When MTV makes the screen hazy

Matt, you knower of all knows: I can’t sleep at night because of this, and I need to know. On MTV’s The Real World and Road Rules, it appears as though every now and then the producers make the screen hazy, usually on an advertisement or T-shirt, not allowing the viewer to see what’s written on it. I used to think they were hiding something inappropriate, but it happens so often that can’t be the case. Now I’m thinking they actually charge the companies a fee to allow the viewers to see the products. If the companies don’t pay, they get blotted out. Sort of like payola. What’s the true story? — Sleepless in Cardiff-by-the-Sea

The several MTVsters I talked to vowed that no one was jammed up for any cash to have their T-shirts displayed before the drooling masses. Do AC/DC and Metallica pay Beavis and Butt-Head? I think not. About the scuzziest thing they’ll admit to is perhaps eradicating the names of competitors of MTV advertisers. In other cases, the shirts looked a little too “promotional” and were fuzzed out to avoid any implied endorsement. One more corporate conspiracy theory shot to hell. Go to bed, Sleepless.