Remember when KnightNews.com reported that MTV was sending sex columnist Dan Savage to the University of Central Florida to cast students for a show discussing sex?
Well, it aired last night. And for 30 minutes, UCF got national attention about the problems students have surrounding their sex lives.
After a quick opening montage, where Savage told an online UCF radio station not to let morning erections “go to waste” because they are “a little present from Jesus,” Savage sat down with a student concerned that her frequent masturbation may be a problem.
The student, MTV identified as Ashley, told Savage she’s “always masturbating” and said she felt that “it can be a problem.”
“I don’t want to have to think about it constantly,” Ashley told Savage about her frequent urges. “I’ll be doing classwork or I’ll be studying, and that’s what I want to do.”
Ashley asked, “Is there something I can do that will like — I can do it once and then like, I don’t have to like, constantly like think about it again?”
Savage dismissed Ashley’s concerns that she may be spending too much time masturbating — as often as six times per day.
“Masturbate, then once you’re done, concentrate and study,” Savage told Ashley, speculating that she might be an “anomaly” and is hitting her sexual peak earlier than most women. “This is what I would call a non-problem,” Savage said.
But Savage admits through a disclaimer at the end of his show that he is not a licensed professional — or even a licensed driver. So, the question is: Could a doctor disagree with Savage’s advice to Ashley?
It appears professionals are not as quick to dismiss concerns about masturbation possibly impeding other parts of someone’s life. Dr. Drew Pinsky, who appears on HLN, has told someone seeking his advice that felt addicted to masturbation that it can be a serious problem.
“The Internet and the sexual content that flows into people’s homes is literally a stress on biological systems,” Pinksy said. “And for those with a tendency to sexual addiction or compulsion, it’s like having a crack pipe in your house 24/7.”
Pinsky told people seeking his advice that “there is a problem when behaviors progress in the face of consequences. When a normal person has an adverse affect from a behavior they will curtail the behavior. An addict will not. If you are able to have stable relationships, you are not putting your health in harm’s way, or creating financial or legal liabilities, then you are probably in the normal range.”
In Ashley’s case, she suggested that a consequence of her urges was being distracted during class and when she studied.
Pinksy also pointed out there are books and “people specifically trained in this disease,” and that there’s an estimated “600,000 Americans each year newly manifesting this compulsion.”
Students wanting professional counseling at UCF can visit the wellness center.
Another part of UCF featured during the MTV episode was the plaza across from UCF, and specifically the bar FUBAR. Savage and his cohost took a visit there one night and interviewed students about how they pick people up at bars. In another part, one student told MTV that UCF is known for “You Can’t Finish.”
The show also featured shots of UCF’s nice landscape, and the hosts pointed out how about 58,000 students attend the university.
So, will this show have a positive or negative impact on UCF’s reputation? Share your comments below or email us at news@knightnews.com. (Also let us know if you were featured on the show and want to be interviewed about it.)
