MovieChat Forums > Taking the Stage (2009) Discussion > What happened to the diversity?

What happened to the diversity?


My Lord.



Peace, Love, and Soul

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I guess they're going for a mostly white cast this season, since it was mostly black last season.??

YOU'RE MAKING ME CRAZY!!!!!
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or they're trying to do like a urban laguna beach cast. What is wrong with casting another mostly Black cast? Now they are mostly White...

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Yeah I have to admit this disturbed me a lot. I absolutely LOVED the show last season. It was a breath of fresh air to see the diversity. I loved all characters involved and it was probably one of the most well done reality shows MTV has ever done.

But now?? I couldn't even get through the audition special. The new characters were so boring and contrived. I was dying for this show to come back but now I am so very disappointed. Its just like every other show now. TTS was special because it was different.

SMH.

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I know what you mean the new kids already have problems and what not. Somebody can't eat and another person's spine is broke...like WTF happened to the actual dancing and talent.



Peace, Love, and Soul

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Hahah you guys need to chill out. Theres still a black guy and Tyler is still in the show. I'm black and I don't mind at all. I did notice it though.

And that cellular will be the death of us, I swear.

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So diversity is when there are more black people or people of color than white? Oh. I didn't know. Thanks for clearing that up.

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When you see them interact with all their friends it seems more diverse. But yeah, kind of odd how last year it was mostly black kids and this year it's mostly white kids. Considering how diverse the school itself is you'd think it would be more balanced.

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Well, my problem isn't with the whole diversity aspect of it, but with how boring the characters are! The students have very little personality and it just feels ....... staged.

Make an omelette Cynthia!

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I agree, I'm just now watching it and it's already so urban Laguna Beach'ish. It feels like MTV transported these kids into the school. The kids from last season felt so real, so artsy. The show had an actual Fame feeling to it as they stressed over their performances more than if so and so had a boyfriend and if this song was about him or her. We so more dancing, and better performances.

Okay, give us white but give us Mia white...not LC white. Give us more Aaron.

So, indeed it does lack diversity. And here's why.

Commercial Diversity is the about skin color, gender and sexual orientation. The show is now lacking that moreso in the major "character roles." This choice makes it EXTREMELY apparent that MTV is trying to seek a "whiter" audience. I don't know, maybe they know something about the ratings we don't. Or, maybe they have an idiotic executive in the office who's saying give us more Hills and we'll get better ratings. This is what these people do. It's all about the coin to them, and which advertisers will pay to deliver to you the audience.


Which takes me to a deeper level, this show is now lacking Cultural Diversity. And in season one, all the characters, no matter what ethnicity they are were part of that cultural diversity, from Jasmine to Tyler to Mia to Aaron, etc. They were urban, artistic kids. That had this uniqueness about them, that represented who they were. They were part of the region, the demographic and didn't appear to be like this years cast, shipped in for the show. Notice how tight the population shots are. They don't want you to see that these kids are so different from the general population of that school. I mean, where are two gay guys. Yes they were African American but they were out and we say them live that way. (P.S, I still think Tyler will come out of the closet one day). But they were so different from the "stereotypical" that we saw something novel in them, diversity. Were's the girl who was competing against Jasmine as a dance while at the same time trying to be her friend, without stabbing her in he back. I want to see kids crying over not making the cut, not because he, likes her and not me. I mean that had that last year but it was the B story to the A story, which was TAKING THE STAGE. This is what we miss with COMMERCIAL DIVERSITY. Now we have a bunch of alpha males and horny females.

TO MTV.

The reason why Taking the Stage didn't pull in the same number of Audience that your other shows about white barely out of teenage year, yuppies, that you set up on houses on the hills, who have nothing to do all day but, party, drink and hook up is because that is cheap entertainment. That's cheap exploitation of human desires. It's like watching a horror movie. Brings in a large vast audience. Cheap to make. Huge return. But has no substance, really.

Your season one Taking the Stage probably didn't bring in the audience content mentioned above would bring in because it wasn't cheap, lowest common denominator TV. The reality TV is LCD TV, your first season of Taking the Stage transcended that. We saw kids not acting like soap opera-ish adults looking to mate but kids, acting like kids, looking towards their professional futures. And well, advertisers just don't like that. They'd rather do what they've been doing for the last ten years, make little husbands and wives, who consume products. Mom, looks good for the husband and the husband demands it and a wealthy household. CONSUMERS.

You MTV, sold out.

And now you have a PIECE OF CRAP on your hands.

The episode just SUCKED. Felt contrived. I was waiting for the feeling that was depicted last year to return. You disappointed. And now I must sigh, and like all good shows, muddied by a dumb executive who doesn't better, mourn the loss of what once was.

Shorten the season, get rid of the commercial kids, run spots about how the old feel is back for the third season, and start again. It's not to late to fix this mess.

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Last week's hour long episode was a lot better. It had a lot of Mia and Aaron and Tyler. I really don't like how they reduced the show to a half an hour. It feels rushed and there aren't enough moments where people are just hanging out and socializing. That gives you more character development. As far as MTV selling out, they did that a long time ago. Every once in awhile they'll take a chance on something better and different but it never lasts.

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Very well said, I just hope someone important is paying attention. Lol.

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I had an issue with the drastic change in diversity in the beginning. But now that I'm watching the season I couldn't care less!! The show is just as good if not better then last season and the cast is great!! As long as the cast is good, who cares if they are white, black, orange or purple? My only issue is that I wish it was still an hour so we can get some better character development. MTV just loves destroying the GOOD shows.

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Forget the diversity, this is season is not as entertaining like the last one.
I thought Mia was coming back? Not as a guest. What the hell happened to Malik & Shakira?

Now they have a love-triangle thingie, like they did last season. Fake !!
I miss last season.

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Right...like this season is completely whack! C'mon MTV...you finally had a good show for once, and now it's screwed again, with these lame ass new kids.


Peace, Love, and Soul

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LOL! So how many episodes did you watch for you to lose interest? I only watched 2.
These new kids are talented and all, but they dont interest me like last seasons kids.

In my opinion at least....

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This season is beyond wack. I only caught 2 ep. also. lol

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I'm trying to catch up only because Mia and Tyler are still there. And even Tyler is getting on my nerves this season. Like can we get an update on what happened to last seasons crew!



Peace, Love, and Soul

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Just because there aren't as many colored people as last season doesn't mean it lacks diversity.
But I actually really like this season. Emily Silber is my new favorite I think.

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I'm not really sure what to put here...

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I happen to really like this show and I cannot stand with a very strong passion those Real world shows,those damn 16 and pregnant shows I do not watch any of them and never did I see the hills or Laguna Beach and do not want too...I see no problem with this show a matter of fact in my entitled opinion It is actually a decent show unlike the other s h i t on this channel.....

And some you sound like only Black people are entitled to be on this show and only black people are entitled to watch it.....Sorry but both Black and White people are entitled to be on this show and both black and White people are entitled to watch it.....

Sig- Proud Disney channel fan."


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The fact that you still are using the words "colored people" is beyond ridiculous and completely telling.




Peace, Love, and Soul

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IDK if diversity's the right word, as last season every lead except Mia was black, which is a new turn for an MTV reality show, but that really isn't diversity... where are the Asian or Native American kids?

This season has much more white leads, but this season Tyler is the main character, and Ian, another lead, is also black... plus Tyler's BF, Emily's BF and Adam's BF are all black

I'm not defending the change between seasons, but I didn't really notice until I saw this thread, and I thinking on it, I guess I don't mind

I just hope to see a pretty even mix of various kids on next season, but then that could depend on how diverse the school is, from the looks of it, it seems to be predominantly black and white...

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