I Want My MTV

I could talk about so many different things but I have teenagers and I decided to see what new videos and messages MTV was giving kids these days. Boy oh boy there are no videos going on there anymore. MTV has caved and crumbled into a heap of garbage TV. If you choose to tune in you'll now find music videos have been replaced with a constant stream of reality television. Cribs, Wild n Out, Rob and Big, Real World Road Rules Challenge, Real World Las Vegas Reunited, Scarred, Pimp my Ride, Runs House and other shows as well. It is all now meaningless TV designed to tantalize and capitalize on sexual exploits, vulgar language and over the top non-reality passing as someone's real reality; as if there is such a thing left in this world.

I watched and watched for hours waiting for the Music Video Television to play some music videos. Instead, I saw X-ibit and his customization crew put various over-the-top gadgets in cars. Video monitors, new sound systems, new paint, expensive rims and tires, the transformation was real but how real is it for the kids watching these shows? Who can afford to do these amazing things to their own cars? X-ibit touted something called, "Hater Vision" which is video monitors in the headrests of cars or trucks where nobody in the interior of the cars can see the video monitors only anyone riding behind the car or truck.

The latest show, X-effect is even worse. X-effect is a show that takes two couples that are currently dating and pulls the ex-boyfriend and ex-girlfriend from the new couples and gives them a weekend together to see if there are any sparks between the old couple. The cruelty continues by having the new people in their lives watch and listen to what goes on. At the end of the weekend, the "old couple" has to choose if they want to stay with the person they are currently with or go back to the ex. I watched a couple of these shows and was flabbergasted. There was this one girl who was beautiful, absolutely beautiful, she was the black girl I always dreamed I could be, great hair, perfect smile, and just a beautiful woman. She ended up fooling around with the ex-boyfriend. At the end of the show, she chose to dump her current boyfriend in favor of her ex-boyfriend. Her current boyfriend who was huba huba, was furious with her and even more furious when she told him she wanted to be with the other man.

In the end, the ex-boyfriend wanted to stay with his current girlfriend and this beautiful woman was left with nothing. This scenario played out again the exact same way with another couple. I just thought of all the possibilities and how cruel the show was in general. What kind of message are we sending to young people? "Hit it and quit it" is fine for a man and as a woman we should accept the cheater back. I've got news for you young ladies, it takes a mature and secure man to take you back once you have cheated on him. Though we hope not to see ourselves as commodities in a man's eyes there is still a certain amount of possessiveness that many men still hold within themselves. We still hear it in their language, "find the right girl and settle down." As much as we do not want to admit it, those words still imply a certain amount of possession. I sound archaic I know but it is the truth. If you don't believe me, watch the show and see what happens.

As American young people once upon a time we'd watch crazy videos. Two that come to mind are Duran Duran's Hungry Like a Wolf and The Love Shack by the B-52's. Crazy, funny, happy times. I could even stand to watch a hair band. I want my MTV back. I don't want guys and girls sitting in a big air conditioned RV waiting to go on the 'Next' speed date with a good looking guy or girl. When a music video does actually come on from time to time just once could I get someone to hold the writhing and bleeped out language? The Moon Man has gone, your old MTV that served up generous helpings of hair bands, pop, new wave and R&B now gives way to an overdose of nonrealistic unreality to show kids that the outrageous is the norm.