'Skins' Star Defends Show: 'It's What Teens Are Doing'

By Rob Shuter Posted Jan 21st 2011 03:16PM

While MTV's new show 'Skins' takes heat for being too hot (critics equate it to child pornography and advertisers are pulling out), one thing's for sure: It almost certainly makes a star out of Sofia Black-D'Elia, who plays a lesbian teen on the controversial series. Sofia defends 'Skins' on my HDNet show 'Naughty But Nice With Rob,' telling me people should watch before they judge.

"It's pushing the boundaries for teen drama because I think 'Skins' goes where other shows are afraid to," Sofia says, arguing that she believes most of the controversy is tied to the fact that the cast is comprised of actual teens whose characters are "doing these things," like having sex and doing drugs.

Sofia, 18, defends the show, saying, "It's what teens are doing. It's the way teenagers believe, I think, especially you know in certain situations when you come from home lives where your parents don't really support you or really listen to you. That's what most of these kids are going through."

She added, "And so, um, the drugs and the sex, they're vices, and that's what teenagers have."

'Skins' debuted Monday to 3.3 million viewers, most of them between ages 12-34. Since then a major sponsor, Taco Bell, has pulled its advertising, and on Thursday the influential Parents Television Council, a TV watchdog group, called for a federal child porn probe.

MTV isn't shaken, saying in a statement that they are "confident that the episodes of 'Skins' will not only comply with all applicable legal requirements, but also with our responsibilities to our viewers."

Further, a TV executive who knows about all the inner workings of MTV tells me that the network has always parlayed controversy into ratings and that nothing will be different about 'Skins.'

"At the end of the day controversy mean ratings," my source says. "MTV has always been know for addressing teen and young people's issues and concerns with respect and honesty."

With such huge ratings for the debut, 'Skins' will not be going anywhere soon, and neither will young actress Sofia Black-D'Elia. Trust me, this talented young lady, who you may have seen on 'All My Children,' will be around for a long time. See for yourself: 'Skins' airs Mondays at 10PM.

To watch my entire interview with Sofia and hear what Joan Rivers really thinks of Sarah Palin, tune into 'Naughty But Nice With Rob,' Saturdays at 1 PM and again at 7 PM, exclusively on HDNet. Don't have HDNet? Call your cable company!

Follow Rob on Twitter for Scoop All Day Long!

Tags: Naughty But Nice With Rob, skins, Sofia Black DElia

Comments

(119)

Friday 21 January

By firecrow66

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Sorry. Meant to say..."do not help children learn either."

By sharona

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I can't even believe the drama over this show...I've watched since UK skins, and seriously? If parents have suspicions that a television show is going to make their kids take drugs and have unprotected sex and do all these wild things they wouldn't otherwise do, you have more things to worry about than what's on your television like
a) your kid being dumb, and
b) you not caring enough to control him/her

get over it.

By Lisa

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It's not the teens watching that scares me, it's the adults that enjoy watching teens make out. Why would healthy adults want to watch this show??? It's rated TVMA, meaning it's for adults. How is that any different than paying to watch your 14 year old and her boyfriend dry hump?

By js

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the reason why skins is a hit because morons like the parent council saying how "dangerous" this show is.Of course kids are going to watch it even though the're lots MA shows worse than this. If you want to believe or not teens are having sex and using drugs and if parents say that's not true, they're lying. If you're a good parent,you'll tell yours kids not to watch it and you don't like it, you can change the channel or turn off your t.v.

By ajschrod

The show should be on a "subscriber request" channel. No TVMA shows ought to be on straight cable, simply because adults are too lazy to block them out from pre-teens.

By Jackie

Does anyone remember the show, "Undressed" that was on MTV in the late 90s? Similar concept to "Skins" and sure, the show is risqué but what other shows out there on MTV aren't risqué? "Teen Mom"? "The Jersey Shore"? "My Super Sweet 16"? Ok, so I was playing about "My Super Sweet 16" but you get the idea. I can go on and on until I'm blue in the face but some of you (yes, I said "SOME"), you have to realize these factors: One, whether you like to hear it or not but teens do have sex, drink and smoke...not necessarily in that order but they do. However, there are others that...wait for it...wait for it...DON'T! They have their own fun without those elements. Two, it is up to them to lead in whatever direction they do but as long as they have some authoritative figure (you know, like parents, teachers, whoever they want to emulate), they'll be ok. Trust me, I was a wild child once. I now know the consequences of my actions. I'm paying for it now. Three, I may be 31, but weren't there some of you old heads that remember when you were a teenager and you did things that you know were bad but you did them anyway? You watched/heard some things that you weren't supposed to hear? Anyway, my point is this: parents/guardians need to be more involved with their child(ren), teenagers are NOT the same; but they are going to do things that we may not agree on. They also go through a physical and mental transitioning stage: it's called going ADOLESCENCE. We all have been there. Lastly, for the last time, stop bringing up President Obama or his wife or any political person, enemy or not. They have nothing to do with this so kindly, stfu.

Jackie- I can relate. I was a teen in the early 90's, and I don't remember "Undressed". I do remember that movie Kids, but never really cared to see it. I wasn't a perfect teen, but I made my share of mistakes. Mine will also make mistakes. I just hope that I can teach them well enought to not make the same mistakes I did, and maybe not as many. I did do some of the stupid things in these shows. I can tell you that I have paid the price for every stupid thing I did. This generation will too. Unfortunately, most of the wild crown I knew is dead, or in prison. I am one of the lucky few that got my act together before it was too late. I remember what it was like to be a teen, and I had involoved parents. Two of us kids weren't so great but the other two were perfect. One went on to medical school and the other is a nurse. So you can't always blame the parents. Kids do stupid things!

By Jonathan

I don't know anyone at my school that has the things portayed on Skins. Not even the "really cool" kids. Sure, there were occasional drug and alcohol use and sex at parties but nothing as extreme as the things on Skins. I think it's really irresponsible for her to say "it's what teens are doing". It's not true and it makes teenagers look even more bad. I don't what kind of trashy friends this girl has to make her believe that. And this show has a teen panel that reviews the plot lines to ensure it's authenticity in relation to actual teens. Where did they get this "panel", cause they're not accurately portraying teen life.

By CJ

tv and music does infulence kids, im 15 and at school all i hear is kids trying to be like T.I by trying to be G's by smoking blunts. i saw skins and one part the dude was like its a shame for a 16 year old to be a virgin, which make kids who are feel like a loser and what to loose their virginity 'cause they want to fit in.

By YOURKIDDINGRIGHT

there doing it anyway so you might as well show it? Thats your argument? Women get raped, child molesters molest kids, and killers kill. Maybe we should have a reality show for that too then, you stupid jerk!

By Redboy235

Are they serious this is what kids are doing!Yeah right kids are also hooked on drug and drinking also have hiv and aids.This show will be the doom of our kids.This will be the cause of a jump in every sexually transmitted infection in kids.SDC get more people on your staff your going to need it.For a media outlet to push this on today kids you guys deserve the same fate as gg and I really feel sorry for her but, I wouldn't for the sapp's that created this show.

Monday 24 January

By E

I hate to say this, but it is very true. Truer than you'd think. Nice people thinking its acceptable to do drugs and have sex... That they won't have any friends if they don't do it... "all my friends are doing it!" sorry but really... how smart are your friends? Porn is a big problem too...

By theyapper

What are movies and TV doing to our children. I don't like the idea of censorship but, we've gotten to the point of such decadence that parents need to step in. It's such trash. Of course, we know that some kids do drugs and have sex but they used to be in the minority and they still maybe. However, no matter what these people say these shows are glamorizing the behavior. Parents it's time to step in and let your voices be heard. Tell the advertisers that will stop this insanity. Internet media, TV stop giving these actresses the attention. We leading our country to such decadence and if you know anything about history that's how countries and cultures fall!!!
So thanks media and Hollywood...we'll put you right up there with the corporate and goverment thieves.....

By Jaz

Well I know teens and yes teens do things like this where I live but not so much in groups. Truly I feel parents intimidated but this show is self conscious of there ability to parent. Though teen tend to not tell everything they do need to be able to tell it. But i believe its the same as sex. If you stop talking about it doesn't mean teens stop doing it, it just means there doing it with less knowledge.

By wicked

This girl is outta her mind if she thinks she's defending this show. Things like this have been happening for a while and happened while I was growing up. This is not a good show for kids or teens to be watching, neither is Jersey Shore. People I know have chosen this lifestyle and some of them are either dead now or in rehab. When is MTV going to get their heads on straight and go back to what made them, the music. Enough with this.

So basically your saying "No don't watch it on tv, wait to see it in person and not learn from the moral of the show." Truly blocking out all the unjust things in our society is not going to end it. I watch the show i personal don't like the quality but to say no cause I'm to worried that my child has such low self esteem to follow this that i must end it. Because thats the only treat I'm seeing.

Friday 15 July

By Smiley Faces Please? :)

Sure not all teens are doing drugs and having sex, but alot are. This show creates somewhat realistic views on people that do. From actually watching the show, it's setup and is pretty stupid; but respect other people's opinions. If you don't agree with it don't watch it, or don't let your kids watch it; simple.

By Steve

I wish MTV would go back to playing music videos and nothing else, like they did when they first went on the air all those years ago.

Sunday 23 January

By doneldathomas

DITTO!!!!!!!!

By JR

Seriously get over it kids do these things!!! It's your responsibility as a parent to tell your child that the lives portryaed on "skins" isn't a happy and healthy life. When I watch the show I don't think "oh that looks like fun i want to do that". No! I was taught well enough that drinking and partying all the time is dumb. Some kids don't have the proper guidance. But seriously this show does not influence me and probably not other teens.

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