With the writers’ strike still on hand, TV networks have inevitably decided to air myriad… With the writers’ strike still on hand, TV networks have inevitably decided to air myriad reality TV shows. So, unfortunately, if I want to watch something interesting or slightly entertaining from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. during the week, I will have to succumb to possible brain damage and “stupidification” by watching, “Moments of Truth,” “Making the Band” or the much anticipated “Flavor of Love 3.”

Now, mind you, I don’t have a problem with all reality TV shows, I just don’t understand half of them, especially the ones I’ve mentioned. Though, instead of being bitter, I decided to do some research last week on these reality shows, and I have discovered that they each have the power for the psychological betterment of Americans in our society.

In “Moment of Truth” contestants are asked personal questions while attached to a polygraph machine. (Yes, I, too, was fascinated at this point.) Then, after the test monitor reveals the contestant has issued a truthful response, the contestant’s earnings increase, and if he’s lucky enough he’ll walk away with $500,000.

However, the contestant’s loved ones, fellow employees or boss will sit in view while the contestant answers questions like, “Would you find your husband more attractive if he lost 25 pounds?”

According to The New York Times, a man “said yes when he was asked if he has delayed having children because he is not sure that Catia, his wife of two and a half years, would be his ‘lifelong partner.'” (His earning jumped to $100,000.) However, when asked if he had touched any of his female clients inappropriately he denied it, lost all of his earnings and faced a less-than-happy wife on camera.

As far as psychological benefits, “Moment of Truth” shows the American people that ordinary people are just as screwed up as anybody else. It also shows us how greedy people can be that they are willing to sacrifice their morals and deepest inner secrets for a couple of dollars. Is it really worth $100,000 to know that your boyfriend cheated on you several times?

On a side note, the Colombian version of the show was canceled because of a woman’s disclosure that she had previously hired a hit man to kill her husband. Enough said.

In the case of “Making the Band,” Diddy is at it again and is doing what he does best — exploiting people. The show centers around two “Diddy-made” groups (one boy band, one girl band) and a solo artist named Donny. Each of the artists (I’m using the term “artists” very loosely) is in competition with one another to create a multi-platinum album.

Now wait, there’s more! In addition to trying to complete an album (that has already been written by songwriters and put to accompanying beats that have already been produced), the three groups of artists (there goes that “a-word” again) must spend time getting to know each other and face harsh criticisms from Diddy, a man who knows all about singing and is arguably the best rapper alive.

“Making the Band” evokes more than just headaches, unforced eye rolls and deep sighs. It also gives little American girls and boys the idea that they, too, can achieve mediocrity in the music industry if they allow someone else to control how they look, how they dress, how they feel and how they want to sing. Inspiring!

The last show on my list that offers the most psychological benefits is Flavor Flav’s show, “Flavor of Love.” In this show Flavor Flav, a man with a clock (that doesn’t work) permanently attached to his chest, a face that only a mother could love, enough illegitimate children to start up a basketball team and annoying catch phrases that are limited to “Yea boi” and “Flaavor Flaaav” is presented as the most eligible bachelor who must choose from a group of 20 women.

These women must all be honorably nicknamed by Flavor Flav himself (I’ve always dreamed of being nicknamed by a has-been rapper) and must all live in a house together. Drama, as usual, will ensue, and each week Flavor Flav will eliminate houseguests until he reaches his “true love.”

Not only is this show captivating (if you’re drunk or bored with life), it’s also a milestone for aspiring gold-diggers of America. Yes, you, too, can appear on television claiming to be in love with a man you’ve never met) and try to woo him by taking a bubble bath with him, making him food or being “down” for him. Ah, the morality of American reality shows.

So, maybe reality television isn’t that bad. I mean, each of the shows has morals and values that we all could use, and they each teach us a very good lesson and force us all to agree on one thing — Hollywood needs to pay the writers of the Writers Guild of America. We miss good television.

Bored with reality television? E-mail Whitney at [email protected].