SAJAer Aman Batheja, a reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, has a wry piece recounting his days as an intern at Rolling Stone, that one magazine about the youngsters and their youth culture. The piece is pegged to the new reality TV show, I'm From Rolling Stone (via Romanesko). Aman worked at RS for five months in 2001, between years at NYU, and although he's now a political reporter for the Star-Telegram, he told SAJAforum he approached the features section once he heard about the show. Excerpts:
Based on my own experience there, I wondered why anyone would want to film interns at Rolling Stone. Could making photocopies and fetching Krispy Kremes really make for compelling television?
A look at the first two episodes proves that the magazine's treatment of its summer interns has radically changed from my day, or at least since cameras were added into the mix.
These kids worked the red carpet at a star-studded Jay-Z concert.
They also traveled the world and got to meet rock stars. And wrote.
More in the article on Aman's experiences as an intern: the payless-ness, as well as the occasional perk of doing research for staff writers. The reality show, however, wears thin, real fast.
I'm From Rolling Stone loses credibility as soon as it introduces the cast. Given the final prize, one would expect the producers would pick some of the most talented young writers in the country. Having received more than 2,000 applications for the six spots, they certainly had the chance. Instead, the reality-show casting formula -- abrasive personalities and model good looks -- won out.
But poetic justice prevails. Aman, less than six years removed from that bitter, non-paying internship -- the place where his dreams of Almost Famousness were so near, yet so unattainable -- is allowed to grade I'm From Rolling Stone. And he gives it a D.
