At first I thought Obama said "Sookie" and was refering to True Blood. Then someone corrected me and pointed me to Jersey Shores. I actually, out of total inability to cope with not knowing something from the current social meme had to go watch - not one, but two episodes of that show. I watched the first one and couldn't quite grasp what the hell was going on and what the hell the point of the show was so I watched a second episode. I was still scratching my head in confusion over why this group of low class morons were 1) on their own TV show, 2) getting famous 3) why they were in FLA and not Jersey 4) why they seemed to go out of their way to look cheap and sleazy 5) how they managed to live to the ripe old ages of being in their 20's without having constant supervision so they don't kill themselves with stupidity. And, of course 6) were they really real or playing characters?
It confused me. It upset me.
Then I read the last (Oct.) Vanity Fair that came the day after my foray into TV torture and found an excellent article (as if any of his aren't excellent) by James Wolcott talking about this whole new New Jersey thing where he starts with old school New Jersey shows like the Sopranos and moves into The Real Housewives of New Jersey and so on. I admit to watching an occasional housewives show, including a couple of the New Jersey ones that are almost as mystifying as Jersey Shores for their sheer vulgarity and endless dramas.
You must read it.
Thank the Goddess of literacy for Mr. Wolcott because when I read those words I somehow felt vindicated for all the bile that rose in my throat while slumped on my sofa in a sort of daze of confusion over why MTV would choose to air a group of people we used to kindly refer to as *trash*. When I read what he wrote I exhaled that bit of breath I had been holding while struggling with my own bitchy judgements attitude towards the cast. At least now I know I'm not the lone person in America that thinks they are closer to the gutter than to the floor.
Meanwhile, are young people watching this and thinking it's remotely close to a reality that would provide any source of establishing a meaningful life? God, I hope not.
sorry, I would link but it's not up on VF.com yet. Although, there are tons of other great things to read there.
