Labor Day is for Marathons

If your Labor Day is anything like mine usually is - sitting around and doing nothing until cookout time because everything is closed - then be thankful for America's other holiday tradition. I'm not talking about overeating, I'm talking about the television marathon.

This year all the big cable networks are showcasing whatever prime-time show they've gotten the rights to play the reruns of in a marathon that even that the Kenyans wouldn't even be able to finish.

This year the picking are good. Like crime mysteries? Well CSI: is being showcased on Spike from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and it's spinoff counterpart CSI: Miami will be taking over A&E all day.

And if you want a crime show without all that science be sure to tune into TNT at 9 a.m. for The Closer marathon. TNT throws in an extra bonus with a brand new episode of at 9 p.m.

How about some comedy? I'll probably be checking out the Scrubs marathon on TV Land. Seven full hours, that's 14 episodes, of my favorite doctors getting into trouble. I just hope real hospitals aren't like that.

If you like your "older" comedy you can tune into FX for a day filled with That 70's Show. This marathon is wrapping up at 5:30 p.m. giving you just enough time to slap some burgers on the grill before your relative start complaining.

Just about every network is broadcasting a show. TBS is showcasing Tyler Perry's House of Pain, and SOAPnet is airing 24-hours of Beverly Hills 90210. ABC Family is showing My Wife and Kids all day.

For those not into the scripted TV thing there's always Dirty Jobs on Discovery, Tougher in Alaska on History, and an afternoon mini-marathon of Project Runway on Bravo!.

But why settle for shows when you can watch movies? BBC is showing the Pink Panther movies back to back - the good ones with Peter Sellers. And of course Comedy Central has a day of your favorite comedies scheduled for your viewing pleasure.

Whatever your choice, there are plenty of options. Try to watch one from start to finish. Maybe play a game? Or flip back and forth, just don't forget to flip those burgers.

Top 20 Trashy TV Shows

Entertainment Weekly recently released their list of the "22 Most Appaling TV Shows." We thought their list was lacking, so we compiled our own list of the Top 20 Trashy TV Shows.

20. Hurl! (G4, 2008) - Lets watch people get sick: mmm... vomit.

19. I Love Money (VH1, 2008) - People really will do anything to make a buck and prolong their 15 minutes.

18. Jail (My 9 Network, 2008) - Thought COPS was bad? This is what happens when those people get behind bars.

17. Child Nation (CBS, 2007) - Lets exploit children by having them form their own society! Apparently no one read Lord of the Flies.

16. Britney and Kevin: Chaotic (UPN, 2005) - It's Britney and K-Fed: what did you expect other than trailer park trashy TV?

15. The Anna Nicole Smith Show (E!, 2002) - She may not have been TrimSpa crazy, but came pretty close.

14. The Swan (Fox, 2004) - Basically a plastic surgery competition. Vanity peaks at its all time high.

13. Temptation Island (Fox 2001) - Should have been called "Let's Cheat."

12. Cheaters (Syndicated, 2000) - It's shocking to see who's unfaithful, especially when it may be someone you know.

11. Flavor Flav Dynasty of Shows (VH1, 2006) - How could anything starring a crack head wearing a viking helmet and his ghetto fabulous gal pal be good?

10. Shows about marrying millionare's (Fox) - I ain't saying she's a gold-digger...

9. Wife Swap (ABC, 2004)/Trading Spouses (Fox, 2004) - Words cannot describe the utter ridiculousness of this show.

8. Big Brother (CBS)/Real World (MTV) - They find the craziest people imaginable and put them under one roof - what did you think would happen? Whats more is that these stars and appear on subsequent spin-offs.

7. The Simple Life (Fox, 2003) - Why, oh why, did someone give those two a TV show? So not hot!

6. My Super Sweet 16 (MTV, 2005) - Reminding the whole world how America sucks at parenting.

5. Any Show on MTV - I can't tell you the last time this channel played a music video. Anyone?

4. The Littlest Groom (Fox, 2004) - Same this as The Bachelor... except with midgets.

3. The Bachelor (ABC, 2002) - What's not sleazy about a man dating 25 women at the same time?

2. COPS (Fox, 1989) - Lets exploit blundering felons! The grandfather of trashy television.

1. The Jerry Springer Show (Syndicated, 1991) - Lets get the most dysfunctional people ever a place them in a television studio to "talk" out their problems. Yeah right.