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It looks like MTV has sold the last of its soul on behalf of The Hills. How can this network keep promoting this show as Reality TV when everything is fictional? (No wonder insiders now call it "soft-scripted".) The AP reports today that the fourth season finale that airs next Monday is a fraud in that Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag appear to have moved on from their fake Mexican wedding ceremony into a legitimate U.S. marriage. The pair are shown walking into a wood-paneled courtroom while a judge with the California state seal hanging on the wall behind him officiates their wedding as the couple-everyone-loves-to-hate exchange vows. But a Los Angeles Superior Court official told The AP today that MTV was recently granted permission to shoot in a Beverly Hills courtroom after hours. And that's not one of the court's judges in The Hills footage. So one faked "elopement" as a publicity stunt for an Us Weekly cover and Hills episode wasn't enough for MTV.
I've already reported what a cesspool of self-promotion and cross-promotion has been going on behind the scenes among the con artists on the series. Let's see... Heidi Montag used the show to score herself a record deal and clothing line, neither of which was ever shown on camera. Pratt in real life is her manager. Meanwhile, Lauren Conrad has scored spokesperson deals, commercial gigs, and her own clothing line which she wears on the series and sells with MTV, none of which are mentioned on the show -- which continues to portray her as just a fashion student. So the audience believes these numbskulls are normal folk when they're actually paid up to $75,000 per episode.
Especially now that MTV barely bothers itself with music on its main channel, the once rebel network that created generations of devoted fans and used to stand for the anti-status quo has lost all credibility and trust which it will never be able to earn back. If only advertisers would take notice. C'mon, who doesn't hate their MTV now?
- MTV 'The Hills': A Cesspool of Self-Promo
- Finke/LA Weekly: Who Hates Their MTV?
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Exactly what needed to be said about this horrible network. Bravo.
The fact that the show is fake isn’t news. But the extent of the fakery is really shocking. The last episode, for example, showed Heidi and Spencer’s trip to Mexico, which only happened a few weeks ago. It also showed Whitney having her “going away party.” (I use the term loosely as she clearly didn’t move to NY and only visited temporarily to film her spin-off.) Only problem is that Whitney “moved” to New York months ago (evidenced by the fact that MTV has been airing The City promos since October.) But what’s a topic of conversation at her party? Heidi and Spencer having disappeared while they’re in Mexico!
I feel I’m losing braincells if I even turn the channel past MTV. I grew up on MuchMusic in Canada. Granted, it wasn’t any hotshot MTV, but at least these days it still plays “music”!
For the longest time, I lived and breathed MTV. The theme of my Bar-Mitzvah was MTV—instead of having a candle-lighting service we gave out Moon-Men—I was obsessed. I had an MTV lunchbox in grade school, and when the day was done I’d run home to catch Total Request Live. I’d watch the Top 20 countdown with a pad and pen so as not to miss anything on weekends. Back then the fat and colorful MTV logo stood for cutting-edge music and alternative programming not meant for the faint of heart. Even their non-musical programming was off the wall. Keyword being was. Whatever happened to Beavis & Butthead? They ditched MTV for the silver screen just in the knick of time. Maybe they weren’t so stupid and mindless after all. You know, sometimes I turn on The Hills and think that those two fart-knocking cartoons had more going on in their fictional brains than Lauren Conrad or Spencer Pratt could ever dream of. Even that maladroit Carson Daly seemed to have found a better gig.
MTV, you used to be the barometer of hip—but now—now, you are nothing but irrelevant. Need I remind you how many minds you blew in the eighties with The Buggles “Video Killed The Radio Star” or “Money For Nothing” by Dire Straits? Millions. Trillions, even. I wasn’t even alive then and I know the impact it had on the youth of America. You think anyone in your coveted marketing demographic is sitting by the television waiting for cues on what is hip and happening in today’s world? Think again. YouTube and MySpace Music have replaced you. May I suggest renaming the network if you guys don’t plan to air programming having the slightest bit to do with music for the next twenty years? The only thing remotely related to anything musical are The MTV Video Music Awards, which is nothing but an excuse for hip-hop acts to promote their latest album; the same goes for the MTV Movie awards and Hollywood actors. You had your finger on the pulse, where did it go?
You’re brainwashing an entire country of little girls into thinking that Heidi Montag and her click of friends are role models for their generation. Even they know that the characters on your show are such embarrassments in Los Angeles that it’s no wonder you got Brent Bolthouse and SBE to sponsor The Hills—so you had somewhere to shoot your shitty show when nobody else would have your lame “celebrities” hawking the real Los Angeles elite for acting gigs.You want to know why every other country/race/ethnicity hates America—I urge you turn on your network when My Super Sweet 16 is scheduled—the answer will be right there in front of you. You allowed shows like Twentyfour Seven and 8th and Ocean to be greenlit; you’ve allowed Andy Dick to host one too many a show; and now, your biggest fan is turning against you. And I guarantee that I’m not the only one.
I’m writing this because I lost my shit tonight when I turned on the television, plain and simple. I flipped to MTV like I always do, as if classically conditioned, and saw your latest excuse for reality television: Life of Ryan. You mean to tell me that the whole premise of this show is about how broken up millionaire skateboard prodigy Ryan Schekler is about his parents’ divorce? Like he even gives a flying kickflip…he’s too busy in Japan and Spain making dollar, dollar bills, ya’all to even notice his parents are separated. And your produced segments are borderline embarrassing. Even my thirteen-year-old cousins from Long Island who don’t see the cast of The Hills out and about filming, who watch your shows religiously, call your bluff on the opening segment: Scheckler turns to the camera and says, “Dude, like, I’m so bummed my parents are getting a divorce, like at the same exact time, as like, your parents.” Cue the violins for Ryan Scheckler and the cheeky five thousand dollar graphic intro. But for Rob & Big, you’re completely blowing it. You’re the same network that claimed to have discovered America when you threw Johnny Knoxville and his Big Brother magazine crew together with Bam Margera and his video-camera wielding CKY gang to create Jackass. You didn’t bother to let the public know that you could find all the segments (including the one where Knoxville shoots himself in the chest with a gun) you recycled on the aforementioned skateboard videos. Boy, did you have us fooled. But not for long…
I challenge you, MTV. Take a stand. Put the Music back in Music Television. Put the real back in reality. Bring the videos back in rotation. And for Christ’s sake, bring back MTV Unplugged. If not for Christ, do it for the kids. You’re their biggest influence. I only knew to buy Nirvana’s Nevermind when I was in the second grade because I watched “Smells Like Teen Spirit” premiere one fateful evening on Headbangers Ball. How many kids can say that now? And if they did, they’d say that it was you who helped them decide to buy the latest Fall Out Boy release. Job well done.
I’m off to watch VH1 (which is something I used to swear I’d never do, especially when Jenny McCarthy was hosting Singled Out). But VH1 doesn’t pretend to be something they’re not: they house their programming under the “Celebreality” banner because that’s exactly what their cable channel is all about these days. They don’t bill themselves as music-related in the least. And I know Viacom owns you both. So I guess I’m complaining to you, Sumner Redstone. You have enough money to do anything. Help! The next generation of music fans needs you desperately.
“…these numbskulls are normal folk when they’re actually paid up to $75,000 per episode.”
Nobody who is paid $75,000 per episode to basically do nothing is a numbskull. They should be properly referred to as a “genius”.
Nikki..this is not breaking news and NO one cares. Can you just do what the rest of us are doing and ignore this horror show. I would rather you write about the weather than these two and MTV. I am certainly not part of its mini demographic, in fact could not tell you where it shows up on my cable…
move on, nothing to see here…
Not only is the show fake, but the so called pay scale of LC is just as fake. If she was making about 10k per episode back in season 3, then I highly doubt she makes $75k per episode at this point. Also, Heidi and Spencer aren’t even series regulars in terms of pay. They are paid as guest performers who probably make about $2k per episode at most. Here’s some more news, they live with Spencer’s parents in the Palisades and smoke weed all day long while they try to find ways to keep their fifteen minutes of fame for a few more seconds.
Notice how MTV fails to talk about how the ratings of this show is down 30-40% from last year. I guess the fact that we’re even talking about it is what they want in the end. Too bad all of LC’s ventures outside of the show have failed miserably. Same for everyone else on the show including Heidi and Spencer. They used to get paid for the US Weekly spots, but now they can’t since Ken Baker is no longer around. Good thing Brody has a trust fund!
If anyone on this show makes $75K per episode, we are all doomed. I can understand the producers, but the nitwits on camera. Sweet Jeebus. I am gonna be sick.
Don’t blame the network, blame the viewers. If people weren’t watching, the talent would not be getting paid 75K an ep. That simple.
Sure would be nice if the writers could get a writing credit for these hugely popular shows. Even wrestling gives writing credits these days.
Anyone who knows anything about real documentary/non-fiction production knew from day one that this series was simply bad improv. Just to look at the camera angles, the cuts, the set pieces, etc. gave it away in a heartbeat. And that was before the “plots” took off into fantasyland. Today they call it “soft-scripted” (the “soft” part means they don’t have to give writer credits or WGA benefits). It’s Larry David minus the talent and the clever.
Two years ago (despite the fact that I make non-fiction TV for a living) my then-13 year old stepdaughter was furiously insistent that the show was “real”, and that these were “real girls” and this was their “real life.” Though now even she reluctantly believes “parts” of the show are faked, it still set up a fantastic vision of grown-up life for her that she clings to – the expectation that all you have to be is very pretty, charming, and fashionable and you will be gifted with a fabulous first job, an apartment most professional 40 year old’s couldn’t afford, and plenty of free time and money to go to chic clubs and party every night with your ever changing circle of BFF’s and boyfriends. The lives of the fictional characters in FRIENDS paled in comparison – at least they had some modicum of responsibility and consequences in their “hard scripted” lives.
For my stepdaughter and her ilk, the HILLS leaves this impression: if you’re a very pretty girl, why bother to study, or take an after school job, or learn to speak without the ubiquitous “like” between every word? Instant success is assured by Lauren Conrad’s plucky example. If she can do it – and her life is REAL! REALLY it is! – so can millions of HILLS fans.
Just show up in LA and bat your eyelashes.
Yikes.
Is anyone watching MTV any more? Why are they even called MTV, no videos, no concerts, no fun.
MTV is tv for children BY children
I had to contact US magazine, to ask them to stop sending their horrible magazine to my house. What trash.
I never even subscribed, it just started arriving. Must have been my swanky zip code.
All that was in that rag was pictures of the “The Hills” “cast” and paparazzi photos of people having their privacy invaded.
I’m shocked that US Weekly went along with this…Min is usually good at calling out celebs who are completely full of sh*t, she’s one of the few who really gets at Brad and Angelina when they get out of line. That so many people go along with this shows fakeness is ridiculous.
I admit it..I like The Hills – who said sitcoms were dead!? I find it highly entertaining.
You mean y’all aren’t obsessed with whether Audrina will stay with Justin Bobby? Will the friendship between Lauren and Spencer’s sister last? Will Lo ever get her picture and name on the opening credits?
Could we at least give a huge hand to the video editors on this series who have to slug through ALL the raw footage in order to find the occasional keeper that turns dreck into drama? Talk about unsung heroes.
Proud to say I’ve never seen a single second of the show, ……well except for the clips on Talk Soup.
I don’t see why everyone is so up in arms about The Hills. The Hills is mindless fluff. Personally, I find it somewhat entertaining – who cares if it is “real” or fake? Though it actually is brilliantly edited, shot, and produced, even if it is little more than cotton candy. If you don’t like it, don’t watch it. And if those morons Heidi, Spencer, etc. are getting paid $75K per episode, I say all power to them. They are making what the market bears. And why the mourning about how MTV fills the air with shows like The Hills instead of “music”? Is society really the worse for not getting its umpteenth dose of the latest Britney Spears or Beyonce video?
It’s actually a great show, from a technical perspective. The writing and acting are crappy, but the BTL guys are all doing top notch work.
If you think you’re going to be in the entertainment business and just dismiss The Hills, you’re cutting off your hair extensions to spite your head. The show is a cultural touchstone — chicks of all ages love it; and pre-teens, teens, and twenty-somethings are forming their cultural tastes around it. Ignore at your peril, people…
The Hills will influence this generation of girls for the rest of their lives — almost, but not quite the way MTV music videos did for the late Baby Boomers, and the way reality TV has for Gen X…
how tired are these lame vidiots? they are talentless, cookie-cutter bland pretty, vapid as people and lastly, fakes. I agree they are genius for getting paid so lavishly for having such minimal talent. perhaps the Hills will die a righteous death and save MTV’s valuable space for really talented people, U know, who do things.
So, my question is, why script it at all, to any degree? Why not just follow the trainwreck, dumpster fire kids around? They couldn’t get a show out of that?
Why is the reality in reality TV always tampered with? Is it just because meddling executives always have to interfere and change things so they can feel like they’re earning their paychecks?
Why can’t reality TV be real? If it were left alone, would it be that bad?
I would like to see reality TV but I’m pretty sure it’s never been done.
The Hills never claimed to be a cinema verite documentary, who cares how “real” it is? The music on the show is eclectic and cool, and they ID most of the songs. Critics need to get over their childhoods — MTV needs to sell a lot of zit cream to stay in business, and those who criticize don’t seem to be in the target demographic.
Armchair Sociologist,
If, like, this show, is like, a touchstone, like, for a generation, like of girls, like then we like, so, like as a country, like deserve, like to be like, blown up by like terrorists.
MTV has never been “intelligent”. But at least in the early days and into the 90’s the video’s were somewhat artistic interpretations of their songs (sure there was “Ice Ice Baby” and Color Me Badd) – were they meant to sell albums, sure – but at least for the most part they tried. As far as influencing a generation of people – being one of those people – MTV may have made want to wear flannel and grow my hair out but it didn’t make me want to be a narssicistic, amoral, floozie who thinks that everyone in the world is put there to please me and if I’m pretty enough and my parents are rich enough, I won’t ever have to work for a thing in my life ever. To have “The Hills” influence a generation of young girls – ugh – shoot me now.
Hell, or maybe, I’m just old and mad that nothing on MTV is tailored for me anymore – or then again, it could just plain old suck ass.
Haha, likeokaylike, you are pretty stuck in the 90s. People don’t actually say ‘like’ anymore.
I hate to break it to Nikke et al, but I’m pretty sure most people who watch The Hills who know it’s fake. I’ve never talked to anyone who has been shocked by this fact. It’s just a soap opera with the appeal of any other soap opera.
Every house has a toilet. The house of cable has MTV.
I don’t like when people think that they (Lauren, Audrina, Lo etc) are characters and that they are not for real (like their name and identity is something else) and that it’s not their life. It’s not 10000% for real, but hey, it’s not like they read from some script. But the people who are most fake on the show is Spencer and Heidi, oh yes. But who gives a shiw in the end anyway, if the show is fake or not. And I feel sorry for the girls who think it’s that easy to get famous, through moving to L.A and just “laying around”. No realitygrip on them. But like I said, in the end, who gives a crap if the show is real, fake or both.
“Reality” killed the music channel
fake reality shows are stupid. why promote fakeness as reality? it loses an emotional connection or appeal b/c of the deception. i feel more emotion for characters in movies and sitcoms. and, i would like to watch real people. the entertainment industry is definately out of touch with the american people. we watch most sh** out of boredom. there’s nothing good on t.v. anymore. we’re even turning to the internet b/c we can control some of the things we see via media. bottom line, most of us would rather the real in reality and not the fake reality. i’m going to stop watching them. many logical, clear-headed Americans are commenting on how we’re living in strange times. We definately are, but hasn’t really always been backwards and upside-down. Life is weird.