I love you, VICE. You create fantastic documentaries that capture millennials’ attention in highly engaging ways on enormously important topics. But, I must say, your “Real World” pitch to pit partisans against each other is a terrible idea.
As first reported by the Hollywood Reporter, “VICE Studios is casting for an experimental unscripted series that will bring together 18-45 year-olds from all walks of life and political extremes to live in close quarters in Washington, D.C.”
Furthermore, the casting form dictates; “If you are passionate about your political beliefs and will go to any length (including appearing on ‘reality TV’) to get your voice heard, we want to hear from you. Whether you have dreams of becoming a politician, or you think all politicians are crooks; whether you think it’s better to be judged by twelve than carried by six, or think that Obama really should have taken everyone’s guns away; or if you quite simply want to change the world and are bold enough to put your beliefs up against your political opposite in the most public setting imaginable, then we want to hear from you.”
I have a few questions:
- Which tiny D.C. row house are they proposing to house everyone’s monstrous egos?
- Why is the age range so wide? 18 year-olds and 45 year-olds should NOT be sharing bathrooms.
- Is VICE’s goal to laugh at the ridiculous partisan bickering rampant in this town or just add fuel to the fire?
- Will there be boozy brunches at El Centro complete with jarring conversation about the debt ceiling?
- What happens when the inevitable mice infestation occurs in their row house? Will the conservatives propose that 50% of their discretionary budget go toward increasing mouse defense? Will the liberals insist mouse diplomacy is the only option?
- What happens when the liberals and conservatives reach ideological dissent? Will there be cut-away scenes of furious googling to prove one’s point? (Gosh I hope so)
- Will there be chalices D.C. Brau being tossed in “Becky’s” face because “Lauren” didn’t accept her LinkedIn request?
- How will the casting crew determine if you’re “liberal enough” or “conservative enough”?
- Will they film during the summer? How will they keep the camera equipment from melting on a moderate 100 degree day in the Swamp?
- What happens if they all actually get along?!
According to The Hill, a spokesman for VICE says the show is still in “very early stages.” Let’s see how this shakes out.
