Everywhere you turn these days, people are taking off their britches. And I’m not talking about “streaking” which was a flash in the pan back in the late 60s. I’m talking about people mowing their lawns and riding their Harleys naked as jaybirds.

Last night I was surfing the channels looking for something to watch that didn’t involve explosions or dysfunctional families. I was somewhat startled to run across a nude cooking show. For a moment, I thought I was on the Comedy Channel and this was a parody of sorts, implying that the courts had taken everything away from Martha Stewart, including her pants.

But no, it was sure enough a nude cooking show. The chief chef was a woman, wearing nothing up top but a smile and only an apron down south. Of course the cameras had the appropriate places somewhat blurred.

I had been taking some pretty strong medications for a bout with bronchitis, so at first I turned my head away and then slowly looked back around as if it might just be one of the many side effects mentioned on my prescription. But I checked, and they didn’t say anything about the possibility of seeing naked people rolling out biscuit dough.

Now keep in mind this chef was not a super model. Let me put that another way, Newton’s Law of Gravity is reaffirmed. Therefore, to pose that the dessert might precede the main course was not a valid argument.

I can understand a tiny bit of logic for a magician to be naked during his or her performance, given that distraction is key to their proficiency. Now you see it. Now you don’t.

However, I see no serviceable connection with being naked and throwing a pancake on the griddle.

In fact, I can see all the reasons not to be naked if you’re frying bacon. Got to cover your bases.

Of course this person was fixing some organic concoction that did not require a lot of fire and grease. It was billed as a low-fat meal.

And so maybe we have hit on some underlying theme here. If you see a naked person fixing your lunch, are you prone to eat less whether it was cooked in grease or not? Is this a means to justify an end? Is nude cooking a viable way of stemming the appetite and downsizing a fat America?

Now I realize nudity in every venue of entertainment and marketing is more acceptable these days than it was a couple of decades ago. And yes we have those people like Howard Stern who makes his living as a “shock jock.” He brings the dregs of society onto his television show and basically the only talent required is that they can get naked in front of a camera. I think you expect that kind of thing from someone who makes his living off the underbelly of society.

But it seems just a little more obtuse — no pun intended – that someone is standing there in the buff stamping out dumplings and suggesting that maybe Betty Crocker had always wanted to do the same thing but was never liberated.

Then I pick up my Sunday magazine and here’s a story about a nude vacation package. I suppose this gives new meaning to the expression, ” packing light.” But I think this may be a poor way of addressing the lost luggage issue. Besides, where do you carry your credit cards?

Back in the streaking days, it was a daredevil kind of thing. Now, getting naked and doing routine stuff is so nonchalant, some people don’t even consider it bizarre anymore.

We have nude skydiving, nude bungee jumping and nude hiking. A while back, some airline even offered nude flights. Maybe that’s a viable way of keeping someone from bringing explosives on board. But, I’ve yet to hear about nude bass fishing. It might all have to do with those treble hooks. I think there are those times when being pragmatic holds the high card over being naked.

So, have you made any nude year resolutions?