My Super Sweet 16

My Super Sweet 16
Directed by	Lucy J. Lesser David L. Bowles
Opening theme	"Sweet Sixteen" by Hilary Duff
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	61 (list of episodes)
Production
Producer(s)	Jordana Starr Lucy J. Lesser David L. Bowles
Running time	22 minutes
Release
Original network	MTV
Original release	January 18, 2005 (2005-01-18) – June 15, 2008 (2008-06-15)
External links
Website

My Super Sweet 16 is an MTV reality TV series documenting the lives of teenagers, usually in the United States, Canada and UK, generally with wealthy parents who throw huge coming of age celebrations. Parties include the quinceañera (a sweet 15), the sweet 16, and other birthdays including a My Super Sweet 21 (which was broadcast during MTV's Spring Break party) and My Super Swag 18. The show premiered on January 18, 2005 and ended its run on June 15, 2008. The opening theme is "Sweet Sixteen" sung by Hilary Duff.

In retrospect, Bustle identified "the main 14 elements [or tropes] which happened in most episodes which made it the supernova of a show that it truly is", including:^[1]

• "birthday tantrum[s]" ("the birthday boy or girl would be crying, screaming, stomping, or complaining about the fact that it's their birthday and they'll do what they want")
• the birthday boy or girl's "constant belligerence" against their parents in demanding more money
• "excessively decadent outfits"
• the party planner who is "tasked with organizing these unachievable birthday parties"
• overrunning the party budget
• "the obligatory party fight" when uninvited guests turn up
• large, expensive cars as birthday gifts
• a musical celebrity guest performing at the party

The series had two spinoffs, Exiled and The Real Deal, which have both ended their run by 2010. The show has also covered a number of celebrity coming of age parties. Bow Wow, Sean Kingston, Aly and AJ, Chris Brown, Soulja Boy Tell Em and Teyana Taylor have all had their parties featured on the show.^[2] A United Kingdom version of the program was also produced, and also a Spanish version entitled "Quiero mis quinces" or "Super Dulces 16" produced by MTV.

In 2008, MTV launched a spinoff titled Exiled. On the show, a number of parents of participants on My Super Sweet 16 banish their teens to remote countries in order to see if their "sweet sixteener" will survive the harsh conditions.^[3] In 2009, MTV announced their newest addition to the franchise, My Super Psycho Sweet 16, a horror movie based on the concept of the show, which was aired on October 23, 2009 and followed by two sequels: Part 2 and Part 3.

In March 2010, MTV International commissioned Maverick TV in the UK to make a new, international version of the Super Sweet franchise. Casting has begun globally on a series of 10 episodes, and interested parties are encouraged to go to the casting website.^[4] The brand has been extended to include people having birthdays aged 13–24. The series has also ended its run.

Bobcat Goldthwait noted that watching the My Super Sweet 16 marathon inspired him to write his controversial film God Bless America.^[5] Prior to attaining stardom in film, Jennifer Lawrence made her on-screen acting debut in an advertisement for the series depicting a fictional scenario (she never appeared in the series proper).^[6]

Mysupersweet16.com

MTV's Mysupersweet16.com is the online component of MTV's eponymous show which focuses on extravagant coming outs, sweet 16s, Quinceañeras, and more.

Criticism

The show has been criticised for its excesses and the effects of presenting such over the top parties as an aspirational norm to impressionable young people.

The Daily Mail said: "In an age of celebrity, where anyone desperate and rich enough can get their 15 minutes of fame, the series is a depressing indictment of our next generation's goals and aspirations" displaying "the crippling excesses of fame and capitalism that have come to symbolise our society."^[7]

English satirist Charlie Brooker gave a light-hearted criticism of the show on BBC4's Screenwipe, calling it "a stonehearted exposé of everything that's wrong with our faltering so-called civilization." He describes the protagonists by saying that "Each episode follows an unbelievably spoiled rich and tiny sod as they prepare to throw a despicably opulent coming of age party for themselves and their squealing shitcake friends." He said the show "might be an Al-Qaeda recruitment film." However, he added that "that's exactly how the show wants you to feel - it's even more effective at creating instant hate figures than Big Brother, and that's saying something."^[8]

One teenager (Audrey Reyes) is seen screaming at her mother and saying she "hates" her after having received a new Lexus SC430, costing US$67,000, a day before the party.^[8][9][10] However, after the episode aired, she apologized for the tantrum.^[11]

In pop culture

• Hip-Hop artist Common made reference to the show as well as Exiled in a line from his single "The Game", 'Watching Sweet Sixteen, Bitchin-ass rich kids Who don't know in life you gotta go the distance'.
• In the film Bratz, a character named Meredith throws a Super Sweet 16 Party, and has MTV film it.^[12]
• The show was parodied on an episode of Comedy Central's South Park ("Hell on Earth 2006"), broadcast on October 25, 2006. Satan was intent on throwing an over-the-top Halloween bash. His behavior reflected that of the sweet 16ers preparing for their coming-of-age birthdays. In the end, when Satan realizes his folly, the audience considers the sweet 16ers to be "worse than Satan."^[13] This is a reflection of the creators' disdain for the show, which they claim is just as offensive as South Park except that, where South Park satirizes offensive behavior, My Super Sweet 16 celebrates it, stating, "that is probably the most disgusting, foul show ever made." He went on to say that "where we would be ripping on the people acting like that, on My Super Sweet 16 the girls act that horrible and they're celebrated for it at the end, teaching little girls around the country that that's how you should act." Trey Parker further commented, "I can say.....every single girl that has been on that show, My Super Sweet 16, is evil. Is an evil horrible person. It's just that simple."^[14]
• In 2016, on the occasion of his 60th birthday, US actor Bryan Cranston (known for his role as Walter White in Breaking Bad) featured in a parody titled "My Super Sweet 60" for the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show, with Kimmel as party planner and various guest stars including musician Sisqo.^[1]

See also

• List of My Super Sweet 16 episodes
• Super Sweet 16: The Movie
• List of programs broadcast by MTV
• My Super Psycho Sweet 16

References

External links

• Official website
• Official website at MTV.com
• My Super Sweet 16 at the Internet Movie Database
• My Super Sweet 16 at TV.com