MTV's 'West Virginia Wilder' slammed by Sen. Joe Manchin for portraying 'vicious stereotypes'

MTV is under fire by West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin after he urged the network to pull its upcoming series "West Virginia Wilder." The pushback came after Manchin watched the official trailer for the show and voiced his disapproval with the way his state and its people are being depicted.

In a letter to Viacom President and CEO Robert Bakish, Manchin argued that his state has much more to offer than the rowdy and disorderly activities "West Virginia Wilder" is highlighting.

The trailer shows a group of young people in West Virginia, drinking, driving recklessly and getting wild.

Manchin argued the show is a poor depiction of West Virginia.

"I feel compelled to speak up on behalf of West Virginia and West Virginians out of a deep sense of concern," Manchin wrote in a letter to Bakish. "I believe that you can make a compelling show about the people of West Virginia that does not play into vicious stereotypes, and I stand ready to help you do just that. I invite you and the entire production team to join me for a tour of my home state and the people I'm proud to call my friends and family from the southern coalfields to the Potomac Highlands and everywhere in between."

MTV produced and aired a similar show more than five years ago called "Buckwild," which captured the raucous lives of its West Virginia cast mates and only aired for a single season after being canceled following the untimely death of series star Shain Gandee.

Gandee, 21, was found dead along with his uncle and a friend after he had crashed his Ford Bronco in a mud pit while four-wheeling. An autopsy of Gandee's body later revealed he had died from carbon monoxide poisoning.

"Instead of re-making that same sad show about stereotypes, come see for yourself what we're like, what makes us tick, and why so many people come to visit the Mountain State. You could even turn it into a show. Now that would make for some must-see real TV," Manchin wrote to Viacom.

MTV did not immediately return Fox News' request for comment regarding Sen. Manchin's letter.

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