2. Jersey Shore

Watching Jersey Shore is kind of like eating a deep-fried candy bar; you know it can't be good for you and you feel bad for enjoying it, but it is an absolutely perfect guilty pleasure.                               I'm no stranger to reality tv shows. I've witnessed the trashy ( Flavor of Love) and the utterly tasteless (Rock of Love). I laughed, I cheered, and most importantly I tuned in every week. I wouldn't say I loved any of those shows. I liked them, sure, but they didn't stick with me and really create a lasting impression.

Jersey Shore accomplished what few other reality tv shows could do for me. It drew me in and I became addicted. I loved tuning in to see Snooki get in fights with random bar whores, or to see J-Woww cheat on her boyfriend with Pauly-D. I loved seeing Vinny get stalked by that strange but beautiful Israeli girl. I loved seeing Ronnie and Mike "The Situation" duke it out over Sammi "Sweetheart". If addictive and intellectual shows like Mad Men are cocaine, Jersey Shore was like a 5 dollar hit of crack that I just kept going back to.

Yes, Jersey Shore is low-budget and tasteless. It stereotypes the Italian culture and typecasts New Jersey in an unfavorable way. But like so many cheap and trashy things, I am a (slightly ashamed) fan.

Season 2 of Jersey Shore premiered July 29th. I couldn't be happier.