Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that viewers are treated to a round-up of the week's grossest, goofiest, and downright most bizarre clips from the Internet (in other words, exactly the kind of thing that kids adore discovering and sharing with friends). Content varies widely and can include everything from celebrity bloopers and silly animal tricks to cultural phenomena, some of which might offend impressionable young watchers. The clips shown here aren't as unfiltered as what kids can find on the Web itself, since VH1 picks and chooses what to show.
Families can discuss violence and the importance of watching this type of show with a grain of salt. Are programs like this exploitive, or is it all in the name of a good laugh? Families can also talk about the nature of the content featured on the show. What makes short video clips like these so appealing? Where do people find them? Would teens consider making and posting one of their own? How would they go about it?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Lucy Maher
In VH1's WEB JUNK 20, larger-than-life personality Patrice O'Neal counts down the week's wildest Internet clips -- the type of viral videos that kids can't get enough of, swapping with friends or watching on sites like YouTube.com.
Just like the Web itself, the content of this no-holds-barred look at the Internet's craziest snippets runs the gamut. A single episode included all of the following clips: a Japanese man hurtling through the air like a human slingshot after his grandmother failed to provide the correct answer to a game show question, Jodie Foster reciting Eminem lyrics as part of a speech to college graduates, a dog defecating on the set of a morning talk show, and a teenager swooping in and stealing a bag of fast food as it was being handed to the driver of the car waiting outside.
O'Neal's commentary is witty and will garner laughs. But he sometimes treads in iffy territory; while watching a clip of Tom Cruise dancing on a stage while promoting his latest film, O'Neal gleefully declares that Cruise is dancing "like a white guy." In the end, Web Junk 20 is fluffy fare suitable for mature viewers; if they're old enough to use the Internet unsupervised, they're old enough to watch this show.
Viewers who enjoy Web Junk 20 might also like Most Outrageous Moments and The Showbiz Show.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentDepending on the episode, there's some innuendo. |
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ViolenceAlong the lines of what one might see on a "bloopers" program -- can range from innocuous spills to potentially dangerous falls and stunts. |
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LanguageMild: "crap," "ass," etc. |
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Social BehaviorThis show is all about getting laughs at others' expense. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoSmoking and social drinking. |
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