Stuff I Like: TV Edition

So my television consumption goes up dramatically in the summer for obvious reasons, namelay the fact that I am home to watch. Still, I have not been watching much because of my master's classes. But I have found a few gems recently.

"I Want To Be a Hilton" -- Dude, who doesn't? Kathy Hilton is a bad TV personality, but this show is so campy it is funny. Basically, she takes a bunch of uncouth bumpkins and tries to clean them up and get them ready for high society. Of course the contests have little to do with high society; really only a lifetime of being spoiled can prepare you for that. Things are just heating up, though. My money is on Jaret -- likeable, enthusiastic, starting to get the whole society thing. He is a kindergarten teacher, so you gotta support that. It's Tusdays at 9 p.m. on NBC.

NBC also has some interesting series for the fall: Martha Stewart's version of "The Apprentice" and "E-Ring," with Dennis Hopper and Benjamin Bratt as Pentagon experts. ABC has this week's "Brat Camp," which looks interesting, and "Commander in Chief" a show about Geena Davis as the vice president who ascends to the presidency. Donald Sutherland co-stars. I caught one episode of "Empire," and it was all right, too.

The "Ellen" show, even in reruns, is swell. I love Ellen DeGeneres. She makes me laugh, and I like the easy feeling about the show. Plus she is fun. Way better than the super-syrupy Rosie O'Donnell Show, which got old fast.

CNN's "Inside Politics" -- I love a show dedicated to politics. It's better during an election year. It was also better with Judt Woodruff, and I am not sure what has happened to her. I aim to find out. I'll post a comment when I do. It's on at 12: 30 p.m. Pacific time, if you're interested.

Have I also mentioned I love CNN's "NewsNight with Aaron Brown"? I love it. Brown is a great newsman (was a Seattle anchor for a long time), and I like his mix of hard questions, the questions I would ask, and the kind of common sense that an average person brings to an interview. Sometimes, he just looks at a person he is interviewing witha look that says, "Oh, come on." And then he actually says, "Oh, come on." Gotta love the honesty. Stick around for Segment Seven at the end, usually a brite feature and often with Jeannie Moos (hilarious reporter), and for Morning Papers, a roundup of the next day's headlines from newspapers as they are put to bed, which always ends with the Chicago Sun-Times and its pithy description of the days's weather forecast. The show airs at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. out here. Try it.

I also watched a bevy of home improvement shows while I was in Phoenix. My folks love 'em. My dad also made me watch some NASCAR. The race was delayed for like three hours, and it was obvious they were filling time. People actually watch that live -- I don't know why. My dad is a fan, and, shockingly, my stepmom is too. Weird. At least they don't by much memoribilia. Much.

-- Wenatchee, Wash.