First off, for the record, I am not a reality junkie. I hardly ever subject myself to the tube unless I'm watching sports or a film. However, for some reason whenever I encounter VH1's The Surreal Life I simply cannot pull myself away. The concept is great--take advantage of eccentric, washed-up famous people who desperately need the money by placing them in the same combustible household.

The Surreal Life cast alumni list includes Vanilla Ice, Tammy Faye Baker, Brigitte Nielson, Flavor Flav (who, bizarrely enough, dated Nielson), Sherman Helmsley, Corey Feldman, MC Hammer, Ron Jeremy, Verne Troyer, Chyna, Jos