There is a sizable group of my colleagues here at EW who regularly send out e-mails about Lauren Conrad (pictured, right), Heidi Montag (left), and the MTV "reality" series The Hills, of which I’ve seen maybe a total of five minutes. Each time I’ve tried tuning in, I barely made it through 30 seconds before my brain was dripping out of my ears from boredom, which was even worse than the 60 seconds it took for that to happen when watching The Hills‘ precursor, Laguna Beach. (This was far more entertaining.) There are, however, plenty of morsels of pop-culture I don’t quite understand, so I’ve never felt it was really worth complaining about the cult of The Hills.
Er, until now. Off the Perez "report" that Lauren and Heidi are appearing together on the cover of Rolling Stone — somehow Big Huge News since "This is the first time in two years that L.C. and Heidi have been on a photo shoot together" (OMG!!!!) — I’ve finally reached the limit of my patience with their fame. While they haven’t approached Paris Hilton level insanity (yet), I feel the same way about these "reality" stars that I felt about the "hotel heiress" circa 2000, namely, who the bloody hell are these women, and exactly how and why have they become Big Deals?
Seriously, tell me. This specter has invaded my life to the degree that I actually would really appreciating knowing why it’s there, taunting me with a vacant stare from the supermarket check-out line about how it’s been "betrayed" by "Spencer," "Audrina" and "Brody."
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Finally! Someone that agrees with me. I can’t stand these kinds of shows. Who the hell cares who these women are! MTV needs to get back to putting music on tv instead of these airheads.
NO! DON’T TELL ME! I DON’T WANT TO KNOW! I’ve done everything in my power to avoid knowing about these girls. I think if you ignore them, eventually they will disappear. It’s worked before. There used to be this boogie man in my closet when I was a kid, and I just started to ignore him, and eventually, he went away. I’m telling you – it works!
I completely agree. I wish I could have a show where a few scenes were dedicated to me looking off in distance, “thinking hard”…which is what I think they’re doing…or maybe they were being told what to say by the producer, so rather than dub anything in, just silence..
Count me as one of those people who also does not understand nor care to understand the popularity or the appeal of these people/that show. I thought it was a scripted show forever, but now its reality? I don’t get it and I consider myself a pop-culture junkie normally.
And just another vapid example of how Rolling Stone has been irrelevant since the 70s.
Ugh. As someone who reads a lot of pop culture blogs and watches The Soup, I can’t help hearing about The Hills. And it seriously sickens me – why should anyone care what these vapid rich girls think or do or say? Also, WHAT THE HECK Rolling Stone? For serious? I get that they’re trying to stay hip and relevant for my unfortunate “millenial” generation, but this is just…wow.
True that J Lo!! I watch and I don’t really know why. I guess I hope that we’ll get to see more than 45 seconds of the fashion show that the girls get to work at and see how that all works out. (And Spencer reminds me that I am happy I am single and I don’t have to deal with a d-bag like that!) To each his own, but when Elodie stuck it to Heidi last year – one of my top 20 favorite moments on TV ever!
eh, it’s not half bad.
I think it’s about girls who go to work and fight with their boyfriends. Really that’s all I’ve ever seen happen on that show. So weird and boring.
Lame show that is only good to be made fun of on E’s “The Soup”
Why are are they appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone? Isn’t that a mag about music? That makes no sense.
Well, I’ve never seen it (I prefer actual fiction to made-up reality), but I assume that since it’s on MTV primetime, you have to be on drugs to appreciate it.
I admit that “The Hills” has a season pass on my DVR. It is basically a huge music video with some crap about these girls and their “lives” in LA. It is not “lost” or “house” or other great TV, but it is 30 minutes a week when I get to remember how great it was to be 22, not have to work and get to go out all the time. That was fun. SIGH. Now I have to work and be like, a grown up, so this show is just some good ole escapist fun. I do agree that the amount of attention these girls get has gotten out of hand. I mean, Mariah Carey played the party for the premiere!
The show is there as an escape from reality for me. I love laughing @ rich, white people and their “problems”. Plus, Spencer is the best villian on reality TV since Omarosa first appeared on the Apprentice.
I love to hate Spencer.
That Funny or Die clip was definitely way better than that stupid show. I am pretty sure if you actually write down what they say on the Hills and read it, the conversations makes zero sense.
At first I thought my not understanding was just a sign that I’m getting older, but I’ve realized that not liking the sugary pop confections of Miley Cyrus or the cast of HSM is what makes me old. Not liking ‘The Hills’ just proves that I have taste.
The only time I see this show is in clips on “the Soup”. The funny thing is it’s so bad you would assume that it is a fake show The Soup came up with to make fun of reality shows. but no, it’s real, and people take it seriously. But I still like to think its a joke that only some of us are in on (not the “actors” obviously).
One of my coworkers keeps telling me that I need to get into this show. I just can’t. I can’t stand listening to them talk! Even from the little bits they show on the Soup!
Try being the only girl in the dorm who would rather watch “The Wire”. I can get through a lot of trashy TV, even soaps, but not “The Hills”.
I love my gossip mags, but I groan and cringe every time I see the word “Heidi” or “Spencer” or “Hills” anywhere on it. I don’t know who made them important but I certainly have no desire to even glance at them while quickly turning the page.
And Rolling Stone? Why?!?
Amen Adam! I love celebrity gossip and read all kinds of magazines and browse all of the gossip blogs but I hate any coverage on The Hills or Heidi or “Lo” or LC or any of those wanna-be celebrities. Why oh why did MTV have to make these people into D-List Celebrities?
The Hills is so bad, it’s good.
I agree. Everytime I see any of these people on tv or in a magazine, I think “How the heck could these people be so famous for doing absolutely nothing??” Just goes to show what kind of world we are living in now. Where have all the talented people gone?
yea i have no idea who these people are. just reminds me how much better it is to be a 27 year OLD
I love the show, I can’t help it. It’s my guilty pleasure. Even if it’s not reality, I don’t care. I get to stop using my brain for at least 30 minutes a week. I do, however, hate all the attention these people get outside of the show. That’s getting pretty out of hand, especially Heidi and Spencer who are attention who***s.
Thank you, Adam. Thank you.
HATE THEM. Can’t stand how E! does daily updates of every lame detail of their stupid lives. Also hate the Kardashians, the Lohans, and all the other no-talent, fame-seeking, attention whores who are being paid for these “reality” shows. Here’s a reality… nobody likes you!
Laura, on job interviews you should slip in that you love The Wire but won’t watch the Hills. I’d hire you instantaneously.
Honestly, I watched maybe 2-3 eps in the first season. I discovered that reading the recaps were way better and more entertaining, especially when done by B-side.