'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)

Saturday 22 January

By NAUGHTY BUT NICE ROB

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WATH YOU....told they get even more racy!

By Ericka

This show is totally what teens are doing and/or thinking about. Skins is just putting it on TV and I appalud them for it dong what no one else has the guts for. Being a teen myself I don't particiapte in it but I know lots of teens that do this behind closed doors but are angels in front of family. It's what us teens do even if you don't want to believe it.

By kiki

If people are freaking out about this Skins then they should go and watch the original British one because this version is very tame. Secondly, I am a teen and I am Skins' target audience and none of what they do on the show influences me. Like she said, they have vices but if the US version is anything like the original, the show has more depth than that and there are some really good stories in the show.

By kevin

wtf??? this is the same thing all u conservatives were saying when beverly hills 90210 or gossip girl first came out. there's nothing on the show that kids arent aware of and exposed to regularly. be easy guys and chillax.

rumor that head of MTV standards and practices leaves over this show IS NOT TRUE

By sophia

I think this show is a good opportunity for teens and their parents. Parents could watch the show with their children and discuss the issues which it portrays. It could be a learning opportunity for everyone.

Sunday 23 January

By Alanna

I am a teenager and, at least in my group of friends, the show is fairly accurate. It's a show so it dramatizes but this is what's happening.

Be happy you know hundred of wholesome teens, but know that many more have a different experience.

All that being said, I like the British version better. I think the humor is more British and its weird in an American landscape.

Tuesday 25 January

By The Fisherman

Is it any surprise these "Actors" and I use the term Actor loosely, will defend this tripe? They are making a lot of money at this and they would defend Hitler if they had to. It is also not a surprise that young people would say they know better then adults and that we don't understand...truth is always that they don't and we do. There is a time and a place for porn and TV is not the time nor is it the place. Clean it up drastically or don't show it.

By T

The focus is heavily on how this influences teens, but no one seems to be talking about how this might affect an impressionable non-target audience, 6-13 year olds. I wouldn't be surprised or alarmed at people smoking w33d or experimenting with sex at 15 or 17, but at 12 or 13, that's too young. What people have to wake up to is that this is the second highest demographic for MTV, and their little brothers and sisters see it too. The fact is, if a kids don't see this stuff, they don't know it exists. It's called youthful naivete, and by showing this type of show to a 6 year old, or a 10 year old, we are encouraging that behavior whether we think so or not. It's not a big deal if a 16 year old wants to have sex with his girlfriend, but if a 10 year old tries in the wrong place at the wrong time, it's national news.

By Erin

i thought the show was great! i am 20 years old, and I agree that the issues so far discussed in the first episode are definitely things teens are doing in real life. It's just TV and the fact that its on so late keeps controversial issues from the younger viewers if parents have control over their kid's TV time. I really liked the show and I'm a big MTV fan!

By Ohell Tootha-No

I watched "skins" to see what all the hullabalub was all about. I'm saddened by the show and won't watch others but I can see why they did it. MTV, in particular, needs to constantly raise the shock bar from old days of Real world to gross My 16th overdone Party, Jersey Shore......Bravo is kicking their butts and so is FX with shock value....this was aimed to shock and create the biggest controversy possible. I mean in an age where we've "seen it all" on graphic TV, this was kind of genius (ignoring how much i dislike the show, the concept, the glorification...but I'm gettin old it seems so forget me and hello every teen to tune in.......Ka ching.....hear that cash register roll, MTV). It's where the world and media are today, shock and awe, keeps the bank rol going and MTV, etc folks with a paycheck. I mean God forbid MTV actually do shows and videos of MUSIC....do they even acknowledge music anymore other than Awards shows? Yeah I thought not....

Monday 24 January

By newyorkluva617

wtf ok whats with criticism of the nudity/sexual shiz on the MTV Skins its all censored anyway but that show sucks Im 18 and its lame cause the acting & dialog is stupid, the original UK Skins is better (and Im american)
besides theres more criticism of it being a crap rip-off of good show from UK than sexual stuff! lol
Oh and EmptyV(MTV) sucks too that crap-channel just happen to produce that garbage to add up their trashy programming yay for them for going more downhill

By Ali

You know why there are no TV shows about "wholesome, hard working, and moral teens"? Because that would be incredibly boring! I'm 18, I'm a huge fan of the original Skins, and I do plan on watching this show....because it's an entertaining interpretation of the original, which by the way had some amazing character development, relationships, and story arcs. I don't party, I don't do drugs, I've never had sex, and none of that is going to change just because of a television show. Why do people seem to think that teenagers are mindless sheep? Granted, there's the lack of frontal lobe development, but it doesn't mean we're retarded...
Art imitates life. If this wasn't reality, it wouldn't be on TV at all, but it is. And that has VERY LITTLE to do with the fact that some people choose to portray it on TV. Interpretation of reality is not going to increase or decrease the likelihood of that reality happening. It's the other way around, folks!

By teen

im a teen my self and for what i see it is what most of us teen are doing. you may see your child and friends at home to be young good kids but most teens are very diferent outside their home. trust me. im not saying we all do these things but most of teens are doing it. sorry to break it to you

Wednesday 26 January

By Zio

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Why all the drama over Skins? do any of you think teenagers do not have sex, drink or party? or do they wait until 18 to have sex and 21 to have a drink? Teenagers even murder, and some of you are worried about showing Skins?This is life everyone. If you don't like it, don't watch it

Saturday 29 January

By Sally

This show doesn't state that EVERY teen does drugs, has sex, and drinks alcohol. Its just a show based off a few teens that do. There are like 10 main characters in it and they are the ones doing all that stuff. So stop saying that this show makes it seem like every teen does drugs, even though many, MANY do. You people might be blind, dumb, or just not know anyone who does drugs or what not, but in my school of like 750 students, more than half do, even more than half of the freshmen drink (some having sex and doing drugs too). Anyways, American Skins doesn't glamorize drugs, you could tell the problems the kids were going through and the bad stuff that happens (like the girl almost dying). This is real like, even though it sucks and is awful, GET USE TO IT.

Sunday 13 February

By Barbie

I'm 18 and I've never seen a show that describes what many of my friends and I are going through. To the parents on here you might have a kid that doesn't do any of these things but really you can't be sure. We have ways of hiding it. Red eyes? Clear Eyes. Hangover? Water. Party or all nighter all over town? Staying at a friends house. It's not very hard to trick your parents. You can be a straight A student by day and a druggie by night. Why shouldn't it be showed on t.v? I am happy there is a show that gets what is going on with us.

Tuesday 15 February

By shadrac

Maybe it shows some stuff that might go on in some teens lives,but just because these things happen does it have to be on t.v. If more teens weren't spoiled by their parents and went out and got real lives or dare say it "get a job" after school and not sit around and watch these stupid shows,maybe these stupid shows would not be on t.v.Poor poor teens we have so many problems and pressures.Buck up and shut up.

Thursday 17 February

By shaie

many teens r doing these things but not all teens. i know people personally that get drunk, in party n have sex. but u dont have 2 follow them. this show can also help us make a change n society as teens. i went through my adolsecent years not drinking, having sex. i came out normal. people need 2 realize the good points and the bad points of every show. personally i love this show. cause it addresses what we as a generation r facing. its not about age, race, or religion. all of us face this everyday.

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