VOTE MUCH?

At 18, I was thrilled I could finally vote. I've always felt the importance of exercising my freedom of choice. That sentiment is somewhat jaded now that I understand the illusion of choice that exists in 'democracies'. As a marketer, I am also intimately aware of the illusion of choice that exists in consumer society. As a result, there are few subjects or promotions that can entice my vote. Until now, my vote was reserved for political elections, music awards and online celebrity polls. Then came the MuchMusic VJ Search.

I began watching about six weeks ago, just to check it out as any good pop culturist would. It didn't take long before the Apprentice-like challenges and ANTM-like bickering had me hooked. I knew just where I'd be at 8pm tonight. As it turned out, I cared much more than even I knew.

As the time ticked on the one-hour finale, I developed a stronger and stronger opinion of who deserved the coveted VJ title. The thought of having to settle for one of the inferior competitors actually bothered me. My next move was to muchmusic.com where I was greeeted by a major cyber traffic jam. A $0.50 text message it would be then - 54321 VJSEAN.

Never before has a promotion or reality/competition show prompted me to cast a vote, yet there I was. I watched the final moments of the Search as attentively as I watch the final tally on election days. It was as intense as watching the Oscars. So there it is. It would appear that the subjects that motivate me most are politics and entertainment. I want to know where my Mayor stands on the homeless problem, where my Premier stands on education, where my Prime Minister stands on health care, who's taking home best new artist, who's got Best Supporting Actress, and who's interviewing the people I want to know about most. Trust me, when you watch as much MUCH as I do, it matters.

Honestly. Right, Tim :-)

Sidebar: I'd be interested to know how many Canadians ages 18-25 voted for a MuchMusic VJ versus how many voted in the last federal election.