I'm Sorry, You're Just A Tool

The second season of Tool Academy premiered this Monday night on VH1. The plot: Twelve obnoxious, macho men are brought to a relationship boot camp by their fed-up girlfriends.


When I first heard of this show/saw the promo I thought it looked like a hideous display of extreme gender stereotypes: the female- pretty and passive; and the male- an egocentric, meathead who's only cares involve womanizing, drinking beer, pumping iron and womanizing.

The opening credits seemed to reassert this idea of stereotyping(but, perhaps in a lighter fashion). They explain that this show will turn these "tools" into "Knights in shining armor". I felt that this was just a less extreme gender norm for males, which still places them as the dominant sex(as it implies that the females are just "damsels in distress" in need of saving). But I tried to stay optimistic because ultimately the show is about reform and change.

The men initially thought that they were auditioning to become "International Party Kings" and endorsing an energy drink marketed for women. (They had to be tricked into coming on the show because, in typical cocky "alpha-male" fashion, they would be too proud to admit that they needed to change their ways.) When the men still believed they were auditioning they exhibited their most over-the-top "cool"(read: chauvinistic male) behavior. This included getting near nude to show off their very developed muscles, being aggressively flirtatious with the female audience members, being as loud and vain as possible and bragging about their vast number of sexual conquests. But, when they found out their girlfriends were there, watching their every move, most of them quickly replaced their hard masculine exterior with a more caring and emotive skin. One contestant, Big John, revealed in therapy that he felt pressured to play the part of this ultra-masculine person because he felt that he was always looked at as a strong male role by others and felt he had to keep it up to not disappoint them.

Overall, I realize that the basic premise of the show is still quite empowering for both sexes (by helping them overcome these stereotypes) because its giving these formerly passive women the voice to speak up and tell their "douche bag" boyfriends that they want the respect that they deserve. Or, alternatively, that they want out. (Its the girlfriends who chooses to leave with or without her unreformed "tool" boyfriend.) And it gives these formerly superficial guys the opportunity to shed their macho facades and let their emotions out freely.

Maybe shows like this will change (absurd but) common ideas like "girls like assholes" or "nice guys finish last".