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Go ahead, follow me aroundIs this what 'real life' is really like?
By Todd Leopold
(CNN) -- You'd think people would have learned by now: Video surveillance, whether serious or comic, usually ends poorly. Back in 1973, PBS aired a documentary series, "An American Family," in which a middle-class clan, the Louds, was chronicled by an ever-present camera crew. By the end of the show's run, the family had been rent by the divisions of the times, and the parents were getting a divorce. A few years later, Albert Brooks parodied the nascent genre in his movie "Real Life," which concluded with Brooks and his bizarrely dressed crew burning down their subjects' home. As if that wasn't enough, the last decade has been full of camera crews documenting some version of "real life." From the booting of Puck ("The Real World") to the pathetic travails of Anna Nicole Smith, it seldom seems to turn out well. And yet we get more, more, more -- as this week's Eye on Entertainment reveals. Eye-openerThe latest suckers for punishment are Chuck Woolery, Gary Busey and a predictable group of hard-bodied pretty things. Woolery, almost always a good sport with a camera running, is starring in "Chuck Woolery: Naturally Stoned," which debuts on the Game Show Network. Named for a song Woolery released in the '60s, the show follows him around as he prepares for the game show "Lingo," hangs around with his wife and kids, and does publicity shots on QVC, where he sells fishing equipment. No word on whether he'll say, "Two and two," before his bathroom breaks. Sunday, 9:30 p.m. EDT, Game Show Network. Busey, almost never a good sport with a camera on, is at the center of Comedy Central's "I'm With Busey." A fan (and comedy writer), Adam de la Pena, chronicled life hanging around with "The Buddy Holly Story" star. Will the pair go motorcycle riding? Tune in and find out. Tuesday, 10 p.m. EDT, Comedy Central. And then there's the vacuous hunks and babes of "Paradise Hotel." They do whatever vacuous hunks and babes do on reality shows -- except, this time, they're joined by an actual viewer! Well, if you're into this sort of thing, it's cheaper than a lobotomy. Wednesday, 9 p.m. EDT, Fox (of course). On screen• At least one movie sequel admits what it is: "Dumb and Dumberer," starring neither Jim Carrey nor Jeff Daniels, offers a taste of Harry and Lloyd's high school life. • Harrison Ford takes another shot at comedy with "Hollywood Homicide," starring as a Los Angeles cop trying to solve the murder of some rappers and close a major real estate deal. With Josh Hartnett as his goofy partner. Directed and co-written by Ron Shelton ("Bull Durham," "White Men Can't Jump"). • First the Rugrats went to Paris. Now they're going wild -- and meeting the Thornberrys. "Rugrats Go Wild" strands the crew on a tropical island, with expected results. On the tube• You can bet the folks at Jump the Shark are going to be watching "Charlie Lawrence." The series, which stars Nathan Lane as an actor-turned-congressman, also features Ted McGinley, the site's "patron saint." Not a good sign for "Charlie's" future -- even as a summer replacement. Sunday, 8:30 p.m. EDT, CBS. Sound waves• "After the Storm" (J Records), the new album by R&B's "Miss Thang" Monica, is out Tuesday. Paging readers• Tim Gautreaux's "The Clearing" (Knopf) features two brothers fighting for power in a Louisiana mill town in 1923. Memories of World War I, segregation and gambling syndicates all enter the mix. Due Tuesday. • ''Sacrifice" (William Morrow) is Clyde Phillips' third Jane Candiotti novel. In this one, San Francisco homicide detective Candiotti must grapple with her new marriage to her partner (and underling) and a series of murders. Due Tuesday.
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