sorority Life

[bruinaphi]

Sorority Life 3 will be filmed at USC, which is where Chloe goes to school. The University has forbidden MTV from filming on campus, but it is going to be a challenge to keep MTV off of the row (the house they are renting for the multicultural group is not located on 28th street -- they were having a very difficult time finding any place to rent last time I heard).

The only other filming (that I am aware of) of sororities and fraternities by MTV in the LA area recently took place at Cal State Long Beach a few weeks ago. Apparantly they rented out someone's facility and threw a huge party. I do not know what they are doing with the footage.

Anyone watching Meet the Greeks on right now?

They just showed the Fraternity Life commercial, and like some of us have expected, they changed the part about, "Ladies love a Sigma Chi man".

They did a crappy voice over and changed it to "Sigma Chi Omega man". I guess Sigma Chi got on their ass. Kudos to Sigma Chi

Kitso
KS 361

[DGMarie]

Originally posted by 33girl
I think I would be more offended if they showed the sort of group where all the clothes are designer, all the women are WASPs and the house looks like Buckingham Palace.

I guess I see this as completely polar opposites of the above. My first impression was to cringe at all of them. I saw an adverstisement which consisted of 5 minutes of philanthropy somehow expected to compensate for some pretty out of control antics and willful destruction of private property.

[MysticCat]

Originally posted by DeltAlum
If I remember correctly (and it was a long time ago that I learned the Greek alphabet), it is pronounced "zee" if it follows a vowel, and "Zi" otherwise.

Greek urban legend. Unlike the pronunciations of sounds represented by letters, the pronunciations of letter names do not change depending on what other letters may precede or follow. That would be like saying that the English letter "T" is called "Tee," except when it follows a vowel, in which case it is called "Tie" (as in, "eat" is spelled "Ee," "Ay," "Tie" instead of "Ee," "Ay," "Tee")

The Greek name of the letter X is spelled Xi and pronounced "KSee." That's right -- both the "K" and the "S" are pronounced. It's the sound represented by the English "X."

The names of many Greek letters, however, have been anglicized in the US, and to a lesser extent in Britain. We English-speakers are not used to beginning a word with a "ks" sound. And we English-speakers are not used to pronouncing the single letter "i" as "ee." So, most Americans (at least most Americans who have reason to say the name of the letter X in a context other than learning the read and speak Greek) call X (Xi) by the anglicized name "Zie." Some Americans, including some GLOs, split the diffence by saying "Zee."

[Munchkin03]

I wouldn't worry too much about Sorority Life. I watched it for the first time this weekend and got a laugh out of it. The Southern woman in the commercials rocks my world--I know too many people like that!

I was director of Recruitment for our Panhel this year--NOT ONE woman asked any questions that would have arisen from the show--nothing about pledge houses, MTV, anything. Maybe the women who go through Recruitment at my school are smart enough to separate TV from reality.

[33girl]

Originally posted by almostaDGonce
willful destruction of private property.

huh????? I missed that. Are you talking about SL the original or the commercials for season 2? I can't recall anyone "destroying" anything...

[Opie25]

The Boston Herald
February 22, 2003

TELEVISION REVIEW; A-mega Greek drama; MTV's sorority, fraternity kids spew
double dose of theatrics

By AMY AMATANGELO

"Sorority Life II."

Series premiere Wednesday at 10 p.m. on MTV.

Three stars (out of four)

-------------------------------

"Fraternity Life."

Series premiere Wednesday at 10:30 p.m. on MTV.

Three stars

-------------------------------

While other networks scramble to exploit the reality genre, MTV once again
finds histrionics by ferreting out people who naturally create an
inordinate amount of drama in their everyday lives.

"Sorority Life II" and "Fraternity Life," premiering Wednesday at 10 p.m.
and 10:30 p.m., follow the pledge classes of the Delta Xi Omega sorority
and the Sigma Chi Omega fraternity at the University of Buffalo. (A preview
special, "Meet the Greeks," airs today at 1 p.m.) The rush process expels
people and silently implies that they weren't good enough. Combine that
with the secrecy inherent in the Greek system, the sheer ridiculousness of
forging friendships over candlelight ceremonies and hazing, some clever
editing and you've got yourself a show - two shows. Also a plus - putting
the pledges up in posh "Real World"-like houses. They live better than
their already pledged brothers and sisters.

"A lot of my friends think sorority girls are stuck up, slutty or just
plain stupid," one of the potential pledges says. And by watching the
survival-of-the-fittest selection process, those friends are not that far
off. The sorority hierarchy relishes the opportunity to critique a
hopeful's outfit (showing up in shorts is such a no-no), attitude ("This is
my sorority and if you want to be a part of it, you have to impress me,"
sister Janel says), or motivation (don't let the word get out that you are
there because you want to be on TV).

The first "Sorority Life" followed the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi pledges in
Davis, Calif. The girls fought, talked trash about one another and drank
themselves into oblivion on a daily basis. The real standout was Jordan,
who at 21 already had the weary demeanor of a 45-year-old divorcee. The DXO
pledge poised to carry on Jordan's legacy is Julia, who is already in a
snit because she doesn't win the election for pledge vice president.

Amazingly, the men of "Fraternity Life" are equally interesting. Sure,
there are stereotypical differences. The girls play a friendly game of
softball for one of their socials. The boys? Well, they go to Hooters. The
girls dress up pretty and live in a quaint sorority house. The boys live
"in absolute filth" surrounded by trash and dirty dishes. The girls are
threatened by beautiful pledge Brooke and can't figure out why she wants to
be part of their sorority. The boys are threatened by pretty-boy Grant, who
has the misfortune of hitting on a brother's ex-girlfriend. The girls say
things such as, "Every single one of these girls is going to be at my
wedding." The boys ask questions like, "Did you just get laid?"

But give the guys credit because they rise to the challenge of melodrama.
Fraternity pledge Alex has a girlfriend who desperately doesn't want him to
rush. Like Niles' biddy ex-wife on NBC's "Frasier," Lindsay is a
not-yet-seen villain. The cameras only capture the desperate pleas of a
clearly lovesick boy. He's so sick about having to choose between his
girlfriend and his brothers that the poor kid throws up. Needless to say, I
can't wait to meet Lindsay.

And just think of the crossover episodes! Long live the Greek system.

---------

Okay, I'm glad that there is a good positive (non-flaming) discusion for once...and I hope I don't start one here, but just thought that I would add this article that I ran across and post it. I guess after reading all the posts I have a few questions for everyone.....here goes:

1. If nobody thinks that anything is wrong with sorority life (or fraternity life) and think that they are wonderful programs...then why aren't they participating in the next season?

2. Why did all NPC, NIC, and NPHC HQ's ban their chapters from participating if this is such a fabulous experience that gives us such great publicity...why aren't your chapters signing up?

3. Have you ever noticed the that all the groups picked so far all have similar sounding names as National Organizations? Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi (Sigma Alpha Epsilon or Alpha Epsilon Pi); Delta Xi Omega they use DZO (DZ....hmm...sound familar?); Sigma Chi Omega (Sigma Chi or Chi Omega).....curious....curious...

4. I do agree that the SAEPi women were not the stereotypical looking women in an organization....but did you notice how women who didn't fit that mold were treated? Or what if they did fit that skinny blonde mold...how was Jordan treated? Candace? The women were still trying to fill a mold.....it just wasn't the one that is normally related to sorority life.

5. If nothing is wrong with fraternity or sorority life on MTV then why don't we use them as a recruitment tool? We can get copies of the programs and mail them out to all incoming first year students, show them at our freshmen orientation, and mail them to the parent's of entering students. I'm sure that would have them lined up at the door?

6. Someone mentioned that the programs are good publicity and might help in recruitment.....really? What type of person are the programs going to bring into our chapters if they develop their idea of greek life from these programs? How long will it take for our chapter to deterriorate into shells of the great organizations that they once where.......then will we be praising the great ads and publicity? Will it be funny then?

-----
Thanks for listening........o.p.i.e.

[33girl]

opie...

I think you are taking some of the things that were said and getting them slightly twisted.

I don't think anyone on here has said they think the MTV shows are a good idea, nor that they would participate in them. I know if my chapter even had thought of such a thing I would have said NO WAY IN HELL!! This isn't because I don't trust my sisters, but because I don't trust MTV. Joe Patane (from Real World Miami) wrote a book on his experience, and it is very eye opening on their methods and such.

But the point is...the shows are here. They're not going to go away. So instead of sticking our heads in the sand, as NPC is wont to do on issues, why not try to put a positive spin on it - take it and make it yours, as Little E said.

As far as Jordan and Candace, in the reunion special they showed a clip where they came out and asked them if they were pledging because of the show. If you believe Jordan was interested AT ALL in SAEPi as anything other than a vehicle to get her face on camera, I've got a bridge I'd like to sell you. I would take the same attitude as the Sigma sisters did if anyone wanted to pledge my sorority for anything other than sisterhood purposes. I think it was their attitude more than their looks that made the sisters wary of them. (There are a few Sigmas who didn't appear on camera who are WAY more attractive than Candace or Jordan.)

As far as the group's names, look on Laura's local sororities site...there are very, very few groups that you CAN'T somehow twist them to sound like something else.

I think to intimate that anyone who gets interested in Greek life because of these shows will be a bad member is just plain narrow-minded and wrong...that's like saying you can't be a good scientist if the thing that sparked your interest was The Six Million Dollar Man. Our groups will deteriorate just as quickly if people think they have to be perfect to be members. Very few people want to enter into an organization feeling they will be constantly judged.

[sugar and spice]

Originally posted by Opie25


1. If nobody thinks that anything is wrong with sorority life (or fraternity life) and think that they are wonderful programs...then why aren't they participating in the next season?

2. Why did all NPC, NIC, and NPHC HQ's ban their chapters from participating if this is such a fabulous experience that gives us such great publicity...why aren't your chapters signing up?

3. Have you ever noticed the that all the groups picked so far all have similar sounding names as National Organizations? Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi (Sigma Alpha Epsilon or Alpha Epsilon Pi); Delta Xi Omega they use DZO (DZ....hmm...sound familar?); Sigma Chi Omega (Sigma Chi or Chi Omega).....curious....curious...

4. I do agree that the SAEPi women were not the stereotypical looking women in an organization....but did you notice how women who didn't fit that mold were treated? Or what if they did fit that skinny blonde mold...how was Jordan treated? Candace? The women were still trying to fill a mold.....it just wasn't the one that is normally related to sorority life.

5. If nothing is wrong with fraternity or sorority life on MTV then why don't we use them as a recruitment tool? We can get copies of the programs and mail them out to all incoming first year students, show them at our freshmen orientation, and mail them to the parent's of entering students. I'm sure that would have them lined up at the door?

6. Someone mentioned that the programs are good publicity and might help in recruitment.....really? What type of person are the programs going to bring into our chapters if they develop their idea of greek life from these programs? How long will it take for our chapter to deterriorate into shells of the great organizations that they once where.......then will we be praising the great ads and publicity? Will it be funny then?

-----
Thanks for listening........o.p.i.e.

I don't think there was a single person that said that these shows were GOOD publicity or a great idea -- only that the publicity was not completely bad, as so many people have suggestion. And personally, I'm getting a little sick of all the complaining people do about this show. That's why I'm trying to put a positive spin on it -- because not every aspect of this show is entirely terrible. As I pointed out earlier, "Sorority Life" is portraying a sorority that is not nearly as stereotypical (Prada, fake breasts and Daddy's credit card) as most fictional TV sororities. Rush numbers were way up at my university (and many others), I think in part because of the interest raised by this show. And SAEPi got 15-20 offers from other universities wanting to start up SAEPi chapters of their own! Anything that raises interest in Greek life this much can't be 100 percent terrible.

MTV doesn't care whether or not it exploits these fraternities or sororities, what it cares about is making money. And the first season of "Sorority Life" made them a ton of money, so they'll continue to create these kinds of shows until they stop making money. For that reason, we don't have a lot of options. You can:

1) Put your money where your mouth is and organize a Greek-wide boycott of the show. (I wouldn't participate, just because I think the show is hilarious . . . but I'm sure there are a lot of sorority members -- and probably after this season, fraternity members -- who would.)

2) Ignore it.

3) As Little E said, use this as an educational tool for PNMs -- use it as a visual example to educate them on what sororities are really like.

4) Focus on the positives the show is creating (like those mentioned above) while working to counteract the negatives.

5) Keep whining about it (which doesn't fix anything).

[MoxieGrrl]

And just when we thought we made scathing remarks about Sorority Life.......

http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com...110&story=4712

[DGMarie]

Actually, despite the scathing satire, I thought it was pretty funny. I mean, he made fun of a lot of stuff which I also thought was pretty stupid. Take it with a grain of salt.

[MoxieGrrl]

I completely agree almostaDG. That site is one of my faves & I get a good laugh out of all of their show reviews. I'm really looking forward to reading the Fraternity/Sorority Life recaps

[Tom Earp]

Having never seen any of these nonsensical shows, I guess I should not comment, but it seems that in "most" instancses, they make Greeks Look like Air Headed adolesences.

Kids who care nothing about what the True meaning is of each and everyone of our Organizations. But of course, unless it is bad news or stereotyping us then it is not worth trying to make money doing it!

F**K THEM and the Jackass they Filmed production on!!!!!

My $20.00 Bill that I am a big spenders worth!

[pinkyphimu]

Originally posted by MoxieGrrl
And just when we thought we made scathing remarks about Sorority Life.......

http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com...110&story=4712

i loved that article! i laughed so hard, i almost cried. this website is new to me, but i am going to check it out more often!!!

[texas*princess]

Since school is out because of the weather, i actually got to see the SL commercial... funny stuff