I have yet to make it through a show of The Life of Ryan for one simple reason: I quit watching when I count the word "like" one hundred times. The melodrama of the teenage skateboarding super star might be exciting if you can handle listening the barrage of whining about being on the road to skateboard at various competitions across the country or listening to advice about girls who are suppose to not only wait around for him during his long absences but also be cool with him being a professional skateboarder, meaning they are not simply groupies. If only all of our teenage problems could be so.

It's difficult to watch shows like the Life of Ryan because what I hear is whining, complaining about being extremely talented at something that so few of us can do. Ryan is able to make skateboarding look so easy, as if an old fart forty year old with a beer gut could get on his sons skateboard and kick flip a three stair without breaking a sweat. It's also difficult to watch a show where a person has more then he needs.

MTV has put out several shows that are next to pointless to watch. And The Life of Ryan can be thrown into the trash can with the rest of them.

This goes with another MTV show, Rich Girls, with Ally Hilfiger and Jamie Lee Gleicher. The girls complain about not having anything to wear in a walk in closet bigger then half of my house. These girls have never been without, nor will they ever be. It's American to despise those who flaunt their wealth while attempting to be normal. There is no normal about the kids that are profiled in MTV shows such as The Life of Ryan, Rich Girls, or Sweet 16.

One positive spin on this show is that it leads to fantasy for many teenagers. Watching Ryan Sheckler go through his teenage life as a professional skateboarder with all of his triumphs and defeats helps us to understand that he is still human. The show also allows kids to fantasize about living a life like Ryan's. They can see what it might be like to travel the country, meeting other professional skateboarders and not act like a moron. They can see a life they will never live. That what TV is suppose to be, right? A place to get lost. A place to let the brain rest and mindlessly watch a show that may or may not have a point, but also results in gaining nothing and losing little but time.

Overall, my opinion of the Life of Ryan is based on my annoyance with many of the shows put on by MTV. Good programming on MTV was lost years ago, when even the Real World broke barriers, and Beavis and Butthead were the crudest thing on television. The Life of Ryan is probably the next greatest thing if you have a serious crush on Ryan, but if you don't, turn off the television and find a good book to read, or find a bad book to read, it will be well worth the time.

Learn more about this author, Jessica Haag.
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