Road kill in the real world

Arizona Daily Wildcat

Yes, books. There has never been a corporate entity less suited for publishing written material than MTV. Yet publish they do. Just out are "Road Rules: Passport Abroad," by Alison Pollet and Leif Ueland, and "The Real World: The Ultimate Insider's Guide," by James Solomon with Alan Carter (both from MTV Books/Pocket Books). And they're deeply disturbing in a cultural, social and emotional way.

The concept of both shows is very simple: throw together a whole passel of people and see what happens. In "The Real World," the setting is a fabulous house in a cool city; the "Road Rules" kids get to have adventures in a Winnebago. Both shows make for mindless, yet entertaining, voyeurism. It's kinda fun to watch these people make enormous fools of themselves. Remember when Genesis fell in love with her drag queen friend, Adam/Eve, in Boston's "Real World?" How about that communal shower nakedness in "Road Rules: Islands?"

What, have you forgotten so soon? Looks like someone needs to go buy some books.

And what consequential tomes they are. "Road Rules: Passport Abroad" follows the Europe crew and the most recent island adventurers. Plot synopses for all 13 episodes in each season are provided, but the real meat in this pop culture snack is in the up-close-and-personal information we're given access to - the opportunity to read the casting applications, hear from the show's producers, Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray, read notes from their parents and so much more.

Too much more, to tell you the truth. It becomes increasingly difficult to decipher exactly who the audience for this book is supposed to be. Aspiring stalkers? Incredibly ambitious MTV auditioners? Kids stranded in Middle America without cable? The layout of the book attempts to mimic the jump-cut sensibility of the shows, making it nearly impossible for the reader to follow a single thematic or plot theme throughout. Perhaps this is MTV's real goal here: to create a new generation of hyper-readers who are unable to concentrate on the static text of normal books and are instead forced to spend $18 a piece on the MTV books which hold their attention.

"The Real World: The Ultimate Insider's Guide" attempts to be the comprehensive text on this elusive subject. Covering all six seasons, the problem with this book is that the ratio of alienated ex-Worlders to happy-to-talk-to-MTV-goons has grown enormously with every passing show. Since the Boston crew were captive while this book was being compiled, their interviews are complete and extensive. Go back to London, though, and Jacinda (the model) is too busy with new boyfriend and MTV lackey Chris Hardwick to give her retrospective. Aaron and Dominic duck out of the Los Angeles roundup, and there's hardly anyone left from New York.

The general consensus of both books is that "Road Rules" is ultimately the cooler show. Perhaps it's because interpersonal frustrations can be worked out in the often-daunting adventures that the Roadies have to complete. And, ultimately, "Road Rules" is also the cooler book. Though you may want to continue your normal reading activities to make sure you don't become one of those proto-MTV-hyper-readers.