Money For Nothing

Mtv turned 25 yesterday and the network, which targets viewers younger than 24, refused to acknowledge the birthday prompting a number of finger wagging articles in the press and an amusing look back by Chart Rigger. However I couldn't be happier that they're not looking back. I didn't have cable until the late 90's, a confusing time for the network because they weren't showing many videos and the reality tv explosion had yet to happen, but I did learn quickly was that mtv loves to talk about itself. Their schedule used to be full of "mtv news" specials about how great mtv was and like a monkey with a miniature cymbal they would endlessly show the same five clips over and over and over and over again. Could they have possibly shown that infamous clip of Madonna at the first vmas anymore? Did I really need to see Vanilla Ice freak out again? Did I need to see news footage of the mtv studios on fire? No. It was just the same clips repackaged in special after special. Then there was the 20th birthday party that featured some awkward moments with musicians asking vjs with no control over the programming why "music television" didn't play music anymore. I can see why mtv didn't want to take that route again. So don't look back mtv. Keep "reality" (I know far too much about tv production to ever believe that "Laguna Beach" is unscripted) tv going and do your thing. Thanks for being grown up enough to not torture us with more of the same unexciting moments bookended with more of the same bland commentary. We'll be just fine without it.