WTF, MTV?

(Full Disclosure: Despite the fact that I'm a grown-ass man, I do watch MTV. I'm of the age where MTV actually meant something. I watched Headbangers Ball, 120 Minutes and World Premiere videos with fervor. Not to mention MTV was responsible for one of the greatest Saturdays of my young adult life. Nirvana - live, the same day the played SNL for the first time. Awesome. Don't hate me cause I'm Gen X.)

Back in January I was watching the Real World/Road Rules Challenge on MTV. I love the show because it takes me back to my younger days when me and the roomies would sit and watch the Real World and talk about all the ass we could get with a house like that. The Real World is the ideal show because nobody wants drama in their lives, but everybody loves to watch the shit hit the fan with somebody else. During a commercial break, I walked into my kitchen to get something to drink. As I'm digging through fridge, I hear the Bad Brains. What? No fucking way! Why in the fuck would the Bad Brains be coming out of my TV? This isn't right. This is good, non-mainstream music coming out of my TV while it's tuned to MTV. I watch, the spot ends and the show the following link. Sure as shit, the Bad Brains have attained the "buzzworthy" moniker. I guess after almost 30 years they've built up some BUZZ.

After a couple of days, I didn't know how to feel about what I'd seen. I sort of felt as though MTV was trying to make themselves cool. You know, like the people who work at the independent records stores, the ones who laugh when you buy the Daughtry CD. And MTV, it's sad to say, isn't that cool anymore. Then I feel like H.R. may have incurred some hefty weed debt and is just doing what a brother needs to do to get his smoke on. I just don't know what to think. So I talk to a buddy, and he says Bad Brains aren't selling out, they cashing in. (And really what's more punk than taking The Man's money and doing what the fuck you please?) Then we discuss the fact that MTV corporate, we're sure, is populated by douchebags and tools. And whoever selected Bad Brains was one of "us," subversively sticking it to The Man. This makes me feel better and I go back to my regularly scheduled life.

A few weeks later, I'm watching RWRR Challenge again, Coral is laying down the law in a very small shirt. After she gets all "street" with somebody it's time for a commercial break. Despite I'm watching on DVR, I'm still watching promos and commercials. All of a sudden it happens. Is that Cornell West and Ludacris talking about Black History Month. Fucking Ludacris?!?! Don't get me wrong, I like Ludacris and all, but why in the world are he and Cornell West telling me about Black History month. I don't need to hear about The Struggle from the same man that wrote this. Was Maya Angelou busy? Was Bill Russell pissed about something? I mean why was this happening? Then at the end I find out why. The Buzz Bin strikes again.

As upset as I got in both instances, I was kind of happy somebody at MTV hasn't given up on telling "the kids" about cool stuff. I feel the same way when I look at the playlist on Guitar Hero. Somebody out there is trying, and that's good. So I guess I want to give big ups to the person/people at MTV trying to make the world a little cooler. Now start playing some fucking videos.