You Watch That??!! : Celebrities Confess Their Viewing Sins: ‘Studs,’ ‘Green Acres’ ... the List Goes On

When one member of the TV Times staff is home sick, her day is brightened considerably if she tunes in for the vicarious shopping thrills of Lifetime Channel’s “Supermarket Sweep.”

Another staffer admits to an addiction to “Oprah”and “Geraldo”--but only when they have weird topics.

Yet another on our staff turns religiously to AMC’s decades-old repeats of “This Is Your Life.”

Then there’s a Calendar editor we know who loves to two-step his remote control over to The Nashville Network’s “Club Dance.”

They are, of course, our guilty pleasures. Everyone has them. Not everyone will admit to them. Here are some courageous souls who did.

Lily Tomlin, actress-writer

I am ashamed to tell it. I like to watch everything really terrible. I like all the “Hard Copy” and “Inside Edition” (shows). And I love “Wheel of Fortune.” I don’t even want to talk about it.

Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson on “The Simpsons”

I watch “Sesame Street.” It’s a pretty darn good show. I like Elmo, the Cookie Monster and Grover. I kind of fool around doing the voices. Voices are not my area ... Just kidding.

Chris Connelly, senior editor of Premiere magazine and host and writer of MTV’s “The Big Picture”

My favorite show is not on anymore in this form--the old “Channel 2 Action News” at 11 p.m. with Jim (Lampley) and Bree (Walker) and Keith Olbermann.

Keith was the best reason for being in L.A. My favorite episode was when Jim totaled Bree’s car. My least favorite was when the Persian Gulf War was going on and they came out of a segment on thumb-wrestling and Bree’s comment was, “Don’t you wish we could fight a ground war like that?” It doesn’t get any better than that.

Buck Henry, writer-actor

I have a satellite dish. I am guilty about almost everything I watch, but not really.

I watch “Studs.” It is both unbelievable and a completely acceptable fantasy. I’m amazed that they get that number of unself-conscious, articulate young people because we have been brought up with the likes of “The Dating Game,” and the other (Chuck) Barris nightmare, “The Newlywed Game,” where the people look like they just fell down from the trees. They are barely able to utter a coherent thought.

But on “Studs,” it works both as a boys’ fantasy and it is weirdly amusing. I know it is vulgar, low and disgusting, and that’s why it is a guilty pleasure.

Matt Groening, creator of Fox’s “The Simpsons”

“Green Acres” is a guilty pleasure. It is nice to watch it as a grown-up because the show was as weird as I thought it was (when I was young). It is a very peculiar show.

I just remember one time when I was a kid getting very excited that “Green Acres” was on and my parents were just completely disgusted. (They were) TV snobs. My younger sisters, Lisa and Maggie, and I sat down and made my parents watch with us. They sat stone-faced while the three of us were rolling on the floor. It was a good show, but it was even better because my parents hated it so much. It was (an episode) about Arnold the Pig.

“Petticoat Junction” bugged me. I thought it was interesting that it was a spinoff of “Beverly Hillbillies,” as was “Green Acres,” but that obviously “Green Acres” took place in a totally different universe, even though they were right down the railroad track from “Petticoat Junction.”

Robert Krulwich, host of PBS’ magazine series “Edge,” economic and business correspondent for CBS News and a frequent contributor to National Public Radio and The New York Times

My guilty pleasure is “The Arthur Grundig Show” on community TV in New York. It is a variety show that appears to (take place) in a closet in which he jams with a guest, a pianist and a drummer. His pianist has a terrible wig. I always look forward to the musical part. One Saturday he sang, “If I Had a Hundred-Million Dollars.” He seems to have a show business past, but I can’t quite tell. He has a cult-following of some sort.

The Japanese quiz programs on Channel C in the early mornings are wonderful. They have this “Price Is Right” (type of show) with guest panelists--a movie star, a guest starlet and a crazy American. The American speaks fluent Japanese. The host will say, “Here is a product or service from somewhere in the world and how much will you pay for it in foreign currency?” The quizmaster will give them a hole-in-one golf trophy if they win.

Tritia Toyota, KCBS news anchor

“I Love Lucy” reruns because it reminds me of my best girlfriend and me. And “Star Trek” reruns because when I first started watching it, it was the only show with people of color in it.

Marc Summers, host of Nickelodeon’s “Family Double Dare” and “What Would You Do?”

“Bozo’s Circus” on WGN. I watch it because it is so stupid. It is clowns in their late ‘60s, wearing bad clown outfits and playing really bad clown games. You just know they have two days’ growth of beard and are drinking in the back.

Hal Fishman, KTLA news anchor

The Weather Channel. As a pilot I am interested in meteorology. It doesn’t have much of a plot, but I like the satellite pictures.

Rosie O’Donnell, star of Fox’s “Stand By Your Man” and host of VH-1’s “Stand Up Spotlight”

“Rescue 911” because William Shatner is my hero. I watch the show so maybe someday I will be able to save someone and meet William Shatner. It will be my big break.

Roberta Caploe, West Coast editor of Soap Opera Digest

When you watch TV for a living you try to be really selective, but I will confess that I love reruns of “Family Ties” on Saturday afternoons, when God knows, (I) should be out enjoying the California sunshine. I think it’s because I really like Michael J. Fox.

Helen Gurley Brown, editor of Cosmopolitan magazine

Ed MacMahon’s “Star Search,” which comes on at noon in New York. I have no guilt about watching the show--it’s terrific. It’s just that I should be working then. Saturday is a big workday for me. A group on that show, Too Cute for You, are about the best thing I’ve ever seen on television.

Larry King, host of CNN’s “Larry King Live!”

“ALF.” He was so hip, he was beyond hip. It was the only show for children where William Buckley would be mentioned.

Faith Popcorn, chairman of the marketing consultant firm BrainReserve Inc. and author of “The Popcorn Report”

I like “Hard Copy” and “Rescue 911.” I know they’re not very good, but they’re exciting--real life in the big streets. I like how rough they are.

I also watch “Entertainment Tonight” and I love bad movies. I like bad TV, bad movies and bad people.

Christopher Nance, KNBC weekend weathercaster

There is only one show, “The Simpsons.” (It’s a guilty pleasure) because it is up against a show on NBC called “Cosby” and I know Bill Cosby and I would hate for him to think I don’t watch his show.

But, after doing the news and listening to the stories of robbery, murder and mayhem, the last thing you want to see is something serious. “Cosby” is a sitcom but deals with real life. “The Simpsons” is just stupid. It makes me giggle out loud and I feel stupid because I live alone.

Dame Edna Everage, international star and host of a new NBC special “Dame Edna’s Hollywood,” airing May 9

Everything I watch is a secret because if my bridesmaid and constant traveling companion, Madge Allsop, sees anything the least bit raunchy she goes berserk. That woman lives on a hormonal knife edge; even the weather turns her on, I’m afraid.

My favorite show, which I have to watch on a special miniature TV under the bedclothes, is “Studs.” I’m a grandmother and I watch it for research purposes only; it’s my way of finding out what makes young people tick--if Madge saw that she’d go off like an alarm clock.

Joan Rivers, host of “The Joan Rivers Show” currently on KTLA

Why, “The Joan Rivers Show.” It’s gossipy, it’s funny and it pays my mortgage.

Jack Perkins, host of Arts & Entertainment’s “Time Machine”

We have a rule that we don’t watch any television during the daytime at all. But the one exception I usually make is on Saturday to watch “The Frugal Gourmet.”

Partly that’s because a few years ago when we were living in Los Angeles, I was in a camera store and I saw the actress Kim Basinger. I was about to go over and introduce myself when I noticed she was coming over to introduce herself to me. I was sort of taken aback. She came and said how much she loved to watch me on television and how nice it was to meet me. I was really flattered. And then she said to me, “and I love your lemon chicken.” The conversation sort of dissolved at that point. A couple of minutes later, my friend who owned the camera store, came up to me just laughing his head off, saying, “She asked, ‘Isn’t that the Frugal Gourmet over there?’ ” I had never seen (Jeff Smith) at that point so I started watching.

I realized how nice it is to have someone on television who is not only doing something I enjoy, namely cooking, but also who has something worthwhile to say.

Anjelica Huston, actress

“Sally Jessy Raphael” is my guilty pleasure but I make up for it usually by doing my rowing machine while I watch Sally Jessy. It sort of absolves some of the guilt. (There’s) something about Sally Jessy--she pulls you in.

Geraldo Rivera, host of the syndicated show “Now It Can Be Told”

I feel guilty abut watching “Primetime Live,” the ABC news magazine, because Sam Donaldson revolts me. On the other hand, Diane Sawyer is terrific, and it’s really a great show. I can’t help myself.