Now THAT'S Good TV!!

I am just going to have to give up the pretense that I am so totally offended by reality television and that anyone who watches it is a moron. I stayed astride my high horse whilst everyone else jumped on the "Survivor" and "Fear Factor" bandwagons. I arrogantly tipped my nose and sniffed condescendingly at those who would wallow away their time watching "Big Brother" and/or "Flavor of Love." Although I love my sister-in-law immensely I am completely confused as to her obsession with the cartoonish crew on "Dog the Bounty Hunter" - a bounty hunter that is only able to carry a can of mace (not even police supply grade pepper spray) ain't no REAL bounty hunter, if you asks me.

The reality show that toppled me from my holier-than-thou perch is none other than "GENE SIMMONS' FAMILY JEWELS." If you haven't caught it yet, you really should try even if you have to TiVo it.

Maybe my devotion comes from being a KISS kid of the 70s. Who can forget my incessant whining and fit pitching to go to a KISS concert when I was in 4th grade? I mean, what parent wouldn't trust their 10 year old to experience a rock concert in 1976, era of the Doobie Brothers and Cheech & Chong (if you get my drift, man)?

GENE SIMMONS' FAMILY JEWELS is a great show that allows us to see that even rock icons have the same issues we do: work obligations, bills to pay, kids to raise, spouses to keep happy. So far, my favorite episode was the one where Gene had to be Shannon (Tweed, his significant other) for one day doing all her housework as a birthday present to her. (Alas, I'm not buying that one of rock's biggest stars doesn't have a maid but the show needs its material.) Seeing Gene Simmons toting a vacuum cleaner from room to room and cleaning toilets and dropping dirty laundry down a laundry chute (what the f---??) that he didn't even know was in his house . . . . priceless. And his kids - they're merciless with ole Dad. You'd think they remembered their dad being a circus clown rather than one of the world's biggest rockers for three decades. (Says daughter Sophie: "Dad, you're just gonna have to get used to the fact that not everybody in the world knows who you are. Get over yourself.") Ahh kids - gotta love 'em and their ego-obliterating honesty.

Mondays on A&E at 9pm Central.