MTV's True Life - I'm a Fanboy

[AT-AT Luvah]

Okay, so I have to confess a weakness for MTV's True Life series. Recently they've been showing marathons and one caught my eye for obvious reasons: 'I'm a Fanboy.'

There were 3 subjects: one girl who is obsessed with 'World of Warcraft', a confidence-challenged rocker type who loves horror movies and wants to make a low-budget flick himself, and finally, Jason, who is a Power Rangers super-fan.

26 year old Jason is the subject of this thread. The narrative arc of the one hour episode for him focuses on the fact that he has never had a girlfriend. The cameras follow him to an anime convention where he meets Gemma, a cute girl who is also a Power Rangers mega-fan.

We watch nervously and uncomfortably as Jason tries to ask her out, but she's not really that into him. The show ends with them attending an out-of-state convention and platonically sharing a bed in a hotel.

The pesky detail is that Gemma is 17. So it was really weird to watch MTV follow this relationship even as it traveled across state lines.

I thought the whole episode was rather fair toward super nerds and didn't put them down, but I think this particular story did not help the cause.

That said, I felt really bad for Jason and I could see how he longs for female companionship, but lacks the confidence to ask a girl out.

Anybody see this episode? Thoughts?

Hector

 

[Solo4114]

My advice to Jason:

Learn to dance. Mambo, salsa, swing, foxtrot. Then just be open to the possibilities that follow. Seriously.

 

[KrangPrime]

My advice to Jason:

Learn to dance. Mambo, salsa, swing, foxtrot. Then just be open to the possibilities that follow. Seriously.

if dancing with the stars is any indication... My Friend was on VH1's Totally obsessed. It was not a positive experience. Nice to see MTV might be a little more tactful with their stuff.

I'm 33 and never had a girl, but only because I don't get out enough to mingle. lack of confidence also an issue. At a recent convention I tried to ask someone to NYCC, cause she's never been. not only did she instantly become un intersted in talking, but I also think she was closer to 23 than my age, heh.

 

[zylaphone]

Okay, so I have to confess a weakness for MTV's True Life series. Recently they've been showing marathons and one caught my eye for obvious reasons: 'I'm a Fanboy.'

There were 3 subjects: one girl who is obsessed with 'World of Warcraft', a confidence-challenged rocker type who loves horror movies and wants to make a low-budget flick himself, and finally, Jason, who is a Power Rangers super-fan.

26 year old Jason is the subject of this thread. The narrative arc of the one hour episode for him focuses on the fact that he has never had a girlfriend. The cameras follow him to an anime convention where he meets Gemma, a cute girl who is also a Power Rangers mega-fan.

We watch nervously and uncomfortably as Jason tries to ask her out, but she's not really that into him. The show ends with them attending an out-of-state convention and platonically sharing a bed in a hotel.

The pesky detail is that Gemma is 17. So it was really weird to watch MTV follow this relationship even as it traveled across state lines.

I thought the whole episode was rather fair toward super nerds and didn't put them down, but I think this particular story did not help the cause.

That said, I felt really bad for Jason and I could see how he longs for female companionship, but lacks the confidence to ask a girl out.

Anybody see this episode? Thoughts?

Hector

Its weird!!! Like textbook definition of grooming weird. Im literally at work and ended up on this 11 year old thread bc??? Why was no one talking about this?? How does he feel comfortable advertising that he was on true life on his twitter?

 

[robstyle]

Just throwing this out there,

99% of these types of "reality TV" are set up, scripted, or heavily edited to suit context. For example a friend was on rock of love only to promote her music. The director repeatedly asked her to repeat her myspace page, that was tooled in the edit to have her appear as a mindless tween that only talked about myspace.

Legal age varies in states.

Never take any "reality" product at face value. Real life is much more weird.

 

[blewis17]

Just throwing this out there,

99% of these types of "reality TV" are set up, scripted, or heavily edited to suit context. For example a friend was on rock of love only to promote her music. The director repeatedly asked her to repeat her myspace page, that was tooled in the edit to have her appear as a mindless tween that only talked about myspace.

Legal age varies in states.

Never take any "reality" product at face value. Real life is much more weird.

My brother-in-law has worked on the real Housewives of Miami. He's says that some is scripted, or set up to promote conflict among the women.

My favorite non-reality but reality show series was 2003's the "Joe Schmo" show, where they told a regular guy he was on a reality show, except unknown to him all of the other castmates were actors playing stereotypical reality show types (a very young Kristen Wiig was one of the cast). I believe it's where the "What is going on?!" meme started.