In times of downfall, America has been known to turn to frivolous entertainment. The Great Depression had Shirley Temple, Clark Gable, and Little Orphan Annie. We have Whitney Port, Bret Michaels, and the cast of “Momma’s Boys.”

It’s easy to understand why economic uncertainty would push us into mindless television. Reality TV is the canned whipped cream of entertainment—it’s light, sinfully addicting, and you always feel a little guilty after overdosing.

But if it’s wrong to love whipped cream, I don’t want to be right. I’m certainly in no place to judge other trashy TV-lovers. In my house, “The City,” “Rock of Love: Tour Bus,” and the aforementioned “Momma’s Boys” rule. I started to wonder what exactly my roommates and I were getting from this supposed dirty pleasure of ours–what, in fact, we’re all getting.

Here’s a breakdown of just what each of these programs brings to our otherwise bare table:

MTV’s “The City“

A spin-off of the phenomenally popular “The Hills,” (which was a spin-off of the less popular but no less vacuous “Laguna Beach”), this pseudo-reality television show brings viewers into the life of Whitney Port, a naively sweet southern California girl trying to make it in the fashion biz on the mean city streets of New York City.

Why You Love to Hate It

Anyone who has read my bio knows just exactly why I envy Ms. Port, but the truth is that as much as we all heart NY, there’s more to love than the locale.

“The City” gives us the best kind of water cooler gossip—bitchy girls, backstabbing, ill-chosen hookups—all of which can never, ever affect us personally. We don’t even mind watching Olivia Palermo sashay through her Upper East Side apartment in her Yves Saint Laurent platforms while we’re clipping coupons to Saves-A-Lot because the fact is, when we’re looking for a reason to believe that this is still the land of opportunity, MTV gives us a world where people can have fake jobs and still wear couture. God bless America.

VH1’s “Rock of Love Bus with Bret Michaels“

Glam metal star Bret Michaels is ready to settle down, for real this time. In this third installment of the rocker’s search for “the one,” Michaels brings the women along for a month-long tour on two sweet buses. The buxom blondes and brunettes compete in concert-themed challenges, all in an attempt to become Michaels’ “Rock of Love.”

Why You Love to Hate It

Studies have shown that societal uncertainty pushes people to look for stability in their personal lives. That means love, marriage, and the baby carriage, my dears. And when you’re looking for a reason to believe that one can find love through adversity, look no further than a rock star and a tour bus full or, er, women of questionable moral character.

But what these women lack in clothing they make up in ability to make you feel better about your own relationship. Most of us don’t have to deal with trying to win over a guy while watching him make out with the girl next to us while trying to prove our “maternal instincts” on ice skates while worrying that we’re going to get kicked off the bus. Doesn’t your boyfriend’s inability to wash his cereal dish seem awfully trivial now?

NBC’s “Momma’s Boys“

Produced by Ryan Seacrest (that should tell you a lot right there), this dating series follows three self-professed “momma’s boys” as they search among a sea of 32 single women for their soul mates—with their meddling moms along for the ride. The idea is to answer the ultimate question of “Who really is the most important woman in every man’s life?”.

Why You Love to Hate It

Just about everyone can relate to overbearing mothers. Even if you don’t have one, it’s virtually impossible that you don’t know someone who does. And if you’re one of the poor souls dating that someone, well, allow me to introduce you to 32 women who can relate. Momma’s Boys rounds out your life by teaching you to appreciate what you’ve got. Because trust me; no matter how much your mom drives you nuts, she is nothing compared to these mothers.

And if your mother-in-law is the one getting you down, your situation pales in comparison to what these girls endure.  Watch just a few episodes, and you’ll never be gladder that your in-laws can’t access personal, private details about your past (or that they aren’t as crazy as this woman).

Whether dating shows or dramatic divas are your thing, odds are you’ve got your own guilty pleasure getting you through the hard times.  I say we cast off our shrouds of shame and embrace the fact that we can still laugh through our pain because there’s nothing worse than depression in a recession.