Just say the words Reality Television and you're likely to illicit two widely different responses. It seems Americans fall into only two camps when it comes to Reality TV. They either crave it like a satellite-beamed drug they can't get enough of, or the mere thought of wasting time watching the equivalent of video garbage with no redeeming social value makes them physically ill. Luckily for TV execs the addicts are winning.



With a new slew of reality programming on the docket every season there seems to be no end, and definitely no method to the madness. From game shows, to voyeur shows, to celebrity shows, to talent shows; reality is a genre that is here to stay. And who can blame the networks? A reality show costs about one-third the price per episode of a scripted show. And there seems to be a never ending supply of “real” people eager to be chosen to cash in on their 15 minutes of fame.

However, sometimes 15 minutes just isn't enough for some people. This has lead to the newest sub-category of reality programming – the spinoff reality show. The leading proprietor of these me-too, wannabe pseudo celebrity vehicles is VH1. They have the super network ability to create spinoffs from their spinoffs. One of their most prolific efforts has been Rock of Love With Brett Michaels. It chronicles the trials and tribulations of the ‘80s rocker as he tries to find true love from a bevy of tattooed beauties all sharing the same Hollywood Hills mansion.

Failing to find the woman of his dreams on this debut show, the first spin was the expected Rock of love II. Failing again, the second spin with a twist was Rock of Love Bus where he took a new batch of girls with him on the road as he toured the country. The third spin gave the runner up girlfriend, Daisy de la Hoya, on Rock of love II her own show where she turns the tables and has a gaggle of tattooed guys vying for her affection. The inspired name for this show is simply Daisy of Love.

The series begins in typical reality dating show fashion with 20 guys that are eliminated one by one each week until that perfect match is left standing. From the sensitive Goth rocker to the Ultimate Fighting champion, watching these guys jostle for position each week is like watching a train wreck. You don't want to look, but you can't

turn away.

By far the most satisfying episode from the viewer perspective came early in the series, and included a paintball challenge. The guys are hauled out to the desert where they learn that they must protect a symbolic Daisy mannequin from several sharp-shooting paintballers as they take it from the limo, to the "red carpet", and then to the "stage door". The men are divided into teams. Each team must run their Daisy mannequin from location to location and the team with the least damaged Daisy mannequin wins the challenge and a date with Daisy.

The paintball sharpshooters were placed strategically, and dressed to intimidate in full paintball gear – masks, goggles, and protective chest plates. And they seemed to have an endless supply of paintballs flying out of their CO2 charged paintball guns. The rocker boys dressed only in coveralls and goggles where annihilated. They forgot about protecting their Daisy mannequin, and just tried to save their own hides. One team even broke her in half. Now that made for some good TV.

Seeing these punked out, macho, rocker guys scream and whimper like little girls with the sting of each paint ball is a good reminder that reality TV really needs a dose of reality every now and then.