Last night I watched the finale of my new favorite show.
I've developed a small obsession with The Real Housewives of New Jersey. In fact, I kind of want to be a real housewife of New Jersey.
I find this fetish of my a little odd considering I am a feminist of the Susan Faludi variety, I am conflict-avoidant, and I typically don't like reality TV (the last reality TV show I had an interest in was the Real World season 3. Poor Pedro.)
So why the obssession with TRHJN? I think it's the over-the-top Gen X drama. Most Gen Y reality TV consists of young honeys running around with their chi chis hanging out and fighting over some guy. But this show was part family loyalty, part standing up to the mean girl, part wearing some obnoxiously large bling bling, and part big hair.
In a way, it's bizarro Gen X world.
7 comments:
Hey, the women pictured on your post look like they have the kind of chi chis that could hang out and look good in a bikini. I am speculating that since the new jersey wives show is more intelligent, they have no need to show off the chi chis?
@anonymous - I can't see anywhere in my post where I said the Real Housewives was an intelligent show. In fact, I'm arguing it's the opposite. However, the Gen Y reality shows are all about sex (hence the chi chis hanging out while fighting over guys), while this show really isn't (with the exception of Danielle's conquests). You see this a lot - TV shows targeted at Gen Y are a lot more sexed up than those at Gen X (and it's not life-stage either, look at Real World 3 verses Real World 17).
I wrote a post on this topic a while back if you're interested:
http://genxpert.blogspot.com/2008/08/does-hollywood-misrepresent-todays-teen.html
Interesting... I like the gritty reality shows myself, like Intervention on A&E.
I haven't seen it yet, but I bet I'd like the Jersey housewives...
Sorry! I was under the impression that Real Housewives/Jersey was geared toward Gen X, thus more intelligent :-) Intelligent show or not, if you enjoy it - keep watching. Sometimes the best shows are the ones you can escape into and not have to think too hard. Are producers thinking that Gen-Yers all belong on Jerry Springer though, and can't think beyond the chi-chis and fighting over some guy? That rock star one with Bret Michaels on MTV is a real scream - the chicks get so drunk they puke on him, and then he's kissing them in the next scene. ew. Sorry - too much information, there. I've watched it a few times, but after a while can't take all the bickering.
ohh I wish we had this show !! le
@Anonymous:
"Are producers thinking that Gen-Yers all belong on Jerry Springer though, and can't think beyond the chi-chis and fighting over some guy?"
Yes - that's exactly what they think. And I can't figure out why it doesn't piss off more Ys than it does! When I was teaching at our local community college, I'd ask my students "doesn't it offend you that your generation is portrayed as sex fiends?" But it didn't.
It most.have been the antidepressant or ADD meds.
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