I often hear people in their late 20s and early 30s lament about Much Music with smugness. “I used to watch Much Music when they actually played music videos,” they’ll whine. They say this like music videos were the highest form of art available at the time, completely dismissing the content that plays on television “these days.” I also remember watching music videos on TV. I remember most videos being hetero-normative, following dull premises, full of dancing girls while the boys got to play instruments. Nothing I would be sad about a teen missing out on. The Much Music website “these days” plays entire episodes of Broad City—I think the kids will be alright.
This year’s Much Music Video Awards will be hosted by two members of America’s first family (of TV), Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner. A quick Google search of these two tells me that not everyone out there loves the younger Jenner sisters! In fact, there are a lot of people devoting a lot of time and energy to full-on hating on the whole Kardashian-Jenner clan! Why, you guys? Because they’re smart, successful, trendsetters? Ironic, funny, self-made millionaires? Because they get America?
I’m a fan of Kylie and Kendall. I’m tired of reading articles pitting these two sisters against one another. Comparing their bodies, style and looks is too easy. It’s also easy to make fun of teens because teens are earnest and perhaps wearing braces. But let’s take the youths who will camp out on Queen West for tickets to the show seriously for like two seconds and consider some of the reasons why they’re all excited (like I am) to see Kylie and Kendall host next week. Here are my top five reasons I like the Jenner sisters:
1. Kylie Jenner’s Tumblr – Homegirl’s amazing Tumblr is the antithesis of Tiger Beat. Refreshingly devoid of pictures of teen boys with hearts drawn around their faces, Kylie’s Tumblr isn’t what teen girls are taught to covet. She posts beautiful fashion photography and other well-curated images that express the teen’s mature eye for style and taste. She also documents of members of her family, and snapshots from her everyday life with friends. It reads like a nice online version of the images that are probably stuck to her bedroom wall.
2. Kendall Jenner’s Interviews/Sense of Humour – I’ve been reading a lot of Kendall Jenner’s interviews lately. Now that shes gaining notoriety in the fashion world publications are taking note and taking photos. I must admit actually laughed aloud at her most recent profile in Interview. Mostly this:
WALLACE: Do you ever lie?
JENNER: You know what? No. Because when I was little, I would always lie about the stupidest things. In kindergarten or first grade, I would tell people I had tigers living in my attic and a room full of gold.
WALLACE: Who was your first crush?
JENNER: My first crush was this kid in kindergarten who told me he had tigers in his attic as well.
2. Rebels: City of Indra: The Story of Lex and Livia – The Jenner sisters wrote a book! While many are quick to dismiss this as simply another way of making money but encouraging their fans to read is pretty cool in my opinion. Taking cues from other young-adult dystopian novels the sisters enjoy, Rebels takes place in the future where girls in their respective societies are given strict rules on how to behave (#babyfeministalert). Lex and Livia come from different classes but start a rebellion with Livia spouting badass shit like, “I’m breaking the rules, and I absolutely refuse to care.”
3. Kendall Jenner’s Modeling Career – Kendall is just 18 years old but this past runway season she walked for Chanel, Giles, Marc Jacobs and Givenchy. The world of modeling isn’t without its issues; however, it’s too easy to dismiss models as talent-less (it’s like, have you ever seen America’s Next Top Model?) because modeling is work! According to Marc Jacobs’ collaborator Katie Grand, Kendall was serious, eager and up for anything during at the Marc Jacobs show. She bleached her eyebrows! I’m with her older sister Khloe on this.
She’s too dope for you 2 understand! Yall would trade places with her in a second! The hate is real! Lol bye haters! #ModelLife #Simple
— Khloé (@khloekardashian) February 14, 2014
5. Kylie Jenner’s Vine/Sense of Humour – Kylie Jenner is just great at social media. Her Vine is legitimately funny and a nice reminder of what it’s like to be YOUNG AND ALIVE when playing pranks people was the highlight of your day. Happy creeping! See you at the MMVAs!