MTV Cancels Skins

Critic: Controversy detracts from bigger problem: 'lack of quality'

(NEWSER) - First things first: The MTV teen drama Skins doesn't dabble in child pornography, writes Jace Lacob in the Daily Beast. The scene in question featuring a teen boy's naked butt isn't even "remotely sexually suggestive," he writes, and thus doesn't meet the criteria for breaking indecency rules. (See for yourself—the video clip is provided with Lacob's column on DB.) In fact, the whole brouhaha smells like a publicity stunt and detracts us from the real problem with the show: "An appalling lack of quality." More»

Wrigley joins Taco Bell and GM

(NEWSER) - The new barrier-busting MTV series Skins might not be child porn , but a mounting list of squeamish advertisers are deserting the popular show. The Wrigley Company has become the third sponsor to ditch the show, following the lead of GM and Taco Bell, reports the Hollywood Reporter . "Wrigley has decided to suspend any advertising during MTV's Skins as it was never our intent to endorse content that could offend consumers," said a statement from the company. The watchdog Parents Television Council has labeled Skins "the most dangerous TV show for children we have ever seen." More»

Execs order scenes to be toned down

(NEWSER) - As creators bust boundaries with a raunchy view of teen sex and substance abuse in MTV's new program Skins , network executives are now worried they may be close to violating federal child porn laws. MTV executives have already ordered that some scenes involving underage teens be toned down, reports the New York Times . They're particularly worried about a nude scene of actor Jesse Carere, who plays Chris, running down a street in an episode airing at the end of the month. The joke of the episode is that Chris has an erection that apparently won't quit, thanks to pills to overcome erectile dysfunction. More»

Critics: New drama is heavy on sex and drugs, little else

(NEWSER) - MTV debuted its new series Skins last night, an American version of a British teen drama rife with sex and drugs. Not everybody's a fan:

• Richard Lawson, Gawker : It goes even further than the Brit version in pushing the idea that teens are "messy jumbles of extremes with very little shading in between, lacking in kindness, decorum, and any sense of responsibility or consequence. It's a pretty bleak and unfair characterization. Teenagers are dumb, yes, but they're not monsters (not all of them at least). I wish television and movies would stop trying to tell us they are."

'Jersey Shore' star's arrest puts town back on the map

(NEWSER) - "Snooki arrested!" screamed the headlines around the world, and the mayor of the town where the Jersey Shore star faces a disorderly conduct charge couldn't be happier, reports the New York Post . "We're getting wonderful publicity!" says Ken Hershey. "We couldn't pay a half-million dollars for this!" Details of the incident are still emerging: In the Post's account, a drunk Snooki, aka Nicole Polizzi, was heard saying, "Do you know who I am? I'm fucking Snooki! You can't do this!" as Seaside Heights, NJ, police took her into custody. More»