Shore as something proportional to the Material Existence of my youth. But as bright as Jersey Shore really is - and it is a matter of art even if the 3rd season has become an obvious (to its participants even) caricature of the 1st - I`m hoping the generation making this their everyday lives doesn`t ape the fashion sense or lexicon, or conduct of the Jersey herd. I`m hoping it`s seen as downright tacky. Skins has become a double-edged sword for me. As a vast fan of the British original, I was happy to see the same producers try this in America (we`ve all hail to agree on the American Office, right?). And by replicating each of the old episodes, nearly frame by frame, in an American setting, it could work for real, good, teen-drama television. I was in high hopes that it could be the unique Canadian teen-drama, Degrassi (which is now even in its Boiling Point phase, beyond unequaled).Too bad, four episodes in, Skins is a tragedy. I`m not even appalled at the overuse of sex and drug talk in the negotiation and set-pieces - it`s not pornography, go see a Larry Clark film if you need a small shock - it`s exactly how bad these kids sound in talking to each other. They mock the "rich private school" types, but see a high school that allows them the prerogative of smoke a join in the bathroom (co-ed, in the same stall). This is not reality. I know first-hand - teens don`t speak like this. The nearest I came was smoking a butt on the outlying roof of the THS drama room. If these teens live in this zion of teenage rebellion, whilst among the plebeian class, get me a time machine and bless me up. Given the want of advertisers willing to latch on and support MTV in their teenage exploitation (which it isn`t, mind you, but I predicted a Midwestern/Xtian/Red-Parent backlash) and the want of actual depth in these characters (where unlike the original, these are highly un-likeable) I can`t see Skins lasting too long. Debate/Debate. The Vice Guide to Everything likely won`t be back. I don`t recognize that. I make no insider information. But I also haven`t seen a cultural uprising proclaiming the Vice half-hour variety show as something relevant. Thought it is. This point is the most intelligent thing on MTV since that Jesse VJ or at least Buzzkill (where are those DVDs?), maybe Chris Connelly - but he`s a scab. Basically, if you`ve been a long-time fan of the cartridge and the VBS.tv arm of their filmic representation (the Vice Guide to Go is extremely recommended) then you won`t see what the Guide to Everything does as that shocking. The inaugural season was but the better of VBS cut down to bite-size portraits of fringe life in our world. Visits to Liberia, gun markets in Afghanistan, underground strip-clubs in Detroit, are de rigor for Vice and here those integral pieces of legitimate journalism (seriously) are illuminated as grotesque music videos. I can`t fault Vice for cashing in at all - hopefully the young will start EBay-ing back issues of the `zine (I give an extensive collection, mind you) - but I look like no one is listening. Them kids aren`t worldly. The closest they might get is an M.I.A. album. Honestly, that`s a start. But I find the word is secondary to finding out about ICP tour dates or the new "legal" gas station drugs to conceal from the parents. And that`s Real Life.
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