Being Burnett's Bitch

I gotta hand it to Mark Burnett, the man knows what he's doing. How nice to have the end of "Rockstar:INXS" (finale next Tuesday) dovetail perfectly into the starup of another "Survivor" (kicking off tonight). But what impresses me most is his ability to shape stories out of his real footage and make me love characters that I thought I would loathe. The final three Rockstars are an excellent example.

When Rockstar first started way back in July I knew that I would be addicted. But, like so many "Survivor" series before, my initial loves were slowly eroded as the game wore on. My championing of Ty was revealed to be misplaced in the end. My acceptance of Heather and Brandon's stage presence were both monumental errors. And in the end we have three lads that did nothing for me on that first night and now, I have to admit, are the best three.

I considered Marty to be a "recroom star" as he flailed about but didn't connect with anyone and now he is intense personified. J.D. was actually "creeeepy" in that first appearance and, although still sorta odd, has grown on me. My comment on MiG? "ah, no" - short and dismissively to the point. Now? He's become my first pick.

It's also serendipitous that the Rockstar trifecta contains an Aussie, an American, and a Canadian. Let the voting challenge begin!! I don't know how Burnett does it, but he crafts the best "simulated environment" programming around. And I just follow his story threads everywhere. I fall for every twist. I enjoy every turn. And I end up exactly where he wants us all - cancelling our commitments to sit in front of the TV to see a real person win an big prize. And that's why I'm Burnett's bitch!