That title is in homage to my dearest roommate and one of the many fabulous, deep, "pondering the meaning of life" conversations we've had this quarter. Well, alright, this particular one featured reality television and formal attire. Not exactly life changing, but totally enjoyable. I want to begin by simply stating: television programming of the reality variety, viewed as an escape from (real?) reality, a much needed break after a long hard day of work, or a way to mindlessly kill a rainy afternoon (this is Seattle, it happens), is in no way reflective of the essence of your character, or indicative of your intellectual capacity. I know some wonderfully bright, lovely people that partake in the likes of such guilty indulgences as "The Bachelor" or "Flava of Love" (although, I must say, the latter is a particularly awful show, isn't it? Even I can't stomach that garbage). Everyone knows someone who watches TV while espousing their desire for quality, educational programming and condemning those who use it for sheer entertainment purposes. Well, encourage these folks to pick up a book (I absolutely love fictional literature, I must say), newspaper or magazine, and tell them to suck it. Yes, these shows are often cheaply done, poorly structured, manufactured, superficial and oftentimes featuring deplorable human beings. Sometimes I even need to switch the channel or throw on the 'mute', when the grating sound of two tweens bickering over a cashmere cardigan becomes too much to handle. I acknowledge their flaws, I embrace their shortcomings, and I can't deny that these programs serve their purpose quite well: mindless entertainment.* That being said, have I seen "Jersey Shore"? Um, "obvi". Does it fall into the category of poorly themed reality TV meant to follow and stir up the lives of "ordinary" folk, with a dash of pop culture and a pinch of pettiness? Then yes, yes I've seen it.
Everyone (radio personalities, native Jersey-ites, even my coworkers) is in a tizzy about this new show on MTV, and everyone has their own opinion about it. Fair enough. Well, here's mine. I'm tickled pink by America's recent emphasis on, and fascination with, a very specific group of tri-state area Italian descendants. Hailing from Long Island, it nearly feels like home turning on the tube to see a group of individuals tawlking about the price of their tan and brand of protein shake. However, if you're going to purport to record the experiences of said demographic, MTV, then first and foremost you should make sure that they're all in fact from those specified locations. One of the dudes is from Rhode Island; another chick is from Poughkeepsie. Last time I checked, neither of those areas fall within the 10-mile Nassau, Staten Island, Jersey radius. Granted, the rest of the members are from these fabled locations, but, still... And, of course, they're all belligerent, spray-tanned, illiterate, gutter-mouthed floosies, boys and girls alike. I know, I know that sounds uncharacteristically harsh, but such is the truth. And, quite often, it's not pretty (much like the aforementioned cast-mates).
*A few stellar reality shows to check out if you have some time to kill/waste/use unproductively, all thanks to our friends at Bravo: Top Chef, Project Runway (alright, so that's now on Lifetime), and the Housewives series. Stay away from Million Dollar Matchmaker, though; Patty's kind of frightening.
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