January 10, 2005

"You're cooler than a free bucket of beer."

Today's title reflects both how I feel about those of you who took the time to participate and help contribute to Michele's and SC&A's tsunami relief blog fundraising effort yesterday and the single best line from tonight's debut of "The Bachelorette." What a dichotomy.

I have no intention of doing regular posts about this show -- I wasn't even sure that I was going to watch it at all, but an otherwise dull TV night and curiosity piqued by an ad that featured one potential suitor passing out at the rose ceremony and I couldn't resist. (I'm no better than people who slow down to look at car crashes, am I? At least I don't actually do that.)

And the best part of the whole show? The outtake reel they showed while the credits were rolling at the end.

The host, Chris Harrison, displaying more personality than I've ever seen (on any of the shows he does), was goofing around with Jen, the Bachelorette (natch), by imitating one of the suitors telling her how hot she is. The "bucket of beer" part was the very last line before they cut away to the news and it had us positively rolling with laughter until we were breathless.

It could be more of ABC's clever editing, but this season does seem to have more than its share of excitement and it's more than catty women getting all bent out of shape because one of the other chicks is open about her sexuality. It may not be enough to keep me tuning in until the "Best, most exciting, most romantic, most suspenseful, most heartwarming, most climactic, most ratings-grabbing final rose ceremony...ever!" but it will do for Mondays for now.