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Mixing sex education with humor
By AprillBrandon in Pop Goes the Culture
April 18, 2008

Okay, so there's been a lot of discussion going on as of late on the Advocate Web site in regards to sex education and teens having sex in general.

Well, considering my school sex education consisted of "This is a condom, which you will never, ever use cause sex is wrong," I can't really contribute to the ongoing conversation.

I can, however, share with my older readers a funny Web site I found that deals with sex in a humorous way.

It's called "The Midwest Teen Sex Show," which mixes humor, sex and a little bit of real world education.

It's a little "The Daily Show" mixed with "The Kids in the Hall" (ha! remember that show?) with a dash of "Strangers With Candy" (ha! an even more obscure reference!). Basically its the love child of the intelligence of Jon Stewart fornicating with the crass humor of Kevin Smith.

Now, I'll admit its not for everyone. Those not as comfortable with sexual topics will probably hate it.

My guess is that their target audience is more of the college-aged crowd, or older viewers with a sense of humor. The site itself says that if you are under 18, ask your parent's permission first before watching and its definitely not the place you want your 11-year-old going to for answers.

But in addition to the Webisodes that deal with various aspects of sex, it also has discussion forums and other features that allow people to ask and get answers about real sex issues, from where to find condoms to abstinence.

If you're curious to find out more about how this odd, little idea became such a huge hit on the Internet, below I have copied a transcript of an interivew with the creators from ypulse.com:

Ypulse: What inspired you to create the Midwest Teen Sex Show?

Guy Clark: My favorite podcasts are educational and having grown up in the Midwest, I knew that sex education was lacking a voice that connected with teens. On the practical side: As a struggling filmmaker, I was keeping a close eye on the world of web video as a potential venue for my work. When podcasting hit, I saw an opportunity to create an ongoing show that would drive a consistent audience.

Mixing humor, sex, and a bit of real world information was exactly the kind of show I wanted to see online, and fortunately Nikol, Britney, and our viewers agreed.

YP: What is the most asked question you get from your viewer email?

Nikol Hasler: Our most frequently asked question in emails is "Am I normal?" It is a resounding theme. The ideas surrounding vary from body image, fantasies, desire or lack of desire for sex, all the way to fear of talking to their parents. The important thing to note is that all of them seem to be looking less for someone to tell them the answer, and more for someone to let them know there is someone they can tell this stuff to who isn't going to judge.

YP: What reaction to the Midwest Teen Sex Show surprised you the most?

NH: Some people have noted a rash.

GC: The massive popularity of the show came as an initial shock. It's surprising just how much teens and adults alike were craving for sex information that was handled in a more honest and entertaining way than what was out there already.