Ten p.m., Monday night. A half-written English paper is glaring at me from the computer screen. My math textbook sits open on the desk. I know I should do my work, but there is something else pulling me away. Some things are just more important.

I am, of course, referring to two of my favorite shows, Laguna Beach and My Super Sweet Sixteen. The new seasons started in late August and I have been neglecting my homework ever since. There’s just something about watching spoiled rich kids whine about their perfect lives that is utterly engrossing and totally addictive.

Laguna Beach follows the trials and tribulations of the popular and feuding cliques of teens at Laguna Beach High School. I watch religiously (as do many WJ students who may or may not admit it) as the melodrama unfolds of important issues like Jessica and Jason’s train wreck of a relationship and the infamous love triangle between Kristin, Stephen and Lauren or “LC.” One student who will proudly admit her addiction is junior Sarah Coquillat. "I love Laguna because I get to live vicariously through these rich kids once a week. . . .and it doesn't hurt that the boys are hot,” she said.

After watching the “scenes from next week” set to overly-dramatic music, I move on to my next guilty pleasure, My Super Sweet Sixteen. MTV cameras follow the epic journey of kids as they plan and celebrate a momentous occasion in their lives, their sweet sixteen parties. The kids are spoiled, the parties are completely over-the-top and there is always some sort of ridiculous drama, like how one girl’s parents wouldn’t buy her a Range Rover (don’t worry, she ended up getting it).

I can’t help but laugh as the teens are brought to tears over life’s horrible tragedies: they can’t find the perfect $10,000 dress in Paris or Los Angeles or “ugly” people are trying to get into their party. Even teachers are becoming aware of the effects of these shows. Economics expert and NSL teacher Steve Miller who said that “This show is like a train wreck you can’t help but watch, and it makes me sad for America.”

While I watch I experience the odd mixture of disgust, jealousy and amazement. I wonder how people can really be so greedy and superficial. I am in awe as parents throw away in excess of $200,000 for their ungrateful kids and then say it was “so worth it.” It really does make me a little sad for America to see how much we are glorifying this unhealthy display of excessive behavior. We live in a country where we are so fixated with celebrities (evidence: me) and people becoming celebrities just for spending loads of money (aka Paris Hilton) and our obsession clearly keeps expanding.

But I also know that there’s no way I’d turn down a weekend trip to Mammoth or having Sugarcult or Ciara perform at my party.





Laguna Beach and My Super Sweet Sixteen air at 10:00 and 10:30 back-to-back on MTV.