UM students agree Greek reality shows innacurate representation of Greek Life

By Angela Fiandaca
The Maine Campus - Staff Writer

May 5, 2003 - Greek101.com, a Yonkers, N.Y. company that produces apparel for Greek organizations, has withdrawn its name from the MTV's shows "Fraternity Life" and "Sorority Life" because of what it calls an inaccurate representation of Greek life.

"We don't feel this is an accurate cross-sectional view of real fraternity and sorority life," Brett Radmin, co-founder of Greek101.com, said in a phone interview. "For any general viewer who would view the show, if they're thinking they're seeing an accurate viewing of fraternity and sorority life, then they are misled."

Radmin said the company initially began product placement with the two shows in December 2001 for the first season, which aired in the spring of 2002. More merchandise was sent in August 2002 for the second season, which is currently airing.

Although there was no monetary exchange between MTV and Greek101.com, the latter gave permission for MTV to use its products on the two shows, including T-shirts and sweatshirts.

Radmin said the problem began when "Fraternity Life" began portraying Greek life as college men consistently partying until late at night, always with an alcoholic beverage, inducing hazing and picking up girls.

This depiction of fraternities was not what Greek101.com signed up to support.

"[We thought it was going to be] real issues that are provocative and intriguing from an intellectual perspective," Radmin said. "Real issues that affect real people, whether they're from a fraternity or sorority."

UMaine students agreed MTV's "Fraternity Life" and "Sorority Life" portray the opposite.

"Those shows are ridiculous and do not represent anything about what being Greek is all about," Jennifer Corbett, a fourth-year public administration major and sister of UMaine's Alpha Phi, said.

"It does not portray Greek life. It portrays a half-staged drama series to make money and to fool the people who do not know what Greek life is about. It is preposterous," said Richard Romanelli, a UMaine fraternity member.

Romanelli said he wondered what message was being sent to college students who are considering pledging a sorority or fraternity.

"This year's senior class in high school is next year's potential fraternity and sorority members, and if mom and dad see [these shows], they aren't going to allow it," Radmin said. "We may be facing a reduction in the interest in the fraternity and sorority lifestyle, and I think that would be terrible."

By viewing these shows, Radmin said the overall population is fed a lie of what Greek Life is all about.

"If it's going to be reality then make it real, because what [MTV's] doing now isn't," Radmin said.

However, he did say that the issue of underage drinking portrayed on the shows is realistic, but still dramatized.

"There are certain elements that you can find in the show that's reality," Radmin said. "I'm not saying that people don't drink on fraternity and sorority campuses."

Radmin said college students across the nation drink despite being underage, whether they're involved with Greek life or not.

"We know college students do drink," Radmin said. "It's just how much of it is accurate."

"MTV portrays Greeks as exclusive organizations whose principles are to drink and act like they are in 'Animal House'," Corbett said. "These programs also haze their members in more ways than one. It is insulting to see this happening because we at UMaine pride ourselves on the fact that we do not haze at all."

Corbett said friendships are another attribute of Greek life minimally portrayed on the shows.

"The bond between sisters and brothers is real, and that is the only part of the show that they briefy show as accurate," Corbett said.

Radmin said his company was shocked when the shows aired because he thought they would detail what it's really like to be Greek.

"We didn't think MTV would be so quick to sell out and make it sensational and party, party, party," he said. "[Does MTV] need more partying? I felt like they'd already filled that void."

Radmin said past cast members of the first season's shows told him that what is shown on TV is only about 2 percent of what actually happened. The rest of what was taped was philanthropy work and down-to-earth men and women having fun without alcohol.

"[MTV has] taken it in some degrees out of context," Radmin said. "It sort of developed a story that may not have existed."

"Viewers see it as just a social group," Corbett said, "not a community that works hard for charity and personal development."

"I think it's insane they never show the sisters or brothers studying, going to class or doing community service," said Celynn Goodale, a second-year secondary elementary education major and a member of UMaine's Alpha Omicron Pi. "In my sorority, you need a minimum GPA and minimum community service hours, neither of which would be achievable if you acted as the students on the show do."

Corbett said the sororities portrayed on MTV are not nationally Panhellenic recognized.

"Panhellenic is the governing organization that sets the rules for sororities. That is why our sororities are so much different than the ones on TV," she said. "We follow the rules, we do not haze and our aim is to help our sisters become leaders of the future. I doubt that the Greeks on MTV have the same aspirations."

Radmin said his company's affiliation with the shows was not something they were prepared for, since it did not act as a corporate advertiser, but rather just as a product placement company.

Greek101.com is a small company that cannot afford to advertise on MTV. Radmin said he worried about how his company would be perceived after viewers saw Greek101.com logos on merchandise and in the show's credits.

"We don't support or condone hazing or underage drinking or a lot of the sensationalized things on these two shows," Radmin said. "We were supporting this horrible image that the show was portraying about fraternity and sorority life. [We came to the point] where we thought it's not acceptable for us to be perceived as supporting that."

Radmin said Greek101.com founders officially told MTV in March of this season that the shows did not adhere to the company's values and that they would no longer permit MTV to use their logo on the shows.

After that, MTV blurred the images on the apparel worn on the shows and removed the logo at the end of the credits.

"Believe it or not, it was an easier decision than you would imagine," Radmin said. "Because of what we strongly feel and believe in, the decision was easy. Clearly there is no place for us in a show like that."

However, Radmin admits the experience was bittersweet.

"It's what any small company like ourselves would want to happen with product placement. It's what any company would dream of," Radmin said. "That's the crux of the story."

The decision may have been easy for Greek101.com, but it did not come without angst.

"We're concerned about the people who think we support that type of crazy behavior," Radmin said. "That's what we're aiming to dispel. If anyone is considering holding that against us, the way that we've handled this I think will speak for itself. We never meant any harm to the fraternity and sorority system and it's all been done with the best intentions."

Greek101.com has received more support than dissatisfaction with its decision.

"On behalf of Greeks at Temple, I would like to thank you very much for your responsibility. We will continue to happily buy from you and will be proud to wear your letters," a Greek member posted to the company's Web site.

"Even though Greek 101 might carry a certain stigma because of their relationship with MTV, I do hope they can do more to promote a more positive Greek image," a Greek member posted to the Web site. "I think it takes a lot for a company to admit they made a bad decision in supporting these shows."

Radmin said his company does not regret its decision to back out from ties with MTV.

"I feel that we're in a privileged place to be able to provide something positive back to the community to kind of dispel this negative stereotype," he said. "At the same time I'm aware that the public perception of our involvement is not always going to be accurate now."

Radmin said business has not strayed from its usual routine at Greek101.com since breaking ties with MTV.

If the company were to do it all over again, Radmin said it would have wanted more involvement with the making of the shows.

"I think the problem here was our lack of control and our lack of knowledge of what was going on with the show," Radmin said. "So that allowed us to be on cruise control, like, 'OK, our things are on the show,' then say, 'Uh oh, this doesn't make us look good. Let's show the people that are mad at us the truth.'"

Greek101.com officials have not spoken with MTV officials in months. Radmin said if he could speak with them he would want them to take this as a signal that they need to reconsider their Greek shows.

"I think we were an asset to them. We were able to provide something valuable, not merchandise, but our feedback and our position within the community," Radmin said. "Maybe this will affect how they operate in going forward."

According to an MTV official, the third season of the show just may change to a more realistic portrayal of Greek life.

"[Last season] 'Sorority Life' and 'Fraternity Life' were runaway successes," said John Miller, executive vice president of series development and animation for MTV, on www.tvzap2it.com. "We're excited to bring both shows to the West Coast and are looking forward to providing our viewers with a new look into the lives of women and men who strive toward diversity and breaking stereotypes within their Greek organizations."

Radmin said Greek101.com's merchandise would still be viewed in the third season's shows, because permission was granted by the company for MTV to use the product placement when the shows were produced. Greek101.com does not have the money necessary for MTV to blur the logos.

Radmin said he hopes viewers will realize that the company has taken a stand against what the shows represent, even though the merchandise will be shown for another season.

Radmin said the future of Greek101.com looks bright, despite the MTV obstacle. He said his only mission now is to make sure reality is seen - reality of his company's goals when once associated with MTV and the reality of what Greek life should represent.

"That's all I want to happen here; I want the truth to be known," Radmin said. "I know that if the truth is known, then everything is going to work out OK."

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