora of channels -- this show has to foretell the end of civilization as we know it.

Porn actor Ron Jeremy, Vanilla Ice, Erik Estrada, and - heaven protect us - the ludicrous Tammy Faye (formerly Bakker, of PTL), under the "leadership" of Gary Coleman, this is a freak show which defies imagination.

Further, this group then apparently engages in silly, inane activities, which would hold no interest if they involved, say, Brad Pitt, Harrison Ford, Robert Redford, Julia Roberts, and the like -- much this "D-list" grouping. Together they have less charisma than the late Jerry Orbach, or David Caruso, two actors whose moderate level of success has been achieved with little of that quality.

I realize that the producer can probably obtain this entire lot, at cost for an entire season which would be about what Jerry Seinfeld or Ray Romano made for half an episode on their shows.

However, I'd rather watch a half hour of either Jerry or Ray painting a wall, with no dialog, than this pathetic crowd. There is not a single element of any character or situation which has anything whatever to recommend it.