You+Know+You+Love+It

“Gossip Girl” has taken the teenage girl-world by storm ever since the first book arrived on shelves in 2002. Teenage girls devoured these short novels about New York’s young, wealthy, and well-partied elite, causing them to stay on top of the “New York Time’s” Best-seller list for weeks on end. The frenzy reached an all time high, when the TV version premiered in September, starring Blake Lively (of //Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants//) and Leighton Meester as Upper East Queens Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf. But why does “Gossip Girl” attract such a large following of teenage girls? “The characters are so cool and I love the clothes they wear and the fabulous lives they live,” says senior Elizabeth A. Senior Alex P. says the scandals and wealth are what draw people into the series, because it is something “that teenagers in new Orleans don’t see every day” and that people would not be interested in it if it was about members of a lower class. Sophomore Abbie L. agrees, “I think people are drawn to the show because it is fake. The drama is so unreal, yet so incredibly juicy, that it leaves you wanting more: wanting to know what Blair’s next dirty trick on Serena is going to be, wanting to know what sleazy Chuck has up his sleeve, wanting to know what sweet little Jenny Humphrey will do to fit in. I think people are drawn to this show because they don’t want to cause drama such as this in their own lives, but they see it as fun, so why not watch it on TV?” A lot of teenagers, however, are not interested in the fabulous lives of the Upper East Side, because, as Allison B. says, “I don’t care about teenagers having sex and being scandalous in NYC. It makes teenagers look like we have to be just like them to be happy and have fun – also it implies that teenage girls are able to do whatever they want, and that they can have sex like there is no tomorrow.” Some others, such as senior Melissa T., fear that it will give adults even more reasons to look down on teenagers. It implies that “we are only involved in frivolous things like gossip, flaunting wealth, chasing boys, drinking and ‘getting some.’” Many adults have expressed fear that the focus on “the scandalous lives of Manhattan’s elite” is too influential to young girls and that it only encourages drinking. Sophomore Maddie B. says, “I think that some people may be influenced by it, but I am not. I just think that it is fun to watch.” Junior Megan M. agrees, “I think it might be influential to younger teenagers, but once you reach about 15 you stop trying to act like your favorite character on TV.” Senior Laura G. adds “people should know better than to follow what the characters on some stupid TV show do.” However, Melissa disagrees, saying, “Many girls are watching it, even at a very young age, and it is influencing them to do the things they see, because they are portrayed in such an enticing way.” While many shows today portray teen drinking and it is already a prevalent part of teenage culture, Melissa says that it encourages drinking “because it makes it look glamorous and like it has no negative side effects. All these teenagers seem to do is drink and party all the time, but they can still get into Yale. Teenagers are going to see this and think they can lead their lives the same way.” Now, just when the drama is starting to get very juicy as the Nate-Blair-Chuck-Jenny love square begins, the fate of “Gossip Girl” season lies in the hands of the WGA. So what will girls do? On Halloween, when there was no new episode, junior Amy P., who was looking for a break from studying for her Chemistry test said, “It ruined my week. I had to eat my feelings.” So I guess we will just have to wait and see.