On Monday night, my flatmate and I found ourselves screaming, cursing and sighing deeply at our TV screen. Why? Not because the TV was playing up. No, it was because of Alex Mytton and the latest cheating scandal to break on the hit TV show, Made in Chelsea.
Now don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of TOWIE and MIC; in fact Mondays at work are now so much more bearable knowing I get to come home to an hour of my favourite love-to-hate characters on Made in Chelsea. However recently the scales have tipped and what used to be a 'love-to-hate Louise Thompson's incessant crying, Cheska's meddling and Lucy's 'gangsta' attitude' thing has now turned into hate-to-hate. Now don't get me wrong, I still love the show (anyone who watched Monday's episode will have witnessed Mark Francis's comedy gold 'I thought Nandos was a wine bar' moment) and I won't stop watching. However, there is one thing that I can't stand watching on both MIC and The Only Way is Essex, and that is the portrayal of relationships.
Tell me…how many of the Chelsea men have been faithful? It has to be less than 25%. The same goes for the TOWIE men (in fact, I think that percentage is even less.) Whilst there's no denying that watching the relationships unfold and seeing how the men and women interact on the show is fascinating, I can't help but feel sad when time and time again we inevitably watch everything fall apart. And why DOES it fall apart?
You could say it's the fame. Unfortunately with appearing on the show comes quite a lot of publicity, and many of the stars thus make personal appearances at clubs and bars across the country. That seems to be where, for most of the men, the temptation becomes too much. Unfortunately with all the fame, it appears it would seem to go to the heads of some of the 'stars' and they, quite literally, believe they are God's gift to man (Spencer Matthews, I am looking at you).
You could say it's the alcohol. At these personal appearances it seems the stars get drunk, girls throw themselves at them, and they just can't say no. At least that was Alex's excuse to Binky for kissing two girls on two separate occasions during their pretty short term relationship. Now aside from his other ridiculous excuse that he drunk so much he couldn't actually remember having sex with someone (put so eloquently by Rosie/Lucy – 'you don't just forget putting your dick in someone') is getting too drunk a good excuse? Not really.
You could say it's the result of our generation's heavy reliance on social media and technology. How many celebrities are now caught 'sexting' or tweeting members of the opposite sex behind their partner's back? Answer: A LOT. It's become far too easy to do naughty things behind your boyfriend/girlfriend/husband'wife's back and never get found out. Again however, this is no excuse.
You could say it's all a publicity stunt. I definitely think to a certain extent that the producers make the situations on these reality TV shows play out a certain way to ensure maximum scandal. None of us are completely stupid. However, if you witnessed the aftermath of Binky finding out about Alex's antics, I'm sure you'll agree with me that her tears seemed 100% genuine. The same goes for Louise's non-stop crying, and Stephanie Pratt's confrontation of Spencer this season. Whilst perhaps things are exaggerated or played out to full dramatic effect, I'm sure the events did genuinely happen.
What makes me most sad about all of this, and I guess the reason why I wanted to write (rant) about it, was the potential effect I think this has on society, and in particular my generation. I hardly know anyone who doesn't watch the shows, or at least who doesn't vaguely know the storylines and characters. It has (almost) got to the stage where a relationship in which a man doesn't cheat is a huge achievement, and the man should be congratulated/rewarded for staying faithful. Why has monogamy become a praised thing, rather than merely expected? Can we blame it on the fame, the alcohol or technology? Can there EVER truly be a justification?
And it's not only the men on the programmes who cheat which infuriates me, but it's also the girls that ALWAYS seem to take them back. Louise and Spencer, Ferne and Charlie. Lockie and Danielle, Mario and Lucy, Jamie and Tara and now Binky and Alex (from Twitter pictures and current public appearances together it is clear they are still an item.) Why do these girls always seem to go running back? Why can't they realise what a complete douchebag their arsehole ex-boyfriend is, and move on to bigger and brighter?
I know more than anyone that when you love someone, you are prepared to forgive things that perhaps you shouldn't. However, cheating? Really? It made me incredibly angry when Binky was arguing with Lucy, and attempted to defend her forgiving Alex by saying 'well I'm just not as strong as you.' Well Binks, I love ya, but sorry I don't buy that. You are as strong as you want to be, and being 'weak' is no excuse for letting a man lie and cheat on you multiple times.
My whole article is summed up in a Twitter status (haha) of one of my guy friends after the Danielle and Lockie debacle, which read 'All this proves is that a guy can do anything and a girl will always take him back LOL.' Firstly, we need to change the current status quo so that faithfulness is portrayed as a given, not a bonus. And secondly, is that REALLY the impression us girls want to give men? Come on ladies.
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