11 Things I Learned from Watching Cheaters

I was on vacation for a week over the holidays.  One day when I was home by myself (a very rare event), I watched a few episodes of the T.V. show Cheaters. It was purely for research, of course.  To be honest, I really couldn't stand the show, not because it showed cheaters getting caught, but it was displaying - in a very crude and cruel way - peoples' pain, and pandering to the desire of others to see people in pain.  I am not into that sort of thing at all.

But I did learn a few things while watching those episodes.

1. "Motherfucker" seems to be a much more commonly used word than I thought.
2. Most of the folks on that show go bat shit crazy when they get the proof that their partner is cheating. Hubby and I were quite civilized.
3. You can always count on reality TV to show the worst possible side of humanity.
4. There are no truly innocent parties in that show.  The most guilty?  The creators, crew, and cast of the show.  I saw one woman (the cheater) who was so distraught when she was caught and shamed publicly that she almost jumped off the roof of a building.
5. Apparently, when I learned about Hubby's cheating, I should have screamed at him, "What now, Motherfucker?!!!!" My approach of holding him, telling him it was ok, and telling him I loved him seems not to be the popular response.
6. Apparently, when Hubby learned about my cheating, he should have screamed at me, "You fucking whore!!!"  His approach of holding me, telling me it was ok, and telling me that he loved me seems not to be the popular response, either.
7. People who really want to cheat will find the most creative ways to be together. I picked up a few good ideas. ;-)
8. Apparently some people think that the car wash is a good place to clean up after a rendezvous.  Eww.
9. Most of the female cheaters on that show look and dress like hookers.
10. Some people seem to think that exposing their young children to the "gottcha!" moment is appropriate. (I don't.)
11. The show hosts a social network for people looking for partners who don't cheat. Of course, you have to take a pledge swearing that you're single and not in a relationship, and that you won't cheat. Whew....I'm sure that pledge makes sure no one ever lies about that.  Check it out: http://www.nocheatersdate.com/ .

As I watched that trash, I thought, this is emotional pornography. Relationships - even the ugly and troubled ones - shouldn't be broken down into violent entertainment like that.  Who thought that making a show like this was a good idea?