Schadenfreude: delight in another’s misfortune (noun)
Loosely translated into modern American English, Schadenfreude also means reality television or The Learning Channel. (Also, the inspiration for a great Broadway tune.)
The Evidence: Virgin Diaries, a show following “sexually inexperienced people in a sexually charged culture.”
There’s nothing wrong with virginity. That’s not the misfortune in which audiences relish. A first kiss like this, however…
Do you think your social life is sad? Meet Skippy. At 34, Skippy remains a virgin to honor his Mormon faith, not because he attempts to pick up women at clubs with his mother as wingman, solicits kisses for Skippy-themed t-shirts, or collects his own belly button lint in a jar.
The Evidence: Hoarding: Buried Alive is where moderately messy people can see legitimately dirty people and think to themselves, “Well, at least I’m not that bad.”
The Evidence: Toddlers and Tiaras and its spinoff, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.
Few things in this world make me quite as grateful for my parents as watching little girls painted like drag queens and dressed as whores of the early 90s.
If you think a show featuring a family trip to the Redneck Games as well as cooking road kill offered up by the local police isn’t created for the delight of the middle class then I’m impressed you’ve made it this far in life without a drop of cynicism.
At least Alana seems to love her body, I guess.
What’s your favorite TLC show?
