Anybody out there watching Nashville Star??

I'll confess here (as I have frequently in my weekly columns) that I watch virtually no reality TV. I gave up the ghost on Survivor after about the second season. I don't consider game shows "reality". And I can say with all honesty that I have never watched more than 3-4 minutes in total combined of either American or Canadian Idol.

Am I odd? Maybe...I sure don't share in the love affair that the balance of North America has with these Karaoke kompetitions, so wattaya gonna do?? However, once or twice something slips through the cracks, and Nashville Star has done that, three years in a row.

It's not that my wife and I are terribly huge country fans, although our wide range in musical taste does appreciate an occasional bit of twang. It just seems to both of us that Nashville Star offers a bit more sincerity (maybe just to us, but remember, we are admittedly in a North American minority...) than the other music contests.

That said (and we'll stay right to the bitter end of the season), this year's edition is fairly bland to date. The first season produced a big winner, and the second year ignited the career of Canada's own George Canyon, even though he didn't actually win.

Last year's competition saw some of the best talent get cut early, and the winner ended up being someone that hollered more than sang; Becky Jo, Mistle Toe, or Sloppy Joe, her name escapes me...

Anyhow, that blunder appears to be muted somewhat with the vanilla performers this time out. I'm hoping that by the end things get even just a bit more interesting, but like anybody else watching "reality" TV, I don't think our lives will be worse off no matter who wins or loses the competition.

Chow for now!!!