Joe Manchin fired off a letter to MTV last week.
“As a U.S. Senator, I am repulsed at this business venture, where some Americans are making money off of the poor decisions of our youth. I cannot imagine that anyone who loves this country would feel proud profiting off of "Buckwild.” Instead of showcasing the beauty of our people and our state, you preyed on young people, coaxed them into displaying shameful behavior — and now you are profiting from it. That is just wrong.”
It's easy to see why Joe is humiliated by the show. The preview makes his state look like the jokes we told about it were gentle.
But Joe. Don't act all sweet and innocent. This kind of bottom feeding entertainment has always been around. I'm not just talking about the reality shows that have taken over channels like History and The Learning Channels when they realized people would rather learn from Bamazon and Honey Boo Boo either.
I grew up on "That's Incredible" and "Real People" which featured idiots like the guy who attempted to catch a bullet in his teeth or the guy who tried to milk a rattler with his feet. People were making the same complaints then.
We are coming up on the 110th anniversary of some ground breaking entertainment in Chicago. January 4th 1903, thousands gathered to watch Thomas Edison electrocute an elephant. He and the elephant's owner charged $5 a head with the ever classy portion going to an unnamed charity.
People have always loved to watch spectacles, and other people have loved making spectacles of themselves or others. Whether it's Lobster Boy, or The Bird Girl, some people want to be seen and others want to see them.
So don't act like this is some new thing Senator. Stop grandstanding over something you can't do anything about and you never cared about previously. Where was the outrage when the people of New Jersey were being humiliated by Jersey Shore, or the people of of Louisiana by Swamp People, or the people of Clemson by the Orange Bowl? Oh I bet you thought that was real funny Manchin, real funny!
