MTV’s “Fraternity Life” and “Sorority Life” shows have sparked mixed reactions of Greek life.

Bob Dudolski, director of Greek Life, said the shows are an inaccurate portrayal of the Greek community.

“It’s a completely inaccurate portrayal of Greek life,” Dudolski said. None of the organizations on the show are national fraternities or sororities.

“They are local organizations just like the chess club on campus,” he said.

Dudolski said one of the organizations in New York that aired was formed only a year before the show aired and was shut down at the university shortly after.

Dudolski said he has spoken nationally to sponsors of the show, and some have pulled out. Greek 101 pulled out of advertising after MTV refused to change their airing policy. The clothing supplier thought the shows demonstrated an inaccurate portrayal of Greek life.

“It’s like a lot of reality TV shows,” Dudolski said. “It was staged.”

Dudolski said TV creates drama to shock viewers and make the show appealing.

Some members of Eastern’s Greek community feel the show is inaccurate.

“Compared to Eastern, it’s a different Greek atmosphere,” said Bob Aikens, a junior accounting major and member of Delta Tau Delta. “… MTV is more expensive.”

Amber Reed, a senior marketing major and National Panhellenic Council President, said organizations on the MTV shows “don’t have national leadership positions or opportunities National Panhellenic Council sororities have.”

Matt Kulp, a junior marketing major and member of Delta Tau Delta said, “With most frats, we have community service, philanthropy. There’s a lot of stuff they (MTV) are missing completely,” Kulp said. “It lacks what fraternities are actually about.”

“I think, like the Real World, MTV causes situations,” said Laura Becker, a senior family and consumer sciences major and Gamma Chi member.

Becker added, unlike the show, “It’s not all about partying.”

Aiken said although the Greek community as a whole on both “Fraternity Life” and “Sorority Life” is an inaccurate portrayal, the behavior on “Sorority Life” is fairly accurate.

“‘Sorority Life’ is totally accurate because those girls are vicious to each other,” Aikens said. There are some differences, but “then I saw the girls are so catty and snappy and thought there it is.”

“I think the show and the way they act is fake, but I also think girls in sororities are fake toward each other,” said a female freshmen elementary education major wishing to be unnamed. “It’s all for show, and they all judge each other.” The student is not a member of a sorority.

Some non-Greek students on campus dislike the concept of a sorority, but do not believe MTV has accurately portrayed their behavior.

“I’m not paying for my friends. I’ve already made my friends. But I have a friend in a sorority, and the show is all drama,” said a female sophomore psychology major. “People are just joining it (the organizations) for MTV.”

Campus editor Jennifer Chiariello can be reached at [email protected]