Gossip Girl

As with all prime time TV shows just about to start their new season, "Gossip Girl" has launched a series of alluring ads. Unlike all the other shows, "Gossip Girl" is using the negative reviews as a tantalizing carrot. The over sized bill board states "mind-blowingly inappropriate" a quotation from the Parents Television Council. Although neither website contained the quotation.

Mind you I'm not one to normally pay attention to groups like the Parents Television Council, because I believe in Free Speech and any type of censorship, even the well meaning kind, is an infringement on that right. And if that means I'm defending profanity, I will defending. If we give an inch, they'll take a mile.

However, when I first saw all the little middle school girls buying the Gossip Girl series books, I was curious. I worked at a book store at the time, so I picked one up and gave it a glance. It was vile and absolutely inappropriate for middle school students. Maybe I went to the wrong high school, but I didn't know anyone who was into the same activities these characters were. And the little middle school girls buying these books were not coming alone and spending their allowence on these books. No their parents were their buying the books for them. I was shocked. I would never buy those books for a middle school student.

But here is the BIG question. "Gossip Girl" runs at prime time, which usually means adults are in the house and watching, with or without their teeny-boppers. Is "Gossip Girl" targetted at an audience of 11 to 17 year olds, the age range of the characters, or is it aimed at 18-25 year olds, the group its more appropriate for. But then what 25 year old wants to watch a much of high school students having sex and smoking drugs? I don't. I'm much rather watch a group of recent college grads having sex and smoking drugs. So what kind of pervert watches "Gossip Girl"? Not me.