KeeTaking Sides: ping It Real: No break from reality after 'American Idol'

Editor’s note: Taking Sides is a weekly pop culture column. This week’s topic is reality television.

Christine Simmons: The first reality shows I remember watching were “The Real World” on MTV and “Survivor” on CBS. Now you can’t change the channel without seeing some type of reality show, and viewers seem to be eating them up. From “A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila” about a bisexual woman looking for love, to “Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe,” in which Rowe travels the globe looking for the dirtiest jobs, there’s something for everyone. If you can imagine a scenario, there’s probably a reality show about it.

Anne Braly — Now that “American Idol” is over, my reality show watching has come to an end. I’m just not that into these shows that have taken over the airwaves, though I will admit to watching “The Biggest Loser” twice. I gave up watching “Survivor” two years ago. I think its popularity is starting to wane, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it off the air in another season or two. But never fear, you reality fans. I was watching an ad on ABC and it appears we have a summer filled with nothing but this genre of shows.

Christine Simmons — What a fascinating way to learn about our culture, to actually see inside the lives of real people, watch their reactions to everyday life and imagine ourselves being in the same situations and how we would react.

Lets face it, reality TV is here to stay, so we might as well take off the gloves and get down and dirty with the rest of them.

Anne Braly: Think I’ll go take a shower. I’ve had enough. I’ll be waiting for “American Idol” to come back next year.