Printer-friendly versionThis morning I watched, with the aid of TiVo, the season premiere of Laguna Beach. For those of you who don't know, and are obviously missing out, Laguna Beach is MTV's reality show version of Fox's popular show The O.C. Like its fictional model, Laguna chronicles the lives of incredibly beautiful and lavishly rich high school students in "the real" Orange County, California. This is high school drama in all its glory.
But is it so real? I mean, I trust MTV that Laguna Beach is, as they say, a reality show following real people's lives. MTV would not lie to me. MTV is my friend. What I don't understand is how all of the reality shows on television can get away with saying they are based on reality. It seems to me that every reality show out there is about as far from real, ordinary life as the fictional shows are.
For example: on Laguna's season premiere, two girls go out shopping and each buys a pair of Christian Dior heels for over $600, which, they say, is worth the price because the shoes are "soooo cute." Come on. These girls are in high school. Need I elaborate? Aside from these extravagances, another unreal aspect of the show is how physically attractive each "character" is. Of course, I'm sure the show's producers picked these kids on purpose, but that's exactly my point -- they're not real, they're filtered for entertaining a TV audience made up of people whose lives, apparently, aren't as glamorous as theirs. And I'd like to see these kids mention something about academics once in a while -- homework, a test, or even a crush on a teacher -- because while they are in high school, you'd only know it from the graduation episode. Even on the fake show The O.C. the kids are shown at school and occasionally doing (or maybe just referring to) their homework.
The Laguna teens do little else but shop, surf, hook up, gossip about hooking up and talk about how much they love Laguna Beach. I know that even the most laid back Penn kid would have to agree that their high school lives consisted of a little more substance than this (we all know we were involved in countless extracurriculars); by the same token, I would venture to say that even with the wealth found on Penn's campus, most of us would not spend $600 whimsically on a pair of shoes.
Don't get me wrong -- I in no way wish to complain about my beloved programs. I'll take as many of these ditzy shows as I can handle, fact or fiction-based. But I'm not so sure they should be allowed to call themselves reality shows, because watching their Real World throws mine a little out of whack.
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Am I missing something here? Laguna is clearly fictional. Did anyone think for a second that this was a reality series?
Reek
I didn't think it was reality, either. But lo and behold, on tvguide.com it is listed as "reality" under category. The MTV website was no help.
Maureen, staff
MUSEUM
In Response to the person who posted the comment Laguna Again. When the community of laguna found out that MTV would be producing a show about high school kids living in Laguna Beach they made MTV promise not to film in the school or on the school grounds except for the graduation. The reason for this is there were concerned parents who did not want their children on camera while MTV was following the cast around. Unforunately in this day and age it is not uncommom for kids who come from wealthy families or who might be the only child in that wealthy family to spoil their children and let them spend $600 on a pair of shoes, bags, sunglasses, etc. The show doesn't look reality because unlike other formatted MTV reality shows the producers wanted to try something different. They decided to do different camera angles and to use different cameras all together so that it wouldn't look like any regular documentary show they have done before. While some of the show might be staged for good tv you don't know all the facts like them not being in school, etc. Just wanted to clear up that up.
Jill
That is the Real world at least in Laguna.
Jeanne, Student
New York
http://community.webshots.com/user/sexybiatch101
this picture page shows "LO" calling the cast by very different names. The whole show is a hoax and the kids do not likely all attend LBHS. It is kind of pathetic to keep up such an elaborate lie MTV, cmon!
This Author is Very Correct!
CA
okay u kno what thats the dumbest thing iv herd! okay sure so they get a pair of shoes for 600$ well laguna beach is a VERY wealthy town! and so what if they are in high school they are seniors i be alot of people would buy shoes like that if they could afford them who cares if they are in high school! also just because all the cast are attractive doesnt mean they picked them on purpose to b freinds! i kno alot of groups of freinds who are all attractive doesnt mean they are being paid to be freinds!! and also just because they dont get shown in school doesnt mean they make it so its skripted like that! maybe the cameras arnt allowed in the school it can distrupt them and sure its in the O.C but its scripted so they are allowed to do what they want with it! and u said u dont want to complain well obviously you are!!!!
Emili
xhugs_n_kissesx0@yahoo.com
Hello, for everyone that has posted on this here is something to help clear things up a bit.(www.realitytvworld.com/index/articles/story.php?s=2941)
Also, by the way the webshot website is a scam, it has already been proven. Lo, the person the show which site is credited to did not put those pics. of them on there (Although it is them in the pics). If you do further research on some of the cast such as Talan you will get some sites from the LA Times, ever heard of it? It seems he was a better volleyball player than quarterback. Also, for the guy who wen to the MTV site, if you go to the message boards Lo has stated a message about the rumors, ect. So please everyone Laguna beach is real.
Jake
There are obvious product placements...you can see a bag of Doritos highlighted, a bottle of Diet Coke, bottles of Aquafina. They are obviously turned to the camera, not casually displayed the way you or I would use them. That at least implies that the kids are coached....
Bex
The is indeed real folks, dont let your skepticism brainwash you. Its basically real world meets high school. Do you really believe they rallied together 1500 kids, 1500 robes, 3000 parents and friends to put on a mock high school graduation for 3 minutes of one show? Plus, for those on the cast that played sports, you can look them up online. Talan believe it or not was a standout athlete, and you can find his stats online along with his teams. Ive seen the webshots site, and its possible they used fake names to provide a little privacy for a portion of the first season cast, but the rest are all the same; Alex, Jason, Talan, Christina, etc. But I think some things are hyped up to make better tv, but the same thing happened on Newlyweds with Nick and Jessica. Its real folks, enjoy it! Monday nights, 10 pm - and buy the dvd... the casting tapes, house tours, its all there and worth the $25 if youre a fan.
Amanda, Student
School
while i regularly watched the first season to ease my homesickness, the vacuity of the show was became all too apparent when watching the season two premiere from the comfort of sunny newport beach. regardless of whether it is scripted, the relationships are staged, or the material excesses funded, what became painfully obvious when i was no longer affected by removal from southern california was the utter lack of substance to the drama. let me demonstrate with what i recall of one exchange, kristin and steven's reunion:
"how are you"
"ok"
"cool"
"dont you care"
"yeah"
"you dont seem like it"
"should i"
"well, yeah"
"ok"
-awkward silence broken by crashing waves-
"im leaving"
"why"
"why not"
"ok. bye"
who cares if it's fake or not? it sucks. and on the issue of legitimate reality, all i can say is that i saw kristin out on pacific coast highway with a camera crew over christmas break, and they were not so much following her around as she was conversing with the director before entering a store with a friend. ive run into a few of the kids on the show at parties, know a few who've made brief appearances, and while it all seems pretty legit i'm convinced that the kids who the show focuses on have tailored their reality to be more dramatic.
additionally, and this might irk some of you, not all of the kids on the show are "incredibly beautiful." if mtv had the desire, they could have stacked their "reality" cast with real world-style hotness across the board; there are enough gorgeous people in laguna for that. however, i think the fact that some of the girls in the cast (ill refrain from passing judgment on the men) are quite evidently not the most beautiful people around is a testament to the fact that mtv maintained some integrity in its selection of a group of friends. unfortunate for the viewers is the likelihood that the more interesting students of lbhs (where, yes, they all attended) who might have created some interesting drama -- or infused a bit of what the show is dreadfully lacking: wit and intelligence -- were not willing to submit their lives to mtv producers and america's obsessive attention. so we get spotlight-hungry, vapid, indulgent, conformist drama queens who have few reservations about altering their reality to please the hands that feed them to the nation's tv screens.
my final comment: regardless of the authenticity of the show, it should go without saying that the kids who star in it do not represent laguna or orange county. intelligence, dark hair, and fiscal responsibility do exist here. but its a lot of fun with legions of dumb, profligate blondes around.
shredder, intern
ennui
Okay I don't know what to believe but what i think is that it's real but they just over dramatize it. Like they try too hard to make it dramatic.
casi, none
ohio
ok this article is by far the worst junk i have ever read!! laguna beach is an awesome show..and if you took the time to watch it you might think so too. but i can understand how an adult might not like the show because they cant relate to it but teenagers can definately relate to the drama...and you say the show is uneventful. its full of whos cheating on who..and why did he blow me off for her...its great!! and i def. agree with emili about the cameras in school thing..do you know how much chaos there would be if they brought in cameras from MTV..the most watched teen channel in the US..? everyone would be jumping around trying to get some camera time. and they dont talk about homework because when they are out of school they dont want to think about it anymore..what kind of senior does..? anyway..i really think you should watch the next episode of the show and them make your opinion
Lean, student
CT
You guys are LAME.
I live in Laguna, it is a real show, these are real people, real friends, real places, and just plain real. Get over trying to argue about these little details, its a tv show.
And yes, they arent allowed to film at school, so thats why you see very little academics. And yes random bitches do drop 6's for heels. And yes people do actually look like that out here, Ms. Friedman, and werent picked randomly as you seem to imply.
Sure one can argue that the presence of cameras distorts the reality, but there is no way to get around this. It's not scripted, it's not rehearsed they just let the cameras roll and see what happens.
I think Ms. Friedman should do her own homework before she tries to pass her random judgements about a place she lives so far away from and knows so very little about.
And P.S. its a little creepy you guys are searching the net to see how "real" these kids really are and if they actually exist.
Dont you have anything better to do with your summer? Get over it.
Michael, Student
Here
LAGUNA BEACH AND THE REAL WORLD ARE MY TWO VERY FAVORITE SHOWS ON TELEVISION RIGHT NOW. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS REAL BUT EVEN IF IT WASN'T I WOULD STILL WATCH IT ..WHO CARES REALLY? I THINK IT IS GREAT.I WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH IT FOR AS LONG AS THEY PUT IT ON. I LOVE REALITY SHOWS. I AGREE ABOUT THE WHOLE SCHOOL THING IT WOULD BE TO CHAOTIC TO FILM AT A HIGH SCHOOL.
KRISTEN, ADMITTING AT A HOSPITAL
SHEPHERDSVILLE, KY
KRISTEN.MEREDITH@KINDREDHEALTHCARE.COM
Okay look clearly you are mistaken.Wondering whether Laguna Beach is real is totally not needed. Either way, the show is still entertaining. So, get off your high horse and start watching!! Why are you sitting here, Rachael, wondering if the show is real or not? What does it matter?Yes they are beautiful kids. And who cares if they buy 600.00 shoes and are in high school. It's called BEING RICH. Something you wouldn't know about.
Andrea, Writer, musician.
Maryland
andreacapron@yahoo.com
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