CMT Diary
By Emily Ashby,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Glimpse at stars' lives can send mixed messages.

A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.
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What's the Story?
In CMT DIARY, country music stars get the chance to take viewers on a behind-the-scenes tour of their lives. Like its sister series on MTV, CMT Diary spotlights a different star in every episode, following along as they share a more private side of themselves with their fans. From home life to life on the road, the celebs lay it all on the line as they get personal about love, family, hobbies, and stardom.
Is It Any Good?
Seeing into celebrities' lives may sound enticing, and it's definitely got the curiosity factor in its favor, but the featured celebs don't always exhibit model behavior. Take a recent episode featuring Gretchen Wilson, for example. Almost every scene -- whether at home with family or during meetings on the tour bus -- involves drinking, including one in which Wilson and her family take viewers along for a favorite group pastime -- target practice -- and she's shown with a beer in one hand and a handgun in the other. But not to worry -- she explains it all by tying it to family bonding: "Shootin' guns and drinkin' and raising hell is kind of just part of a family tradition." Shortly thereafter, she reminds viewers that celebs like herself need to keep it real because, after all, "you've got to be a role model."
Because the tone of CMT Diary depends on the personality of its stars, each episode is different. For some stars, family and faith come first, and the resulting messages may be entirely unobjectionable. If your teens can't get enough of their country music idols, don't rule out this insider's look at their lives -- just check it out before giving them the go-ahead.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the media's influence on our lifestyles. How does the entertainment industry play a role in what we consume? Does seeing specific products or brands in TV shows affect how you think about them? If so, how? Should celebrities associate with certain products and brands? Do you think it affects how teens perceive habits like drinking and smoking? Families can also discuss the lives of the featured celebrities. After watching this show, do teens want to be rich and famous? What are some of the benefits/disadvantages to living a public life?
TV Details
- Premiere date: May 25, 2007
- Cast: Gretchen Wilson, Martina McBride
- Network: CMT
- Genre: Reality TV
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Last updated: February 28, 2022
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