CHRIS QUINN: Columnist compulsively watches ‘Obsessed'
Yahoo
Newsvine
Del.icio.us
Facebook
Google
Reddit
Fark
The darker side of TV can often lead to frank moments of painful introspection and binge behavior.
So as I sat naked on my living room floor rocking back and forth watching a young woman on the TV who cannot stop constantly pulling tufts of hair from her head, I thought to myself.
“Self, man, you gotta stop eating your toenails.”
Arrgh! I'm “Obsessed” — airing 9 p.m. Mondays on A&E.
OK, I don't eat toenails. Maybe a nibble now and then.
I just tried to think of the most disgusting thing I could, and then affect the mode of the obsessive-compulsive disorder upon that activity. Nope, the only compulsive behavior in my life is that I blink my eyes about 2,500 times an hour, double the average. I checked. That and the vast amount of fried chicken I horde in my thighs, stomach and butt.
But there are real people out there who may not be able to stop eating toenails, and they are suffering far worse than you or me. Leave it up to TV to bring those personal and uncomfortable stories into our lives.
Of course, we don't have to watch. But we do. Because reality TV-watchers are sick in a whole different kind of way. As for the “Obsessed,” these poor souls need help. Which I guess what this show wants to be, help and not voyeuristic. So far, we've seen people bathe to the point of hospitalization, several germaphobia types and a hypochondriac. Then there was the poor woman who could not stop putting on the bloody clothes of her dead father, and, finally, the girl who can't stop pulling out her hair.
The show is along the lines of another A&E voyeur hit, “Intervention.” Both shows confront the individuals with their problems and then insert professionals to help them heal.
It's really not something to joke about. But I will try anyway.
Why did the obsessive-compulsive cross the road? Why did the obsessive-compulsive cross the road? Why did the obsessive-compulsive cross the road? Why did the obsessive-compulsive cross the road? Why did the obsessive-compulsive cross the road? Why did the obsessive-compulsive cross the road?
(0)