Television epiphanies

Yesterday evening N and I were watching television; there was not much on, so we were flipping through the channels, checking out some of the ridiculously absurd programs that pass for entertainment these days. One such delight is "Teen Mom" on MTV, a reality program which follows the lives of at least four different women trying to hack it as moms. What was grotesquely entertaining at the time now leaves me feeling incredibly uncomfortable and voyeuristic.

One mother, a girl who would have been considered gorgeous in my high school class, was engaged to marry the father of her child. Days after she went dress shopping for her wedding, her fiancee returned home after a blue-collar business trip of some sort. Hours later, he left with his friends to party, forgetting to tell his child, who he hadn't seen in over a week, goodbye. On another occasion, he doesn't return home until after 8 in the morning. Eventually, she packs her bags and leaves her ring and her fiancee's house behind, hoping to find something better for her and her son's* future.

I scoffed at another couple as they introduced themselves to me in this episode by conversing in front of their school, discussing their impending senior year, and how they felt their maturity was worlds above that of their classmates. This was the couple that, in what may have been their only moment of precociousness and clarity, opted to give their child up for adoption. Rather than cut the cord (excuse the pun), however, the couple chose to continue to be a part of their daughter's life -- at the total discretion of the new, adoptive parents, it seems. It is clear that this young woman knows she made the right decision; she cannot care for this child, materially or temporally. It is also clear that this couple is incredibly immature and we are shown no glimmers of motivation for a future of any kind. And yet -- the pain this mother feels, and the empathy I have for that pain, when she writes a letter of love and apology to her young daughter, and then realizes she has no last name, let alone an address, is very real.

In between the tacky animated baby book segues that literally cut and paste the story lines for you, in case you get lost, the cutesie voice overs, and the theme song that's subtle enough for the subject matter of the show but catchy enough to draw viewers in, you have some very unentertaining reality. You have a woman who, realizing it is too late to get her high school diploma, finds that the last shot she had at proving to her mother that she was not a failure has slipped through her fingers. You have a mother who is finally coming to terms with the fact that her child may very well be gone for good. But make sure to tune in next week!.... though I'm pretty sure I've forgotten why.

***

On a brighter note, in the midst of this program, MTV played a little snippet of a live act: Passion Pit. N's exact words: "Is this what music has become today?" I didn't think the music was all that bad, but I did have to admit that the screeching falsetto was a bit much.

Later in the evening, much later, after a couple glasses of wine, N and I are reading some supposedly funny crap on the internet with the TV on in the background, and I catch the end of some commercial. I look up in time to see that the commercial is for the Palm Prix cell phone (w/e...). "Did you hear that?" "Hear what?" "That commercial! Quick, google Palm Prix commercial song." N looks at me like I'm nuts, so I literally grab the computer from his lap and do it myself. And low and behold, it was a song by Passion Pit! And not only was it a song, it was a mega awesome video as well. To be honest, I kind of wish it was just the track, without the dude singing over it. I love how it begins... reminds me of Since I Left You by the Avalanches...

For your audiovisual pleasure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zherMkcXdo

Also, Passion Pit is at the House of Blues on Jan 6th. Should I go? Go to hypem.com, look them up, and tell me what you think in the comments section.



And, Check out the post time for this post. :D

Tomorrow: Seeking job advice!




*Just to add some levity.... she named her son Bentley. Like the car.