Defamer Commenter Braintrust Weighs In On 5 Solutions to Fix MTV
Posted by Defamer Hollywood at 8:00 AM on August 23, 2008
When we spent yesterday introducing you to the "7 MTV-Defining Stars Who Wouldn't Be Allowed on MTV Anymore," little did we know it would cause such a sensation. From far and wide, the Defamer commenters gathered together to trade stories about the network's golden days, suggest improvements that could be made, and shout at kids to get off their damn lawn. Since MTV has made the encouraging step of hiring Russell Brand to host this year's VMAs, we know they're open to self-improvement, so we thought it only fair to spotlight the best suggestions and constructive criticism the Defamer braintrust had to offer:
1. Revamp Daria for the Hills crowd: By spotlighting Daria's popular sister Quinn, the show could be retrofitted to attract iconoclasts and super sweet sixteens alike! As commenter Jill Tyrrell said, "They could totally put Daria back in syndication on MTV, and re-name it Quinn or Fashion Club. It'd be like The Hills, in cartoon form! All the LC-Conradettes out there would go crazy for it. 'I love Quinn! She is lyk soooooo awesome! I soooo wanna be in the Fashion Club! But why is that four-eyed lesbo bitch Daria always being to mean to her????'"
2. Hire new casting directors for The Real World: Commenter Antonella fondly recalled that in its early seasons, The Real World "was less about drunken hook ups at celebutard wannabes and more about...well, real people." MTV has proven that ordinary people can still be compelling — just check out the gangly, awkward teens of The Paper — so why does The Real World have to be cast exclusively with musclebound meatheads who can hold a barbell longer than they can hold our interest?
3. Don't Be Bashful About Stoking Nostalgia: VH1 Classic is all well and good, but how about this suggestion from Dave J.: "They should have a 'MTV: Origins' channel or whatever, and only show original programming from back in the day (pre-Real World) and actual music videos from start to finish, and then see how it does ratings wise vs. the actual MTV. It probably wouldn't do as well, but I bet it would do better than Viacom thinks." Dave, anything that might presage a Sifl & Olly revival is OK by us.
4. Leave music video commentary to the professionals: Virtually the only time you're assured of seeing music videos on MTV is during the show FNMTV, which premieres the videos alongside instant viewer feedback sent from MTV.com. While that's all well and good, the peanut gallery isn't likely to provide masterfully crafted insults a la Julie Brown or Beavis & Butthead. Commenter derby reminded us of the amazing special MTV Lame, when a countdown of the network's worst videos ever was hosted by a dream team of comedy including Jon Stewart, Janeane Garofalo, Denis Leary, and Chris Kattan. FNMTV may be interactive, but only on a special like MTV Lame can you see Vanilla Ice menace Jon Stewart with a baseball bat.
5. Begin a Lionel Richie channel: Could it be that MTV had the means to their salvation all along? As floated by crescentia and seconded by 30f, a Lionel Richie channel (with marathon reruns of the music video for "Hello") could be an epic ratings win. Hey, it would at least outdraw Buzzin'.
- PREVIOUSLY: 7 MTV-Defining Stars Who Wouldn't Be Allowed on MTV Anymore [Defamer]

Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
Tiger_Tanaka
Posted 8:20 AM 23/8/08
6. More Duran Duran.
Tiger_Tanaka
kookla
Posted 8:56 AM 23/8/08
9. Put the "LIVE" back in "LIVE PERFORMANCE", making sure that no performer is accompanied by vocal, guide and/or rap tracks.
kookla
Rilo-Andy
Posted 8:43 AM 23/8/08
8. Bring back The Maxxx.
Rilo-Andy
bess marvin, girl detective
Posted 8:42 AM 23/8/08
7. profit
but on a serious note, i agree with everything above. but mtv will never follow it and i hope they continue their downward spiral.
bess marvin, girl detective
Cam/ron
Posted 9:28 AM 23/8/08
11. Bring back the strange cartoon shorts that identify the station.
Best example: "Santa the Slamdancer."
Cam/ron
Desk_hack
Posted 9:27 AM 23/8/08
Commenting about commenting. Getting a little meta in here...
Desk_hack
bess marvin, girl detective
Posted 9:25 AM 23/8/08
@kookla: exactly, that britney debacle still has me reeling.
10. bring back lengthy video countdowns (and play the videos in its entirety!)
bess marvin, girl detective
TheStarterWife
Posted 9:23 AM 23/8/08
120 Minutes and Headbangers Ball.
And Liquid Television for the real Aeon Flux.
Now if you'll excuse me, I believe my X generation is showing.
TheStarterWife
Wendy_Kroy
Posted 10:06 AM 23/8/08
I LOVED 25 Lame. For a while the Vanilla Ice tantrum was on iFilm, but the clip cut out before they showed the aftermath, when Chris Kattan was curled up in the fetal position and Stewart's eyes were bugged out of his head. Honestly, some of the funniest TV I've ever seen.
Anyone remember when MTV2 launched, circa 1998? At first, they played music videos only, without even VJs, like a video jukebox; and they'd play random-ass shit the way a freeform radio station would (Ziggy Stardust followed by New Order followed by New Edition). That lasted about a month, before MTV2 just turned into a clone of its parent station. Ah, well.
Wendy_Kroy
Calraigh
Posted 10:53 AM 23/8/08
Aeon Flux on a loop, through the night, like they used to do. Seriously, I still have fond memories of the dreams I used to have after a Fluxathon. Also, Mtv: Origins sounds like the best channel ever invented, Dave J.
Calraigh
crescentia
Posted 10:53 AM 23/8/08
Not only Lionel Richie, but also Kenny Loggins, REO Speedwagon, and Mike And The Mechanics. A channel devoted to bands whose members were old enough to be your dad in the 1980's.
crescentia
BigBoobsMagee
Posted 11:30 AM 23/8/08
Fuck MTV, get VH1 to bring back pop up video!
BigBoobsMagee
showboat
Posted 1:09 PM 23/8/08
12. Bring back Genuine Nerd Toby Radloff
+ Watch video
And chroma-key backgrounds.
showboat
Scout 3.0
Posted 2:11 PM 23/8/08
Just start with Day 1 and rerun everything over again.
Scout 3.0
Tiger_Tanaka
Posted 2:43 PM 23/8/08
13. More Duran Duran. I'm not fucking kidding.
Tiger_Tanaka
Oldboy
Posted 12:48 PM 24/8/08
Sifl and Ollie, Sifl And Ollie show!!!
Oldboy
happysquid
Posted 7:37 AM 25/8/08
Please no pollution of DARIA with the fashion club... now maybe a focus on MYSTIK SPIRAL i could understand.
happysquid
TimGunn
Posted 1:30 AM 26/8/08
I remember that Lame special. The whole thing was kind of weird and awkward.
TimGunn
drftjgoj
Posted 2:38 AM 26/8/08
@Rilo-Andy:
Maxx and Aeon Flux please. Thanks.
drftjgoj
ineffable.me
Posted 5:40 AM 26/8/08
The only way to watch Lionel Richie's Hello is the pop-up video version, so I hope they include that in the all Lionel channel.
ineffable.me
Pomalina
Posted 2:40 PM 26/8/08
Bess: You mean the TV show with Adrian Pasdar? That show was FAN-tastic.
Pomalina