VH1 Finally figured out what was at the bottom of that barrel they were scraping.

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Can you spot the murderer?

I've been obsessed with this recent Ryan Jenkins murder tragedy as much as I've been obsessed with the whole "Of Love" dating show dynasty that VH1 has been airing for the last few years.

I've religiously followed the evolution of Surreal Life to Strange Love to Flavor of Love to spin-off to spin-off to spin-off. I've monitored my cynicism as it's grown with each sequel and spin-off. I've noticed how bored I am by what was once a shockingly bad minstrel show, secretly wanting it to get worse for my own amusement. It has been like a coke addiction that doesn't do it for me anymore. (Not that I've ever done coke before, so WTF am I talking about?)

I've been wondering for some time: "How will this vulgar reality show dynasty end?" "What is at the bottom of that barrel they've been scraping?"

I've been working on a screenplay about a reality star putting her life back together after the show she was on has wrapped. Looks like, after this week, I have to put the pen down again. Because the real world (not the reality show) has trumped fiction (or at least fictionalized non-fiction) yet again.

There are many things ironic about all of this tragedy and VH1 having to pull both shows that Ryan Jenkins was on off the air...

1. Of all the previous VH1 dating shows to have a wife beating murderer contestant... I would never have imagined it would be the show with the millionaires. Maybe one of the girls from Flavor of Love or the punks vying for love on Daisy of Love-- but the millionaires? And at that, a young handsome, Canadian millionaire. Didn't Michael Moore illuminate Canada as the land of unlocked doors?

2. I was watching the episode the week before all this happened where Ryan Jenkins is prominently featured and thought, "Wow, he's pretty smooth. If I was Megan, I'd pick him." Ack! Wrong choice!

3. I find it ironic that as a matter of taste VH1 has had the pull both shows off the air, when the actual content of both shows is actually pretty tasteless (but oh so entertaining) in itself.

4. That Jasmine Fiore (the victim) was ID'd by her breast implants. So Orwellian.

5. The messages from fans of "Megan Wants a Millionaire" have made very articulate arguments as to why the show should stay on the air on the online message boards. They include:

"So here’s a thought…maybe if it continues to air, with a little disclaimer “Have you seen this man?”, more people will know what he looks like and be able to spot him."

"I think you should air the rest of the show. Who cares what a contestant did after the show if they were not picked? Don’t start a series and then end it before we get to know what happened. I want to see who won–the other stuff is irrevelant." "why would you do that even if he was cute he still is bad and i liked that show and now i cant watch it for a while. but plz make it air soon" I'm curious as to what will happen to this footage of these two shows. Will getting that footage be like our generation's version of finding the shroud of Turin (basically something of cultural significance that has been lost, sorry couldn't find a better metaphor).

I'm wondering how VH1 and all the "celebrities" (or "c-listbrities") will pause and reflect before scrambling towards night club appearances and pimped out myspace pages, charging again towards that shimmer of florescent light called stardom.