E!

Has anyone seen any of the promos for the new E! series Pretty Wild? Am I just a grumpy old lady, or does this show seem wildly inappropriate, wildly unnecessary, and wildly shitty?

It's easy to point fingers at narrative television sometimes and claim the writers are foisting outdated and unfair gender roles onto the audience and therefore, by extension, society. Reality TV pokes a lot of holes in the Big Hollywood theory, because the people who thrive on reality TV are the ones who are crafting -- and benefiting -- from a stock trade in stereotypes.

 

Here's a shocker: when you start dating your boyfriend thirty seconds after he leaves his wife, the woman who carried his eight children, he might not be sticking around with you for very long. You might also be surprised when, as his divorce is being talked about everywhere from websites, to TV shows, to our podcast and oh, right, on his reality show that perhaps maybe, just maybe, you, as the lady who decided to date this man, might be dragged through the mud along with him when his divorce from his wife and subsequent fall from A-#1 Super Dad status gets ugly. It was a fantastic idea to date him in the first place, don't get me wrong. I mean, as a "journalist" for Star Magazine who was supposed to be covering the shitstorm that is Jon and Kate Gosselin's life right now, you definitely did not overstep any boundaries by being with him in the first place. And yes, you should absolutely go on E!, Inside Edition and The CBS Early Show and let all of us know how he "totally screwed (you) over and acted like a dirtbag". Maybe, you know, you shouldn't have believed him when he said he would be with you forever. This is a man who started seeing you when he was still married. Perhaps, and this is just me rambling here, you shouldn't go on TV and get upset about how you broke up and are now having to deal with the aftermath. This is douchey behavior. Yes, Jon Gosselin's behavior was douchey, as well, absolutely, but you cannot fight douchebaggery with douchebaggery, you know what I'm sayin'?

 

If you love TV but don’t have time to watch all of it, then you should at least be watching The Soup. It’s the best way to get caught up on all the bizarre moments you missed on soap operas, obscure reality shows, and even regional morning newscasts. A team of writers and interns for the show actually devotes their day to watching TV and then goofing on it for our entertainment. What better way for feminists to keep tabs on the world of pop culture?

But the best reason to watch is Joel McHale. His criticisms are sharp, his delivery is hilarious, and his suits are mesmerizing. (I totally want to kiss him.)