MTV & ME -- "REALITY" ... REALLY ??

Back in the late 1970's/early 80's, I lived my life without a television set. For several years prior I had a nice, big, console TV. When it went on the fritz, I ended up giving it away. I couldn't be bothered to haul it into a repair shop. I didn't miss it.

Oh, I still saw enough TV to keep me satisfied. I was always "house sitting", "baby sitting" or even "dog/pet sitting" for friends. No pay required, but I would get to order pizza as the "reward" for my ... ah ... efforts.

I made sure when I provided my "services", the home came equipped with the new thing in entertainment -- CABLE TV. All those channels. All those choices.

There finally came a time when my condominium was approached by the Bartlett, Tennessee cable company about wiring up all 100 units in our complex for their services. Being the Vice President of the Homeowners Association -- sort of a Dick Chaney of my time -- I had a bit of input in approving the instillation.

In the condo, I was the first home to be wired up & receiving the cable signal. [The old "Quid Pro Quo".] And ... I had to go buy a television.

The first night, with cable TV -- in my own home -- was a real joy. No kids or pets to disturb me. Just 33 channels of viewing pleasure & even a remote control. [I did have to pay for my own pizza delivery.]

One of the cable stations I watched frequently was a new channel called Music Television -- MTV. It was all rock & roll videos, all the time. [Somewhere, today, on my iPod, I have the song which was played as the first video on MTV -- "Video Killed the Radio Star". I can't remember the band/group which sings it.]

Through the years & the relocation from Tennessee, I upgraded my TV input system in Arkansas.

First I had cable TV. It was a few more channels than in Tennessee, but came with the same problems -- loss of signals & any storms would knock out all the channels for up to a day. I'd have to call the cable company & get their "we're working on getting it fixed" explanation.

FUNNY THING: A few years later -- after I go rid of the cable -- a lady I was interviewing for a job at Maybelline was the manager of the same cable company. Of course, I didn't hire her.

I moved on to Primestar. Now I had a big satellite dish in my yard. I also had about 100 channels. Primestar was then purchased by DirecTv, which led to the large dish in the yard being replaced by the smaller dish on the roof of the house. [The Primestar base & pole became a bird feeder support in my yard.]

With the cable gone, the only "outages" were -- & still are -- when it is raining HARD, or when there is ice on the dish. I had to go up on a ladder this year to get my reception returned by removing the snow/slush which had built up on the receiver dish.

Now days I have several hundred channels to chose from -- I've got EVERYTHING, just about, that DirecTv offers ... along with a $150 monthly invoice -- so I'm usually able to find something each night of interest to watch on my television.

I like a lot of the "speciality channels" -- Animal Planet, Discovery Health, Comedy Central, [LOVE "Tosh.0"] as examples. I also have ALL the non-basic movie channels like HBO, Starz, etc. I'm always entertained.

One channel I have NOT watched in years, is my old favorite -- MTV. Now there are several versions on my system, along with several VH1's & county music channels.

MTV changed. It's for the young, hip crowd, which I never was, even when I first started watching it almost 30 years ago. I'm not even sure if MTV plays videos any more. [I think those are on one of the "other MTV channels" on my system. I see them listed on the menu when I'm "scanning".]

Well, the other night I happened to re-visit my old friend, when the TV menu had a program listed for MTV called: "16 & Pregnant". A title like that will get your attention ... which it did.

I watched several episodes. The constant theme which seemed to radiate from the people -- young girl teens, of course -- was; "I'm young, stupid, totally not ready for this & the 'father' is not following his promises to be with me & help me".

It was really sad !!

Now I need to point out right here, that I do not watch any "reality TV". That includes "dancing shows", "house wife's", "Idol" or guy/gals looking for love. Not worth wasting the time I have left on earth. I also think a lot of the shows are "phony" & scripted & I took one look at "Snookie" -- in a magazine -- & thought, "Trash".

With "reality TV", too many un-talented, ingrate people are being made into "stars". Not on my television!!

But still, the MTV show really got to me. I looked it up on the MTV website for details on the people on the show. Yes, it may be scripted, but at the end of the day, those poor young girls have lost their fun years of high school & are in a 20+ year commitment to raising a child, probably without the father, when they are not much more than one themselves.

Again ... really sad.

And now, I'm probably hooked on watching "16 & Pregnant" next week. My long-lost MTV channel has brought me back into it's clutches again.

I guess the show is a video of sorts ... which is how it all started -- MTV & me -- back in Tennessee.