Adambrody So Adorkable! by Nancy Krulik

Author:Nancy Krulik
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: SOC035000
Publisher: Simon Spotlight
Published: 2004-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

9

The O.C.: The Real Deal

“That show’s so not the real deal!”

That’s the word on the streets in the real Orange County, California. The citizens of that area of Southern California insist that the kids on The O.C. don’t represent the real-life teens of the area. In fact the citizens of Orange County (and Newport Beach in particular) are downright insulted.

Imagine how the folks in Chino, California, felt when they heard Summer dis their hometown in the show’s first episode. Remember her reaction to discovering where Ryan was from? “Chino … ewwww!”

And the local Newport Beach merchants, whom you’d think would be thrilled to have so much publicity for their area, aren’t any happier than the folks in Chino. Their complaint centers around the fact that the show’s beach scenes are shot at Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach, places that look nothing like the real-life Newport Beach. As one store owner told the Daily Pilot newspaper, “If the show is going to portray the real Orange County teenagers as snobby, violent, egomaniacal druggies, at least give the local businesses some props.”

The cast of The O.C. may be the official stars of the show, but the series is also defined by its location. The Orange County you see on TV is the California everyone imagines—sprawling mansions, spotless beaches, and beautiful wealthy people driving around with their tops down. (That’s as in car tops … at least usually.) It’s the California fantasies are made of—which may or may not be the way things really are.

Adam acknowledges that the show’s setting isn’t exactly true to the spirit of Orange County, but he doesn’t see what the big deal is. The show is, after all, a work of fiction. He defended its honor to Entertainment Weekly by saying, “Was 90210 an honest mirror of kids going to Beverly Hills High? I don’t know that I cared. I wanted good television.”

In truth, the comparison between Beverly Hills and Orange Country isn’t really fair—at least not in real life. The two may both be located in California, but that’s where the comparisons end. The real Orange County is no 90210. Its zip code, for starters, is different: 92260. Beverly Hills is one of the wealthiest communities in the country—if not the world. And while Orange County may have plenty of big bucks, it’s not really in the same league. As for the people of the two places, unlike the ultra-liberal, movie-star-filled Beverly Hills, Orange County is a mostly Republican area, home to beaches, palm trees, and (of all things!) Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm amusement parks.

But hey, those are all trivial details. The O.C. isn’t about maps, zip codes, and travel guides. Its about taking one hour a week to indulge in a little fantasy. And in that way, the show keeps up with the best of them. In fact Adam is of the belief that in terms of fantasy, fiction, and hot folks in bathing suits, The O. C could be compared to what was once

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