What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?

Last night (through a series of unfortunate events) I endured a great deal of pain. In case you’re wondering if I know what pain really is…..here’s a picture of what happens when you “play” with fireworks that you are not familiar with…..This is a picture of my hand on the evening of July 4^th, 2008…..

  

With that picture in mind, let me assure you that what I endured last night was nearly as painful. What could possibly that painful you ask? The answer in two words is……”Jersey Shore”. Someone is probably a bit offended right about now…..saying “but it’s JUST a TV show”. Yes it is a TV show…..but not just any TV show. It is also a very popular TV show. According to an article written by Bill Gorman, and published on the website “TV by the numbers”……..The January 6^th, 2011 “season premiere of MTV’s 'Jersey Shore'……drew 8.45 million viewers”. Mr Gorman went on to say that it ranked as “MTV’s highest rated series telecast ever”. Yeah, but who’s watching it, you might ask? According to “The New York Times”…… “In the 10 p.m. hour, “Jersey Shore” crushed everything else on television in the audience most desired by advertisers ….viewers between the ages of 18 and 49……'Jersey Shore' totaled 5.461 million viewers in that age group at 10 p.m....dwarfing the two network dramas at the hour”. The article goes on to say that “ ‘Jersey Shore’ has one of the youngest median ages of any show on television, at just over 22.4 years old.” So at least Grandma and Grandpa aren’t up watching this stuff…..so that’s good isn’t it?

So what’s the show about…you ask? For those of you who have never watched the show, you might be shocked at the content…..and for those of you who love “Jersey Shore”, you might be shocked that I find it so offensive. The basic premise of the show is that you have a group of 9 “twenty-something” adults (using that term "adult" VERY loosely here) who live in the same house….and whose lives revolve around the 4 basic needs of every 12-25 year-old. Those 4 basic needs are of course drinking….dancing…..spray-on tans…..and having sex. Work is a very minor part of each of their lives. They work in a t-shirt store for a few hours a week…..but only when it doesn’t interfere with the important things in life (you know, the drinking, dancing, spray-on tans, and having sex). And there you have it……

The good thing is that at least the actors are intelligent.....and those 12-25 year-olds who watch the show can garner tidbits of wisdom that are spoken throughout any given episode. Such as this gem by “Snooki”……."Every time I get really excited, like if we go to a club, I have to poop my pants. If we go to a party, I have to poop my pants, if I go on a date, I have to poop my pants." Isn’t that just precious? Or here’s another one by that little cutie “Snooki”…. "This is the things I think I’m addicted to: Bronzer, boys and alcohol. I’m f**ked up." Now those are certainly words that a Dad could be proud to hear coming from his daughter’s mouth. How about this one (by Snooki as well)….. “I don't want to drink anymore, but I feel like if I was sober, I'd be bored” Wow…..isnt that the truth? Being sober for a while REALLY sucks.

If your saying to yourself….(or to a loved one sitting next to you)…”Oh he’s such a prude….he must be like 40-years-old or something”…..then you are probably bored by now….and you can stop reading. For the adults in the room….please continue…...It certainly seems that MTV has a real winner on their hands with “Jersey Shore”. Just look at the advertisements during the one episode that I watched…..There was of course one ad for an early pregnancy test. That is vital to those whose lives revolve around drinking massive amounts of alcohol and then having sex with whomever you “hook-up” with before you go home. And then there was the other commercial for the “Plan B One-Step” pill. The commercial offers a next-morning solution for someone whose birth control failed….or if they had unprotected sex. And the good part is that it is available without a prescription (as long as you’re at least 17-years-old). Of course the advertiser makes it clear that this is NOT the “abortion pill”. Well I feel better….because that would be just down right trashy.

It seems that in the post Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan era….that we needed some role models to step up and show our kids how to get ahead in life. These 3 were among a group of “role-models” who taught kids that the most important thing in life is being famous. It doesn’t matter what made you famous, just become famous....(i.e. being falling down drunk in public, repeated DUI’s, not wearing underwear….even though you know when you arrive at your destination there will be a thousand photographers there to take your picture as you exit the car, etc…..you know all the important things in life). If you still don't believe that shows like "Jersey Shore" heavily influence the minds of young people...and that they're just "entertainment"....how about this fun fact.... It has been reported recently, that many young girls are now getting pregnant just so they could have a chance to tryout for...and possibly be on another MTV hit series “16 And Pregnant”, and its successful spin-off “Teen Mom” (I'm not kidding). It seems that for some young girls, these shows are nothing more than the teen-age promiscuity version of "American Idol". My question is.....what ever happened to going to college and finding a career? In my opinion…..for far too many young people today….the answer to the question asked in the title of this piece, would be “A drunken, slut dancer with a nice tan”. Then Again….That’s Just Me