Author: Jessica- FIT

Throughout the years, MTV has thrown some bizarre ideas for reality shows our way.  Some catch the attention of the nation while others fall through the cracks.  While watching MTV (daily) I find myself screaming at the TV, “WHAT is the point of this show??”  Entertainment value, usually.  That is if you can call watching guys pick a date based on the underwear a girl has in her drawer, entertainment. (Thanks, Room Raiders).  However, what about the shows that may have actually been created for a real reason?

Let’s rewind.  Teen Mom.  Yes, like most people, I am obsessed.  I am still trying to figure out what Catelynn has that I don’t (besides braces, a trailer, and a 1995 JCPenny homecoming dress) that makes Tyler choose HER over me.  SO unfair.  But back to my point: as I watched the finale of Teen Mom last week and gear up for tonight’s reunion episode with Dr. Drew, I’m really starting to wonder what MTV was trying to do with this show.

Was it for entertainment value? Sure, listening to Gary recite a definition of the word “empathy” during the finale was extremely entertaining, but teen pregnancy is a huge issue; is MTV trying to take a stance? Are they trying to educate teens about the horrors of teen pregnancy? Maybe trying to prevent it? You would think by airing this show, MTV could position themselves as advocates to prevent teen pregnancy and use the show as an education tool, while also providing entertainment. 

And if that was the intent, I have a couple issues with how it was seen through.

Personally, I did not find the show realistic.  Throughout the season, Farrah was the only teen mom who did not have the baby’s father in the picture.  I’m not implying that the other moms are leading ideal lives with their outstanding boyfriends, but Catelynn, Amber, and Maci all got pregnant by their boyfriend at the time.  These were guys that they were having consensual sex with regularly.  Although Gary and Ryan may go down in history as two of the worst boyfriends ever, throughout the season they are shown trying to make their relationships “work” in the best interest of their new child.

Farrah, on the other hand, although not with the father of her child, lives at home with her mother and father.   It is evident that Farrah has grown up pretty fortunately and has an extremely comfortable living situation.  The “hardships” Farrah faces include not being able to party with her friends all the time, and not being able to find a boyfriend who is ready to date a girl with a kid.  Yes these things might be difficult for her, but in the scheme of teen pregnancy they are quite trivial.  Her parents are always there to help out, and support her both emotionally and financially. The same is true for the rest of the teen moms on the show.

If MTV was trying to educate about teen pregnancy and the perils of dealing with it, why not show girls who are even less fortunate?  What about the ones out there who are really on their own?  There are plenty of girls who come from uneducated, broken families, who get pregnant and have no escape, and no chance at a better life.  Some live their whole lives on welfare and in many cases do not know who the father is.  My feeling is that MTV chose these specific moms because the typical viewer could relate to them better than a girl whose life has really been ruined by teen pregnancy.  If this is the case, then why didn’t MTV even show how truly hard raising a child as a teenager is?  There is not one clip throughout the whole season of one of the moms staying up the whole night with a crying baby, or cleaning up vomit.  I don’t want to go as far as to say that MTV “glamorized” being a teen mom, but I don’t think the show will leave any viewers thinking “Oh my god, this CANNOT happen to me, I better take precaution.”

And speaking of precaution, MTV never hit on the topic of prevention.  I don’t remember any of the girls being interviewed as to why birth control was not used during sex. Was it a one time slip-up with no condom?  Too afraid to ask their parents? No resources? These questions never surfaced throughout the season.  And furthermore, I find it extremely unrealistic to not mention abortion on the topic of teen pregnancy.  The a-word was non-existent throughout the series, but in reality, it is an option.  Most people have strong opinions on the subject, being either completely against it or for it.  But just because it would have stirred up controversy, does that mean MTV should have ignored it completely? If they wanted to use their power to educate teens and lay all the options on the table, why wasn’t it even mentioned?

So besides making me fall in love with Tyler, what was MTV’s purpose in producing this show? Do you think they portrayed teen pregnancy realistically?  Share your thoughts, peeps!

“Winter Wonderland,” “White Christmas”…sugarcoat it all you want but winter sucks.  Unless you are a skiing or snowboarding fanatic, you feel my pain. I didn’t even like sledding as a child; you got to the bottom of the hill, OK, then what? You run back up to the top, your hands numb, then do it again? Awesome.

Seeing my own breath has never fascinated me and a constantly running nose has never been a favorite of mine. There’s just no happy medium with winter.  I hate it, I hate it, I hate it. And now I’m going to complain in a more organized manner:

1.  Layers (AKA pit stains). You get all bundled up to brave the cold yet, somehow, when you reach your destination your face is still frozen and you can’t feel your hands. And then you go inside where the heat is set to “desert.” You’re sweating before you sit down and spend the next 10 minutes stripping down as much as you can without being inappropriate. Which is difficult considering your white tank is now completely see-through.

2.  Hot drinks. Yes the idea is wonderful, until you burn your tongue.  Instead of your insides being warm, you can’t taste anything for a week. And you are still freezing.

3. Snow. It may look pretty from the warm comforts of you room, but once it’s inside of your shoes, not so much.  Your socks would agree. And your toes. Assuming you still have them.

4.  Bars without coat checks. Although I live in NYC, I don’t go “clubbing” or to any fancy spots that I could pay someone 5 bucks to hold my coat for the evening.  My friends and I go to “those” bars; you know, the ones with beer pong in the back and a greater amount of beer on the floor than on tap.  We bundle up, (as complained about in winter peeve number 1) and then have nowhere to put our coats!  If we leave them on a bar stool, they’re goners. If we leave them on, our arms are too constricted to throw a perfect arc in beer pong. And no one can see that new tank top we insisted on wearing even though it’s negative 12 degrees outside.

5. Hibernation. It’s hard to motivate people to leave the house when the thermometer is reading 0 and no one wants to risk breaking an ankle on the icy streets. But there is only so much Say Yes To The Dress I can watch before I get a little stir crazy. And how am I supposed to meet a man when he’s hiding out under his (probably very dirty) covers for 3 months?

It’s time to Crack a Bottle and roll out the red carpet…

THE GRAMMYS ARE HERE!!

Well, almost. You gotta wait until tomorrow to catch the big show, which leaves just enough time to get (fist) pumped up. And what better way to prepare for the big event than by having a Grammy Nominee dance party?

We’ve compiled the best of the best Grammy nominated jams into a handy dandy little playlist for your booty shaking enjoyment. Grab that hairbrush and shake your groove thang in your room, listen to it before you head out tonight, or rock out to it all day tomorrow as you prepare for the main event.

Whatever you do, just dance.

Rock out with your Grammy out here.

Photo and girls involved totally unrelated to story.

What is the meaning of a sorority exactly?

As an outsider, a self proclaimed anti-sorostitute, I’ve never really understood the purpose.  It’s a “special bond” they tell me.  A “sisterhood” they say.  Here is what I know:  I have a sister, and I have never struck her with a paddle 201 times in one week.  She has never been at the hospital with blood clots and welts on her ass that somehow symbolize our “loyalty” to each other.  I have not forced her to endure this pain to prove to me that she is worthy of being my sister.

Unfortunately, an anonymous Sigma Gamma Rho pledge at Rutgers University cannot say the same.  When she began to pledge the sorority, she was told that they do not condone hazing.  It took her one whole week, until she couldn’t even sit down, to finally go to the hospital and turn in the girls who had been beating her endlessly during the duration of her “non-hazing.”  Six girls were arrested and charged with aggravated hazing.

We are all thinking the same thing: how could these girls do this to her and the other pledges? It is cruel, evil, and outrageous.  But here is the bigger question: how could the pledges allow this happen to themselves? Joining a sorority is an elective activity.  No one forced these girls to pledge.  It was their choice.  Even though they were told that hazing was not condoned, why didn’t they opt to leave once they saw a paddle?  And even if they were too afraid to leave, why the hell did they go back for day two, three, four, etc? 

I understand the feeling of wanting to belong to a group, of having instant friends, and wanting to be a part of something.  However, if I were in a situation where girls were going to physically harm me in order for me to be a part of this group, my response would most likely be “you’re out of your f**king mind.”  I’d be out of that room so fast and the door would not hit my untouched ass on the way out.  The concept is really bizarre to me.  They allow themselves to be hazed, beaten, humiliated, and whatever it takes to be accepted into this so-called “sisterhood,” and then one month later they’re supposed to be BFFs with the people who tortured them. “Hey! Remember that time I beat your ass with a paddle and you couldn’t even walk? HAHA GOOD TIMES GIRL!”

Yeah….sounds like it?

I know that it is important for hazing rules and regulations to be implemented within the Greek system, but I truly feel that hazing will continue as long as there are people who are willing to be hazed.  Think about it:  Sororities and Fraternities haze because they know that there are so many Greek hopefuls who will do whatever it takes to be in that certain house.  If a couple dropout, there will always be more, and the select few will make it until the end.  But what if there were no willing participants?  What if every desperate freshman decided to suddenly respect themselves and not take part in anything so outrageous?  It would have to end, wouldn’t it?

So, ask yourself: how far would YOU go to fit in?

J.D. Salinger, the beloved author of “The Catcher in the Rye,” died today at the age of 91. According to his son, his death was of natural causes at his home in New Hampshire.

“The Catcher in the Rye” was written in 1951, and has remained a memorable part of every teenager’s education since.  Written during the Cold War era, Salinger intended for his audience to consist of adults who were living through this time of anxiety and hardship.  However, even to this date, teens have been able to relate to “The Catcher in the Rye” and have pegged the novel’s protagonist, Holden Caulfield, as the face of teenage rebellion.

Throughout the plot, Caulfield struggles with his identity, loneliness, and, infamously, the “phoniness” of the adult world.  To adolescent readers, the novel has represented all of the issues they face but are never able to put into words.  Consequently, reading “The Catcher in the Rye” has shaped so many of our teenage lives and has affected the way we have dealt with teenage angst and adversity. The novel reminds us all that we are not alone in conquering the pain that comes with growing up and that it is OK to let our inner Holden Caulfield’s to shine through.

Although Salinger never wanted to be famous or known to the public, often refusing interviews and remaining a recluse, we will never forget his contribution to literature and American culture. He will forever be regarded as one of the greatest authors of all time.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010: a big day for America.

That’s right, yesterday we witnessed the unveiling of Apple’s latest and greatest: the iPad.

For those of you who have been in a bubble since yesterday (doing homework perhaps?) we’ll put it this way: Kindle+ gameboy +portable DVD player+ internet+ bigger and better APPS = the iPad.  (I figured the math equation would make you feel like you’re doing homework, even though you’re totally procrastinating).  Since yesterday, the iPad has gotten more press than Paris Hilton’s sex tape.  EVERYONE is talking about it.

Oh, what’s that? Something else happened yesterday?
Huh?
What?

Oh yeah! President Obama. The State of the Union Address. That happened too. After Steve Jobs’ big speech. Huh. Guess I spent so much time reading every last iPad update (and joke: “If you and your friends all buy one, will they sync up?”) I sorta forgot that was going on. Shame, too; it was Obama’s first State of the Union address and seeing that he’s been dealing with a lot lately, it was probably a pretty important thing to watch.

But who can really follow an Apple announcement? That’s like being Angelina’s sloppy seconds. We all know that we should care what Obama has to say – we’re the people who got him into office, after all – but his speech didn’t have video, or 3G or really cool apps! And it won’t help us watch movies on airplanes.

So sue me if I know every last spec about the iPad but have not the slightest clue what Obama said about healthcare reform; based on my most recent Google search, I know I’m not the only one who places fun new toys before the general well-being of this country. I mean, if anyone’s gonna save this economy it’s Steve Jobs, right?

Big plans tonight? Hittin’ the town?

Maybe you should reconsider and stay in to watch the most epic musical event ever, while also doing a little good for those in need.

You’ve probably already heard everyone talking about tonight’s “Hope For Haiti Now” telethon, which aims to raise money for the victim’s of last week’s devastating earthquake, but do you have any idea how huge this thing is going to be? I’m pretty sure there has never been a lineup like this one.

Hosted by Wyclef Jean (New York), George Clooney (L.A.), and Anderson Cooper (Haiti), the telethon will be aired commercial-free on networks including ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CNN, BET, the CW, HBO, MTV, VH1 and CMT. Yeah, you won’t be able to miss it.

And you won’t want to. Not with this many amazing performances happening:

Madonna, Haitian artist Emeline Michel, Wyclef Jean, Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Shakira, Sting, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, Dave Matthews, John Legend, Justin Timberlake, Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Kid Rock, and Sheryl Crow.

Are your eyes getting tired yet? The list doesn’t even stop there.

Also performing is Beyoncé, Coldplay and an unexpected collaboration between Bono, The Edge, Jay-Z and Rihanna.

But wait! The a-list attendees do not just include the performers, but also around 140 more actors, athletes, singers, etc. who are coming together to answer phones in order to raise the most amount of money possible.  Among this list are Brad Pitt, Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Clint Eastwood, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Jon Stewart, Julia Roberts, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Meryl Streep, Morgan Freeman, Nicole Kidman, Robert Pattinson, Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Hanks and Will Smith.

All of these celebrities are teaming up to take donations that are going directly to organizations such as Oxfam America, Partners in Health, The Red Cross, UNICEF and Wyclef’s Yele Haiti Foundation.

It seems as if the whole world is involved, right? So you should be too.  Go ahead, grab your Snuggie, a bowl of popcorn, and be a part of history tonight at 8pm EST. To donate, visit hopeforhaitinow.org or call 1 (877) 99-HAITI… who knows? Brad Pitt might answer!