Is it weird that I don't watch much television?

[MaC]

I was eating lunch with some girls that live on my hall and they got into a discussion about tv shows that they watch.  They asked if I watched American Idol or Desperate Housewifes.  I don't, and I felt pretty wierd since I couldn't contibute to the conversation.  It sucks.  Why does everyone watch so much tv?  Why is it such a huge thing?  If I were to watch shows like the ones previously mentioned, I'd get bored out of my skull.  So is it either waste a lot of time watching (crap) shows or not being able to contribute and enjoy a conversation.

I'm frusterated at this...
any help would be appreciated.

[MasterJedi]

No, I know a lot of people who don't really watch any (or very little). So you're not weird (though I watch TV).

[Dave from Michigan]

I watch a lot kind of, because i watch while I'm on the computer

[phk]

I watch Bloomberg, BBC, LinkTV and maybe in some instances CNN. Nothing else.

[Erc]

There are a few good shows on TV--fewer these days, though.  I essentially watch House--and yeah, that's about it.

It pays to know what's on TV these days, but that's not hard to figure out.

[CheeseWhiz]

I usually only watch two hours on Friday, and one on Monday, and then I'm done until next Friday, except for the occasional rerun or something else special that I want to see.

Well, actually, that's excluding the Stargate DVD's that I'm watching to get caught up with the show...

[DanielX]

I watch very little TV - and when I do watch, its very dry stuff. The Military Channel, the History Channel, once in a while Discovery, and on occasion Fox News.

Back when there were new 'Star Trek: Enterprise' episodes I used to watch UPN for 1 hour a week.

[Vasall des Midas]

Only the braindead watch tv every day.

[angus]

I watch TV every day.  Every free moment.  At least one of the three sets in my house is always on.  I honestly believe I am well informed, and the fact that I watch huge amounts of television is why I'm so goddamned well informed.  And though I do absolutely love school, I think I learned much more from watching television than from going to school all those years.  So bite my ass Lewis.

As for the Idol and Desperate Housewives discussion, I wouldn't be able to contribute to that conversation either as I've never watched those shows.  But my guess would be that the chicks who watch these shows couldn't find Baghdad on a map, think nachos are their favorite french food, and would probably do ya for the price of a couple of beers.  "Sam Alito?  Isn't he the guy from the gay cowboy movie?  Oh, yeah, he's soooo cute."  The key is to change the conversation from these shows that you don't watch by focusing on some element of the conversation that seems especially interesting to these girls.  Talk about them, not about yourself.  Nod your head politely and smile once you get them going on about themselves.  Look into their eyes, not constantly at their cleavage.  And make sure to compliment their shoes.

[opebo]

I only watch TV from in the very early morning hours here - say from six or seven to nine AM, at which time I normally doze off.  Sometimes during that time Hogan's Heroes comes on - can you imagine?

[MODU]

Not weird at all.  I don't watch much tv either.  It's either news, HGTV, History Channel, or Sci-Fi for the most part.  And when the tv is on, I'm normally doing something else at the same time (like posting right now).

[Bacon King]

I occasionally watch tv. I watch House, the Daily Show, and C-SPAN. I'll also watch other shows, like Family Guy, from time to time.

[MaC]

I watch TV every day.  Every free moment.  At least one of the three sets in my house is always on.  I honestly believe I am well informed, and the fact that I watch huge amounts of television is why I'm so goddamned well informed.  And though I do absolutely love school, I think I learned much more from watching television than from going to school all those years.  So bite my ass Lewis.

As for the Idol and Desperate Housewives discussion, I wouldn't be able to contribute to that conversation either as I've never watched those shows.  But my guess would be that the chicks who watch these shows couldn't find Baghdad on a map, think nachos are their favorite french food, and would probably do ya for the price of a couple of beers.  "Sam Alito?  Isn't he the guy from the gay cowboy movie?  Oh, yeah, he's soooo cute."  The key is to change the conversation from these shows that you don't watch by focusing on some element of the conversation that seems especially interesting to these girls.  Talk about them, not about yourself.  Nod your head politely and smile once you get them going on about themselves.  Look into their eyes, not constantly at their cleavage.  And make sure to compliment their shoes.

lol, I don't think they are that dumb.  I try conversational cherrypicking, but it kinda sucks when it's all I do sometimes.   I thank you for your advice, it's just-I cannot get along with girly personalities.  I mean the girls on my floor are nice enough, there's just really nothing I can relate to.  Girl talk is always about cute guys, my boyfriend, flowers, the person on the tube, and lame-ass pop songs.  I mean it's one of the points where I fail with women is that a lot of them are into mundane crap.

[Beet]

I watch TV every day.  Every free moment.  At least one of the three sets in my house is always on.  I honestly believe I am well informed, and the fact that I watch huge amounts of television is why I'm so goddamned well informed.  And though I do absolutely love school, I think I learned much more from watching television than from going to school all those years.  So bite my ass Lewis.

As for the Idol and Desperate Housewives discussion, I wouldn't be able to contribute to that conversation either as I've never watched those shows.  But my guess would be that the chicks who watch these shows couldn't find Baghdad on a map, think nachos are their favorite french food, and would probably do ya for the price of a couple of beers.  "Sam Alito?  Isn't he the guy from the gay cowboy movie?  Oh, yeah, he's soooo cute."  The key is to change the conversation from these shows that you don't watch by focusing on some element of the conversation that seems especially interesting to these girls.  Talk about them, not about yourself.  Nod your head politely and smile once you get them going on about themselves.  Look into their eyes, not constantly at their cleavage.  And make sure to compliment their shoes.

lol, I don't think they are that dumb.  I try conversational cherrypicking, but it kinda sucks when it's all I do sometimes.   I thank you for your advice, it's just-I cannot get along with girly personalities.  I mean the girls on my floor are nice enough, there's just really nothing I can relate to.  Girl talk is always about cute guys, my boyfriend, flowers, the person on the tube, and lame-ass pop songs.  I mean it's one of the points where I fail with women is that a lot of them are into mundane crap.

They sound pretty dumb, milk n cereal. But then again, if it works for them, how dumb are they really? I mean, football players are dumb, but they make millions of dollars while the "smart" kids hang out at forums like this. So who is really the smart one?

Anyway, if you can't find something to talk with them about you're probably going for the wrong crowd. Either that or you're not just bringing up the right topics. But then again I probably shouldn't be giving advice, considering...

[Gabu]

I watch no television whatsoever.

[Storebought]

I don't own a TV. Moreover I don't have a desire to buy one.

I despise television for pretty much the same reasons stated by Mr Cereal. I have no patience staring for half an hour or more at trite shows that dwell on topics that have no interest for me.

[angus]

Milly (can I call you that),
Years ago when I was a grad student at Boston University, I was in the Barnes & Noble bookstore there when I noticed "American Accent Training" in the language books section.  I had gone in looking for an Arabic-English dictionary.  I asked the clerk whether anyone actually bought that tripe, and she said, oh yeah, Indians, Chinese, and Eastern Europeans bought that like there's no tomorrow.  It was restocked regularly.  Fast forward about a thousand years, when my then-girlfriend/now-wife and I were setting up house together in California (she's a foreigner) and I see her unpacking a very dusty copy of American Accent Training (It's a big box with tapes and books inside) and I said hey I saw that at BU, and look you actually bought it.  etc.   And she says, what a waste, man, I shoulda saved my 37 bucks.  Apparently she was taking an American English class at one of the many schools in Boston and her instructor told the class to put away all the books and just watch Friends.  Yeah, Friends.  And he named a few other shows as well.  I learned later that this was common advice.  And good advice.  Now, I'm a native, and don't need to learn to speak "american" but I do watch lots of TV.  Mostly FOX (Simpson's, Family Guy, American Dad), and Cartoon (Aqua Teen, Futurama reruns, etc.), History Channel, CSPAN, CNN, FoxNews, MSNBC, WeatherChannel, Discover, AnimalPlanet, etc.  And some of those (especially the cartoons on FOX and Cartoon Network) are very educational.  And I'd probably be even better educated if I weren't so intolerant and narrow-minded and would be willing to give Idol and Houswives a try.  (But I just can't.  Too low brow for me.  I feel the same way about Tractor Pull and WWF 'rassling')  Don't underestimate the wonderful educational value of television.  If you have about a zillion channels, like most of us, you can choose anything from documentaries on Pre-Columbian Americas to Sex and the City.  And it's all very very educational.  And gives you interesting things to talk about.  (Admittedly, you'll meet a whole different demographic of chicks talking up History Channel compared to talking up American Idol.  And don't be too quick to pre-judge who'd be a better lay.  You just may be surprised.)

But, hey, if you're not into TV you're not into TV.  There are a handful of chicks who'd rather do video games, computer chatrooms, and software writing.  I guess.

Anyway, good luck with all of them. 

And always always compliment the shoes. 

[dazzleman]

I don't watch much TV but there are certain shows I like.  The Sopranos, Rescue Me, and Law & Order come to mind.

There's nothing wrong with not watching much TV in my opinion.  It's far better to only watch a little of it than to watch too much.

[A18]

I only watch C-SPAN, or sometimes Special Report on Fox.

[Gabu]

I would much rather be studying (Mathematics), reading, drawing, writing, et cetera or playing computer games in my spare time than watching television.

That sounds suspiciously similar to my own habits.

[opebo]

And gives you interesting things to talk about. 

I must admit I would be quite reluctant to introduce a topic of conversation by revealing that I had seen it on television!

(Admittedly, you'll meet a whole different demographic of chicks talking up History Channel compared to talking up American Idol.  And don't be too quick to pre-judge who'd be a better lay.  You just may be surprised.)

I'm fairly sure that the democraphic of the History Channel is probably tilted heavily towards the male, and the few females who do watch it are probably too old to lay.

But, hey, if you're not into TV you're not into TV.  There are a handful of chicks who'd rather do video games, computer chatrooms, and software writing.  I guess.

Those things are even worse than TV!

Anyway, good luck with all of them.

There is a way around luck!  

And always always compliment the shoes. 

Actually I would be careful about that - compliments in general do not recommend the male to the female.  They make him seem an obsequious panderer - even manipulative and false.  Better to display enjoyment, happiness, and pleasure in the other's company.  Smile a lot, gaze into the eyes, ask questions about her, etc.  Also, noticing shoes too much makes you seem a gay.  (the only time I have ever compimented girl's shoes are when they are old converse).

[IDS Judicial Overlord John Dibble]

It's not wierd - I don't watch nearly as much anymore. I tend to spend more of my time on my computer or playing a video game.

[Vasall des Midas]

I watch TV every day.  Every free moment.  At least one of the three sets in my house is always on.  I honestly believe I am well informed, and the fact that I watch huge amounts of television is why I'm so goddamned well informed.  And though I do absolutely love school, I think I learned much more from watching television than from going to school all those years.  So bite my ass Lewis.

Bit too old and tough for my taste, thanks.

[Rin-chan]

You're not weird, who cares what they think.  I don't watch Desperate Housewives unless Fezzy shows me a random clip of an episode he thought was funny and American Idol is just good to laugh at.

For quality shows, watch 24 (Fezzy would beg to differ), LOST, House, Family Guy, and anything on Discovery Health Channel.  That's about all I watch...

Rin-chan

edit- STAY AWAY FROM THE OC!!  IT"S EVIL!!

[Grumps]

Except for a few FNC shows and PGA Golf, I rarely watch anything.  (ok, some CSI re-runs over dinner)