Man Lets Others Decide His TV Viewing

[TexasStooge]

NEW HOPE, Minn. (AP) - Aric McKeown must be a glutton for punishment. For the past few weeks, the New Hope man has allowed people to vote on his Web site to determine which TV programs he'll watch Monday through Friday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

McKeown has received about 100 votes per time slot on his Web site — http://www.makemewatchtv.com — resulting in his viewing of "Gilmore Girls," "House," "Veronica Mars," "Supernanny," "America's Funniest Home Videos" and "MASH."

McKeown, 26, said he finds "Gilmore Girls," "Prison Break" and "7th Heaven" to be the most difficult to watch.

"My brain cells were fighting back when I was watching '7th Heaven,'" he said about the WB's family friendly show. "They were screaming at me to stop it now. At least it's clear they're still functioning."

He does admit to being pleasantly surprised by some shows that have won the vote. He became a "24" fan, for instance, after seeing his first episode. Before McKeown began the Web site, he and his wife, Maija, regularly tuned into "Lost," "American Idol" and "Survivor."

So why suffer through a bunch of shows you don't particularly like?

"I'm hoping to see a little part of society," he said. "Do we really enjoy these shows? Are we just watching them because they're the only things on? Why do some shows succeed and others fail? By being forced to watch these shows, you are able to form a better opinion because you have both sides of the story."
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Information from: St. Paul Pioneer Press