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Name: Parents Television Council
Age: 16
Occupation: right-winged group of BS-ers
Last Seen: Los Angeles/Alexandria, VA
Bee-otched For: getting skinned
Age: 16
Occupation: right-winged group of BS-ers
Last Seen: Los Angeles/Alexandria, VA
Bee-otched For: getting skinned
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It seems that every few years or so, MTV actually comes up with programming that actually involves some brains to make.
And yes, when it airs, the religious right bitches and MTV ends up bowing to their pressure. Just ask Beavis and Butt-head and Jackass .
In the late 70's, ABC brought the saucy British sitcom Man About the House to America as Three's Company and even though the Alphabet Network toned it down for American audiences, it was still sexy enough for a Southern preacher named Donald Wildmon to create an organization called the American Family Association that targeted such shows.
Now, it's Skins' turn. It was a hit show in England, even spawning a movie now in production. MTV decided to create an American version of the show, and despite it being somewhat toned down for us more-conservative Americans, it's still creating havoc. Several groups such as the Parents Television Council are objecting to the fact that the show depicts minors engaged in sexual activity, such as lesbian kissing and masturbation. Even worse, some of the show's actors are indeed underage, the youngest being 15.
Since the show debuted last week to 3.3 million viewers, it has lost multiple sponsors, including GM, Yum Brands (which owns Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, A&W and Long John Silvers), H&R Block and as of Monday, Subway and L'Oreal. However, MTV is still standing by its hit, claiming that it deals with teenage issues in a frank manner, such as not just sex, but drugs and bullying.
The PTC has even considered prompting the government into an investigation into the show, claiming that it violates American child pornography laws since it depicts minors in sex acts. Bear in mind that there's other media showing adults playing minors engaged in sexual activity. Ever seen the 1995 film Kids? Same thing: several teens in real life engaged in fake sex. True story: it was originally rated NC-17 for its depictions of teenage sex, alongside the film's abundance of swearing, drug use and even a scene of gruesome violence.
However, the film almost never saw the light of day because its distributor, Miramax was being purchased by Disney, who didn't want anything to do with it. So, Miramax's founders, the Weinstein brothers released it themselves unrated. On its first week, they warned theatres not to allow those under 17, honoring its former rating. However, parents and critics asked the Weinsteins to recant their decision since the film was about teens. Plus, the film itself had a moral since one of the characters - played by a young Chloe Sevigny - gets AIDS from having multiple partners.
Maybe while they're at it, the PTC oughta look into Turner Classic Movies as well for showing Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains uncut and uncensored. Why? Because there's a scene where a 16-year-old Diane Lane walks into a shower buck-assed naked. *GASP!* Her naked butt and even some side boob was exposed! Quick! Call CFS so they could get into their time machine and make some arrest - no, wait, the film was made in Canada. Never mind. Plus, TCM has shown some 1970s British horror movies featuring naked 16-year-olds.
Ya know something? I think it's one thing when there's a minor engaged in real sex or simulated. True, there's the Traci Lords fiasco of the 1980's that damn near killed the porn industry, but even though I've never seen Skins, I'll betcha that what they do on that show is NOTHING close to what Lords did when she was 16.
You see, people, IT'S ONLY A TV SHOW. If you don't like it, CHANGE THE GODDAMNED CHANNEL. I think our government has better things to do than worry about a bunch of teens making out in front of a camera. Oh, and bear in mind that one of the PTC's members, Billy Ray Cyrus's daughter Miley had that pictorial at 16 where she got partially naked.
Gotcha.
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Bee-otch of the Day is a production of Chuck69.com, Grand Rapids' site for Stern, politics and more!
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