18 years ago mtv launched a novel idea. put 7 complete strangers in a pimped-out super house, give them a completely unattainable job, and see what happens. the drama, hilarity, and utter ridiculousness makes for great tv. er, made for great tv.
the first couple of seasons were fun. the people were "real," though their surroundings and circumstances were not. it was most certainly entertaining, at the very least, to live a rock star, silver spoon lifestyle vicariously. but, like all good things, too much is bad for you.
over the years, mtv recruited increasingly less sophisticated individuals. sure, you can argue that the backwoods kentuckian (i think that's what they're called. we simply called them hillbillies in ohio) from season 2 - los angeles was anything but a sophisticate, but i'd counter with the notion that he was a good guy that simply led a sheltered life somewhere in the bluegrass state. his intentions, as i see them, of being on the show were merely for the experience of it all--to meet new people, see new places, and learn from the whole thing. he was a respectable and respectful person, and for the intents and purposes of my point, he was a sophisticate.
fast forward to season 8 - hawaii. it is immediately evident, given teck's and ruthie's nude romp in the pool in the first moments of the premiere, that mtv wanted slightly less "nice" people, and substantially more edge. as therapists would warn, this is the proverbial slippery slope.
in the ensuing seasons, mtv has systematically ruined 9 cities by transforming its once novel experiment into a launching pad for instant celebrity (no water needed). now, they have decended upon my fair mile high city.
every city has its "it" place. you know, the hot spot where all the beautiful people come to drink insanely overpriced drinks for the privilege to hang out in the trendy bars and clubs; to see and be seen. detroit has royal oak, chicago has lincoln park, new york has the village, and la, well, all of la is like that from what i can gather. some of us despise the type of people that infest these areas. some of us actually are these people. regardless, it is common belief and concensus that these areas have enough of the stereotypical chads and trixies to survive a long, long time. so, why, mtv, why the overkill with adding more of "that'" type of person, especially when they're transplanted and likely to draw the ire of the locals, rather than going back to your roots and casting "real" people with good intentions that accentuate the personalities of the cities you've invaded?
though the added drama and hijinx these 20-something actors/waiters/jocks/drunks bring to the areas they infest (witness the dude from the san diego show getting his face crushed in a street fight 'cause the simpleton couldn't keep his drunken mouth shut) is often infuriating, i've come to realize that it's the lack of credit the show gives to the hosting town that really pisses me off.
i've never been to new orleans, honolulu, or even la (thank god for small favors), but i'm fairly certain there must be more to these places than just the bars. ok, maybe not la, but new orleans had (pre-katrina) much more to offer than rue bourbon...from what i'm told. hawaii has a fascinating ancient culture and, as importantly, a prominent place in american history (something about pearl harbor being bombed or something comes immediately to mind). god forbid mtv actually illustrate some real culture, or worse, show its subjects interacting with that culture rather than the club one.
as surely as i can paint with a broad brush the archetypes of the "real world" characters (the token gay guy, the token black guy, the hillbilly with an abusive father, the skater kid that drinks too much, the innocent virgin from an elite east coast family, the normal college kid that left his girlfriend behind to tape the show, and the 19 year-old pouty pants that whines and broods over every decision made), mtv has similarly painted each town it visits with the same strokes. new orleans is rue bourbon and nothing more. chicago has little more to offer than (my beloved) the cubs and rush street, and seattle only contributes coffee and grunge rock to society.
thankfully, denver isn't really known for much aside from its altitude, the mountains, and the fine, fine looking people that have moved here. as expected, friends and i have spotted the real worlders trapsing about LoDo (lower downtown for those of you outside 5280) followed by camera crews. i'm certain now that upon airing, those that don't live here will know little more about denver than its thin air and the abundant microbrews. i guess reality is perception, and this is the real world.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I stopped watching after they kicked Puck out of the house. -- Also, the first couple of seasons, when it was closer to "real," the snots weren't given jobs. I remember that dude, who now writes for "Vibe" (I think) among others I think, was never around because he was always working.
Anyway, that show has become a parody of itself. It also destroyed MUSIC television. Fuck "The Real World."
remember?...that one time?...when we decided to publish our own blogs?...because blogging was the thing to do?...and everyone we knew would be checking in on our blog to see what we had to say about our daily human experiences?
yeah...i remember that, too. that was so cool. we're so freakin' awesome. dang.
Post a Comment