MTV’s longest running show, Ridiculousness has been canceled after forty eight seasons and fourteen years on air. While some viewers mourn and others rejoice, the discontinuation of the long-lived series may foreshadow a new era for MTV.
Ridiculousness, a reality comedy show centered around viral videos, made its debut on August 29, 2011. The show was hosted by Rob Dydrek, with co- hosts Sterling “Steelo” Brim, Chanel “Coco” West Coast, and later replacing Chanel with Lauren ‘Lolo” Woods in 2023. The 22 minute episodes were comedically commentated during jam-packed internet clips of epic fails, embarrassing moments, and absurd snippets. Ridiculousness was hosted in front of a live audience and occasionally invited special guests such as Mac Miller, Gronk Gronkowski, and Wiz Khalifa. Rob Dydrek describes the show as the “Cool version of America’s Funniest Home Videos.”
The series quickly became a staple in television. It helped MTV pivot away from music videos and into the realm of reality shows in reaction to its new competitor, YouTube– where viewers could stream music videos themselves conveniently. A decade later, Ridiculousness dominates the network’s airtime with an average of 10 to 14 hours a day. Like many others Jerry Jay, a freshman majoring in psychology, vividly remembers Ridiculousness’ constant presence on MTV. He shared, when his usual cartoons weren’t on, “Ridiculousness was on to pass the time by and it was funny, so I liked it.”
Some saw the non-stop episodes as a reflection of the show’s popularity, while others saw it as a sign of MTV’s stagnation. Nonetheless, MTV made the decision to end the production of new episodes and the airing of reruns after 2026, according to sources from the network who’d spoken anonymously.
The shocking news came after the Trump Administration regulators approved the $8 billion merging of Paramount, the owner of MTV, and SkyDance, founded by David Ellison. According to NBC News, the merger resulted in layoffs of roughly 20,000 employees.
“As the company works to reimagine MTV for the future, the channel will [be…] exploring fresh formats, different creative voices, and refreshed programming,” a source explained according to Saba Hamedy of NBC News.
MTV viewers are experiencing an array of reactions. Critics, like Junior Animal Science major Asia Muhammad who, although enjoyed the show over the years, says “Out of all of the shows, I’m okay with [Ridiculousness] being discontinued; I’m not shocked.” Muhammad also expressed unease about the ethics of the show, “We’re just laughing at people’s misfortunes.”
Malcolm Evans, a professor for the Speech & Theater department, agrees with Muhammad, “I watched the show but I don’t have strong feelings about it not being on the air.” However, Evans doesn’t see anything wrong with its ethics, “I think it’s in the same vein of America’s Funny Home Videos; there’s been shows like that around for decades.”
Needless to say, whether agreed with or not, Ridiculousness made its way into many homes, producing forty-eight seasons. In a TMZ interview, former co-host Channel West Coast stated “I truly felt like the world truly needed a show like that right now. It made people laugh, and that is what we need more of.” Ridiculousness pioneered reality tv shows for MTV and now it sings its last swan song. The show leaves an undeniable legacy while, once again, marking a new era for MTV.
