My TV viewing habits are pretty tame. The most drama I’m ever really in the mood for can be found on Iron Chef America.

I’d rather watch someone on their international hunt for a new home than watch housewives duke it out (although the latter has become an occasional guilty pleasure).

I prefer watching a bride hunt for the perfect dress instead of watching someone get all ‘zilla on her soon-to-be groom, family and friends.

I’m a fan of watching tips on what not to wear and less of a fan of shows where the spotlight is on orange skin, animal print spandex and one person wearing multiple bras to get massive cleavage. Talk about false advertising.

Being employed by a media agency, I’ve had a nagging feeling for a while that I really need to branch out and watch, well, things I wouldn’t normally tune into. I decided to ease into things tonight and found myself watching The Big Bang Theory, which I was surprised that I enjoyed.

Feeling encouraged, I tuned into Conan and was delighted Jack Black was on the show. Holy jackpot, my branching out was going to turn into an addiction.

I haven’t laughed so hard at television in ages. Everyday Italian dishes aren’t funny, they’re delicious.

Losing a cooking battle and being chopped isn’t funny — it’s all part of the challenge.

The white noise that characterizes hours of weather coverage isn’t funny, it’s soothing…for me, anyway.

But there was something about laughing repeatedly at a nerdy sitcom and at Jack Black that I desperately needed tonight. It was pleasure that can’t be found while watering the yard, nor from enjoying a glass of wine. It was silly, stupid laughter. Laughter from knowing first-hand about the annoying truths that a sitcom highlights, and laughter from the less-than-politically-correct banter. I’m thinking I’ll have a repeat of tonight fairly soon.

Tonight I am thankful for branching out — for the sake of work, natch — and for the comic relief that I didn’t know I was in for. It was all proof that if you open up more than you’re used to, something good is usually just around the corner. And if this post was merely inspired by The Big Bang Theory and an episode of Conan, what else can programming spur? Let’s find out.