Sen. Manchin 'repulsed' by new MTV show 'Buckwild'

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said Friday he was "repulsed" by the new MTV reality show "Buckwild" in a letter sent to the television network's president.

The show, which is replacing the "Jersey Shore" on the network, follows the lives of nine young residents of Sissonville, W.Va. According to MTV, the program is "an authentic comedic series following an outrageous group of childhood friends from the rural foothills of West Virginia who love to dodge grown-up responsibilities and always live life with the carefree motto, 'whatever happens, happens.' "

But Manchin, who was not impressed by early previews, called on MTV to “put a stop to the travesty called 'Buckwild' " in the letter, obtained by The Washington Post.

“As a U.S. Senator, I am repulsed at this business venture, where some Americans are making money off of the poor decisions of our youth,” Manchin wrote. “I cannot imagine that anyone who loves this country would feel proud profiting off of ‘Buckwild.’ ”

“Instead of showcasing the beauty of our people and our state, you preyed on young people, coaxed them into displaying shameful behavior — and now you are profiting from it. That is just wrong.”

It's unlikely that Manchin's objections will derail the highly publicized new show, however. Lawmakers in New Jersey called for a boycott of advertisers supporting the "Jersey Shore," arguing the program perpetuated derogatory ethnic stereotypes. But MTV powered ahead with the show, which set record ratings for the network.

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