Meet the Future of America: Laguna Beach (Episode #1, Season 2, 'Since You Been Gone)
Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County is a half hour reality program that has aired on MTV since 2004. It has, since then, been a central focus on their programming; although there has not been a new season since Fall of 2006. When it airs, it is one of their highest rated programs both on their network and overall among cable networks. The premise of the show revolves around teens that live in Laguna Beach, and what happens to them as the camera “follows” them. Laguna Beach provides a look into a high social class that fascinates many in our country, especially among younger social groups that thrive on the power of money. We see these teens experience relationships, dances and graduation. Their socialization and interaction with one another is captured by the camera and cleverly edited for us viewers. A specific narrator of the show, usually the girl who gets the most screen time, directs us. In the episode I watched, her name was Kristen. Through Kristen we are able to see her point of view of those on the show. Usually if there is someone she does not like, the show will skew him or her in a negative light. Although it is said to be “all real”, it is quite obvious that situations are contrived and scripted. But then again, I don’t mind; I own all the DVD’s. This is the epitome of a guilty pleasure that many would never admit to watching.
One of the many concepts that is emitted here are the stereotypes of males and females, and the roles that they play. In The Normalization of Heterogendered Relations in The Bachelor, Gust Yep and Ariana Ochoa Camacho state that, “…[the male] has tremendous proactive power…while the women are given very limited reactive power” (339). This observation can be studied during one specific scene during the episode “Since You Been Gone”. In this particular scene, characters Jessica and Jason are on a date at a restaurant. The camera stays at a mid level shot, flipping going back and forth in the same stationary position as they talk to each other. Jessica has dressed nicely for him, wearing a nice top and earrings. Jason has chosen not to dress nicely for Jessica, wearing only a white t-shirt and an unshaved face. Jessica goes to put her hair up in a ponytail, but Jason immediately stops her and says, “No. Leave it down.” She complies, and rests her hands and leaves her hair down and smiles. He then smiles back at her, given that she complied with his command. Jessica then tries to flatter him by playing footsie with his leg, which he chooses not to participate in. She then says they should spend the night at her house, and he smiles coyly and raises his eyebrows as if suggesting they should participate in a certain activity. It is becoming clear here that Jessica is there to serve Jason’s aesthetic and physical needs. She doesn’t even talk much with him; she just smiles at him and does what he says. Like Yep and Camacho said, Jessica has limited power and Jason has tremendous proactive power.
There is an abundance of the principle “scaling of bodies” in Laguna Beach. By this, I mean there are constant notations of the character’s hair color, skin color, income status, clothing, hair, and etc. In one scene in the episode “Since You Been Gone”, Kristen and her friends are around a table playing cards and talking about the appearance of the “new girl” Casey. They say that Casey’s hair is “ratty” with horrible extensions. The camera then show’s Casey getting her hair professionally done, and her hair appears flawless. They say her skin is nasty, and then the camera shows a close up of her face with gleaming white teeth and no visible pores. Their comments do not hold any ground, because clearly Casey does not represent any of their assumed commentary. But as the viewers watch the show, there is no one contrasting their opinion so we must believe it to be true. This show thrives on direct characterization. In the opening shots of the show, we see Kristen and her two friends Alex and Jessica tanning outside by a pool. They are showing off their bronzed bodies, perky breasts, sun bleached hair and white teeth. The way these girls talk and act convey that they know they look good, and that the camera will think the same thing too.
Overall Laguna Beach is a television show aiming at teenagers. MTV is a network that strives to soak up younger audiences. They throw these contrived “reality” shows at them in attempt for them to buy into them and the products they heavily advertise with it. Sure Real World and Road Rules were true to form back when they first originated, but now they have strayed from that sense of production. If all you see on Laguna Beach is shopping, and then they immediately follow the clip with commercials for clothing brands, the viewer will be more susceptible to consume. The ideas associated with it will be that of consumption and other things that MTV associates with them. When I think of Laguna Beach, I think of key scenes from the show, from going to Cabo for spring break, throwing a Black & White party and drinking an ominous liquid from red cups. What do these say to MTV? Go on MTV Spring break, have parties and drink alcohol.
The director for most Laguna Beach episodes is male. The main characters of Laguna Beach are female. We see them through a glossy lens that shows them all dolled up and subservient to male needs. They are shown as helpless to men, always on the lookout for cute boys and the need to “hookup” with people. The guys are shown as idiotic, when they have conversations it is usually short worded “yes” or “no” or “dude”. The girls are shown tanning, shopping, playing with makeup, or looking in the mirror. Males are shown playing basketball, surfing, eating or driving.