justin timberlake presents: the phone

in keeping with the great tradition of stealing my ideas, mtv's newest reality concoction the phone features girl-guy tandems competing to apprehend an unknown criminal. because nobody cares about anybody over the age of 24, most of the contestants are college kids, at least somewhat attractive, and racially ambiguous. still, the movie within a show steez is enough to keep it sufficiently interesting.

this week the plot of said "movie" involves a corporate conspiracy with deadly consequences.

every week, the subplot is the burgeoning relationship between the participants. the most satisfying twist in the show's 60 minutes is that any money accrued goes to only one member of the winning team, who then decides whether to reward their teammates hard work or walk away with the money. this week, joseph malloque is on the losing end and left in tears at the 50 yard line of Qwest Field having squandered the chance to help his obese brother get healthy (he does not elaborate). anyway, he got played by some broad whose explanation was that joey was practically a stranger and that there are two types of people in the world- those who return lost wallets and those who don't. and she don't. joey's brother may be obese casey whatever your last name is, but you madam are swoll with the acrid pus of human indifference.

twists and turns aside, the most alarming thing about this show is how comfortable these people are in front of the camera. has reality television become so ingrained in the cultural lexicon that everybody expects their fifteen minutes even when they come forthwith and without explanation?

the show is hosted not by justin timberlake himself, but a dubious european guy with an infinite supply of winter coats. and seattle figures in prominently, but in the least cool way imaginable.