I know, I know, you have read about them before.  But I am addicted…   A few nights ago I was watching my “stories”, which happened to be some new episodes of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Atlanta and I was once again sucked into their lives.  Kim Zolciak (the wig wearing, blond, Big Poppa loving, Don’t Be Tardy for the Party Singing, Bentley driving, mom of two who smokes and drinks constantly in front of her kids and is now Prego by a pro NFL player…) throws a party at her house where the “doctor” brings a special machine that uses lasers to magically break up fat and lose weight instantly.  She invites over the other Real Housewives, serves up some white wine and puts on her bikini to show them how it is done.

Then Kim orders a pizza.  And then she has her daughter feed her the pizza while in the bikini while lying under the magical fat melting machine.  I think if anyone in a foreign country saw this, they would think this was just a really bad joke.  Kind of like some of those Asian TV shows I somehow randomly watch late at night.  Just over the top dumb stunts like running across a pond by balancing on giant balls. Silly and Strange.

This isn’t the first time Kim has shown the audience how to stay hot.  In season one she gets another “procedure” with another magical fat blasting machine at her doctor’s office and explains she has no idea what it costs, but she needs it because she hates working out.  Then there is the one where she and her assistant Sweetie (real name) go “jogging” to get in shape for a concert (one song she is singing in public- I mean lip syncing).  While Kim huffs and puffs, while doing very little jogging, she tells Sweetie they don’t need to work out when some cars passing by honk and yell.  Then to top it off they see a Beer Delivery truck across a four lane divided highway-ish thing (I don’t know it has a big grassy median?).  And they cross all these lanes of traffic to ask him for a beer.  On their workout jogging trip!  When he says no, they go into the store and get free beer from the owner and then sit on a bench and drink it.

What kind of message is this sending?  Kim is a fun character on the show.  She is outgoing, funny, sarcastic, pretty and seems to have it all (minus having Big Poppa actually live with her and um be divorced so they can be a couple).  I like her.  She decided she wanted to be a Pop Star and with a horrible awful very bad voice and tone deafness (I have this as well) she DOES!  I mean how can you not like a girl like that?  I also like how she continues to wear “Poppa’s ring” well after they have broken up.  Hey if I had a ring like that I would wear it too!

But I digress.  Kim is showing people that it is okay to basically lead an unhealthy lifestyle and stay slim and hot by using plastic surgery or “magical machines”.  If I wasn’t on the other side of an eating disorder, I feel like I might save up some money and throw a pizza, wine, bikini and magical fat dissolving machine party.  But I know that isn’t healthy.  And I know that machine doesn’t work.  Well I am pretty sure.  I have Pilates, I don’t need that machine!  I like muscle.

While I find these shows and their characters entertaining I do worry that not everyone can sit back at home and realize it is just for fun.  I worry they will continue to diet and use quick fix tricks to “get skinny”.

I guess a show on living a normal healthy life isn’t something Bravo will be picking up anytime soon.  But in the meantime let’s try to remember that “reality TV” is just a different form of entertainment.  It’s not a sitcom, but it is TV!  And don’t you dare purchase one of the wigs from Kim’s wig line.  Okay well maybe you can, if you buy it for me for Christmas…

Finally Free,

Bridget Loves