Guilty Pleasures of Ugly Betty

It took a lot of convincing to coerce me to get cable. I used to think I could live without television, it was as simple as that. If I wanted to vegetate I could read or rent a movie. But finally the television watchers won out, sort of. I still only get a few channels and have the most minimal cable plan possible (basically for internet purposes). When I first got cable the only time anyone would turn it on was when my parents visited from California and wanted to watch sports games. Otherwise, the television remained black except for when I rented movies.

And then came Ugly Betty. That valiant woman changed everything. A couple months ago I innocently added the first disc of season one to my Netflix queue. I'd heard the show was good and thought, "Eh, why not just watch a couple episodes? It might be a nice change from the depressing indie movies I've rented lately." The day I played disc one of the series marked the end of my television resistance.

Before I knew it I was watching four episodes of Ugly Betty in one night, and then sealing up the disc and taking it to the post office so I could get the next disc of the series in a couple days. My life became an Ugly Betty marathon. The days of waiting for the next delivery in the series seemed somehow empty. I missed Hilda, Ignacio, Santos, Daniel, Justin, Henry, and most of all, Betty.

Betty is everything I often wish I was. She always stands up for herself, is always empowering, and always comes through with whatever is right. I couldn't imagine a better character for television.

Before long I was accused of letting Ugly Betty into my life a little too much. I couldn't help it if real life started to feel like a scene from my new favorite television show. If someone said something about my nails for example, I would quickly fall into Hilda's cosmetology test. I'd lean back a little further (to accentuate the boobs I don't have) and say, "You said we had to do a manicure but you didn't say on who." Then I'd flash my nails in the air and smile before saying, "I wouldn't waste this kind of beauty on anyone else!"

Now that I'm caught up on last season and into the second season, I think getting television was a good decision, but the only channel I really need is ABC...at least until another courageous and righteous woman starts making waves on another channel.

P.S. In Starbucks last night I asked for a peppermint hot chocolate and the woman behind the counter said, "Sure" as she flashed a smile and gave me a thumbs up near her shoulder. I thought to myself, "Am I really getting a hot chocolate or did she just do the Daniel lie motion?" I got the peppermint hot chocolate and was appalled. "This woman needs cable," I muttered.


Currently listening to: Quintus