Spring Break
MTV's 'Exiled' proves to be punishment for stars and viewers alike
by Justine Root
Arts Editor
Arts | 9/2/08
Posted online at 5:13 PM EST on 9/1/08
/ Last updated at 12:14 AM EST on 9/1/08
I hate My Super Sweet 16.
For those unfamiliar with the show, it's essentially an MTV reality series that documents the planning of a well-off teen's 16th birthday party. During the course of the show, the party planners usually (in no particular order) demand that they receive an expensive car as a gift, cry at the prospect of not getting what they want, proclaim that they "want to feel like/totally are a rock star" and use their parties as a way to force their friends to watch them sing or dance, consequently revealing that the birthday boy or girl has no talent. Also, they cry, and maybe pout. Cry, pout, cry, cry, whine and cry.
Having been informed of the nature of My Super Sweet 16, maybe now you can understand why the show's excess and drama leads me to despise both the series itself andthose who appear on it. Maybe you can also understand why a new show titled Exiled, which depicts eight Sweet 16ers being shipped off to impoverished nations, would be absolutely delightful to one such as myself.
Except, upon viewing Exiled, I found that I hate that show too.
Firstly, MTV seems to think that dropping these kids in a underdeveloped country for a week is enough to rid them of their bratty behavior, but it is as effective as putting an alcoholic in rehabilitation for a week and never addressing the people who buy them booze. Seven days is not nearly long enough to modify a person's behavior, and on top of that, the enablers responsible for the undesirable conduct have not learned anything. Really, if anyone should be "exiled" it is the 16ers' parents, so that they might learn how even parents struggling to support their families are still capable of teaching their children responsibility and the skills required to make it in the real world.
Exiled might also be one of the most insulting programs to ever air on television. For not only does it insinuate that living in an impoverished country is "punishment," but Exiled also provides screen time for the 16ers to voice their ignorant impressions of those who opened their homes to them; essentially, this means that 10 to 15 minutes of each episode is devoted to a 16er rambling about how happy the simple natives are with what they have and how wide-eyed the indigenous people were when presented with modern amenities such as mp3 players and makeup. Amanda, one "exiled" teen, told her family upon returning home how Josephine, her Maasai hostess, "wouldn't trade her life for anything in the world." Evidently, Amanda missed the part where Josephine told her that Maasai women cannot choose their own husbands and how the young Maasai women think this is incredibly unfair.
Honestly, this entire mess of a show could have easily been avoided by cutting up any of the 16ers' credit cards, but either MTV chose not to disclose this information to the teens' parents or no one had enough common sense to come to this conclusion themselves. Judging by the state MTV reveals the 16ers to be in prior to their being "exiled," I'm going conclude that the reason is the latter.
For those unfamiliar with the show, it's essentially an MTV reality series that documents the planning of a well-off teen's 16th birthday party. During the course of the show, the party planners usually (in no particular order) demand that they receive an expensive car as a gift, cry at the prospect of not getting what they want, proclaim that they "want to feel like/totally are a rock star" and use their parties as a way to force their friends to watch them sing or dance, consequently revealing that the birthday boy or girl has no talent. Also, they cry, and maybe pout. Cry, pout, cry, cry, whine and cry.
Having been informed of the nature of My Super Sweet 16, maybe now you can understand why the show's excess and drama leads me to despise both the series itself andthose who appear on it. Maybe you can also understand why a new show titled Exiled, which depicts eight Sweet 16ers being shipped off to impoverished nations, would be absolutely delightful to one such as myself.
Except, upon viewing Exiled, I found that I hate that show too.
Firstly, MTV seems to think that dropping these kids in a underdeveloped country for a week is enough to rid them of their bratty behavior, but it is as effective as putting an alcoholic in rehabilitation for a week and never addressing the people who buy them booze. Seven days is not nearly long enough to modify a person's behavior, and on top of that, the enablers responsible for the undesirable conduct have not learned anything. Really, if anyone should be "exiled" it is the 16ers' parents, so that they might learn how even parents struggling to support their families are still capable of teaching their children responsibility and the skills required to make it in the real world.
Exiled might also be one of the most insulting programs to ever air on television. For not only does it insinuate that living in an impoverished country is "punishment," but Exiled also provides screen time for the 16ers to voice their ignorant impressions of those who opened their homes to them; essentially, this means that 10 to 15 minutes of each episode is devoted to a 16er rambling about how happy the simple natives are with what they have and how wide-eyed the indigenous people were when presented with modern amenities such as mp3 players and makeup. Amanda, one "exiled" teen, told her family upon returning home how Josephine, her Maasai hostess, "wouldn't trade her life for anything in the world." Evidently, Amanda missed the part where Josephine told her that Maasai women cannot choose their own husbands and how the young Maasai women think this is incredibly unfair.
Honestly, this entire mess of a show could have easily been avoided by cutting up any of the 16ers' credit cards, but either MTV chose not to disclose this information to the teens' parents or no one had enough common sense to come to this conclusion themselves. Judging by the state MTV reveals the 16ers to be in prior to their being "exiled," I'm going conclude that the reason is the latter.
Viewing Comments 1 - 6 of 6
Melanie
posted 9/21/08 @ 12:47 AM EST
THANK YOU!!! You read my mind about BOTH of these shows.
Andrea
posted 11/13/08 @ 7:41 PM EST
I Agree....
Kelly
posted 12/20/08 @ 1:31 PM EST
I have to disagree with other posts that state that nothing can be learned from these programs. First of all, I was saddened by the ignorance of American Children, more so than the impoverished living conditions of the host families. (Continued…)
autoprt
posted 12/21/08 @ 11:59 PM EST
i disagree, anytime you can learn about other cultures, individuals and realize how good we have it here in the US it is very valuable for the stars and young viewers. (Continued…)
shan
posted 12/25/08 @ 5:09 PM EST
I agree with you all. The purpose of the show is a joke. The message sent to viewers portrays American teens as spoiled, ignorant and annoying. However, if I had not seen the show I would not have seen Josephine. (Continued…)
Edward
posted 10/09/09 @ 10:18 AM EST
I saw this show for the first time last night. It was all that you describe it to be, but I enjoyed it anyway. I was fascinated by the life that was depicted in Peru and the way that the teen was completely oblivious to the experience she was fortunate enough to have. (Continued…)
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