People,

So, I don't know how many of you watch the Real World, but of course you all should. It rules.

Last night was annoying though for a few reasons. The episode was about how Frankie (stereotypical "troubled" character) secretly is a cutter. Needless to say, she is found out by her roommates and they make a huge deal out of it in true Real World style.

My issues:

-The girls in the house all have an intervention with Frankie and are shocked, shocked!, when she admits she hates herself. News flash girls, you all hate yourselves. A lot (except maybe you Jamie, you seem OK. A little goody-goody, but OK). Of course, the other girls don't cut themselves to show how little they respect themselves, they instead get blindingly drunk every week, physically fight people and get arrested, cheat on boyfriends and, oh yeah, they signed up to be on a show that never respects its participants, editing them in such a way to show all their weaknesses and frailty in brutal, non well-lit technicolor.

-At the end of the show, Dr. Drew comes on and tells everyone how serious cutting is and how if you know a cutter you need to get them help. Fine. I mean, cutting is serious. But as a reactionary measure to deal with emotional pain I don't think it's all that much more serious than binge drinking or promiscuous sex. And you ain't gonna see Dr. Drew after an episode where Brad gets too shitfaced to see and hooks up with a San Diego skank. It seems disingenuous for MTV to be pretending to care too much about these people who they consensually exploiting.

-Worst of all, Frankie uses a kitchen knife to cut herself. Now, I've known some cutters in my day and I've never known one to use a kitchen knife. Ow! But that's beside the point. A kitchen knife? And when she was done she put it back in the sink! Um, Frankie? That knife is your knife now sweetheart. I mean, come on. How gross is that?

-Final note. I'm not advocating anything be done differently on the Real World. It is great TV. But let's not lie to ourselves about what's really going on, right?

Dag.