The Real, Real World

When MTV sent a camera crew to follow 15-year-old Amanda as she planned her $200,000 Sweet 16 party in 2003, they captured her saying such gems as, "I get happy looking at myself," as she twirled and preened before a mirror, and "I love money. People say it doesn't buy happiness, but I think it helps." Later, during a particularly bratty meltdown on the network's reality series "My Super Sweet 16," the young Floridian verbally berates her father for making her arrive at her party in—gasp—an Acura, instead of the planned limousine.

It's hard for any adult to watch these spoiled teens without wishing someone would give them a reality check—a little taste of life outside the plush confines of their McMansions. Well, MTV has happily complied. Their new reality series, "Exiled," takes the characters you loved to hate from "Sweet 16" and sends them to remote villages around the world where they face challenges greater than having only one afternoon to find the perfect dress in Paris.

That MTV's viewers are taking some pleasure in seeing these bratty princesses brought down to earth isn't a surprise. This kind of gotcha has become a programming staple. But not only was the premier of "Exiled" the network's highest rated new reality show this year, some fans seem to be taking the program's message about privilege and abundance seriously. They are having conversations not typically seen on MTV's discussion boards about cultural stereotyping and Africa's international image. Who knew fans of the network that features endless hot-tub hookups are also worried about exploiting the Third World?

In the first episode of "Exiled," which aired last week, our girl Amanda, who is now 19 and seems to spend her days sleeping and sunbathing, is surprised by her family and friends (and, presumably, MTV's film crews), with the news that they are sending her to Africa. Amanda is whisked away to Kenya, where she spends a week with the Masai. She sleeps in a dung hut, is asked to touch cow dung (which she refuses to do), carries water for hours and watches the slaughter of a goat.

The show follows a typical arc. The young American begins her journey sheltered, whiny and unsympathetic, and, after a night of dancing and bonding with her hosts, turns around, opens up to the culture and finds a new appreciation for her life back home. At the end, during a traditional Masai ceremony, she is given a Masai name, Nadupoi, which means "awareness."

Sounds like a typical redemption story, but viewers didn't just watch for the satisfaction of seeing Amanda face down a pile of dung à la "Fear Factor"; they actually critiqued the network's politics. "MTV could have been much more responsible in picking a place for this girl to go," writes a viewer posting under the username PurpleReign. "They are just fulfilling stereotypes without showing a larger and more accurate representation of Africa. They showed Africa in a really negative light … It's offensive and rude and perpetuates the wrong ideas of Americans who know no better. And not even just Africa, but all underdeveloped nations are going to be represented this way on this show. It's sad."

PurpleReign was not alone in this objection. Several people from Africa have posted comments bristling at the portrayal of the continent. "I'm from west Africa and whenever I hear stupid comments like, "do you live in a hut," I get so pissed off!!!" writes crazyyama. "But anyway, this is a good wake up call for all of the rich spoiled brats of the world who believe that they control their world!!!"