At the California Pizza Kitchen in Bethesda, Md., Carly Hammond, 14, is trying hard to think of the name of the Vice President of the United States. "I know it. I swear I know it. Wait a minute," she says, mid-tostada pizza. "I know this. Sooooo do I know this." But the name escapes her. "I've got his face. The dude!" she says. "And his wife! I know his wife. It's some stupid little name that nobody should really have. All I know is when I heard it, it reminded me of a dolphin. It ends with 'ipper.' There's, like, Flipper, and then there's her name. Is it, like, Skipper, or something?"
The nation's teenagers haven't been talking much about politics lately. But politicians-and pundits-have been talking about them. From Washington to Madison Avenue to Hollywood, all of a sudden, it seems everyone has something to say about kids. The FBI is investigating charges that a recently pulled Calvin Klein jeans campaign showing young models in provocative poses was tantamount to kiddie porn. Even before that, two of the summer's hottest movies-the Beverly Hills send-up Clueless and the seedy, hormone-charged Kids-drew attention to teens, portraying them as either comically narcissistic or tragically depraved. And earlier in the summer, Sen. Bob Dole made headlines and sparked a heated debate by lambasting entertainment companies, notably Time Warner, which publishes PEOPLE, for making movies and records that he said "debase our nation and threaten our children."
But what do kids themselves have to say about all this? To find out, a team of People reporters and photographers joined 14-and 15-year-olds across America, in bedrooms and at the mall, at parties and, in one case, at a backyard camp-out. We found them poised between childhood and adulthood, struggling between longing to fit in and wanting to stand out.
"The biggest misconception people have about teenagers, " Aaron Nemmers, 14, of Green Mountain, Colo., says, "is that we 're a bunch of goof-offs or troublemakers." We met six typical kids who showed otherwise. Carly, Aaron, Laura Davis (of L.A.), Trevor Kelson (of West Valley, Utah), Jesse Riley (of New Britain, Conn.) and Abrielle Williams (of Birmingham, Ala.) have never met, but share similar obsessions: school cliques, TV, music and clothes. Sometimes they startled us with candor and worldliness. Sometimes they surprised even themselves by what slipped their minds. Like the name of that dude a heartbeat from the Presidency. "For some reason I want to say Eric, but I know that's not it," an exasperated Carly finally says. "I know exactly who I'm talking about-it's just the name."
MORALITY & POP CULTURE
Aaron
I think people who say music convinces people to do stuff have a problem, 'cause anybody who does something because the music says so is a nut. Plain and simple. The only thing that bothers me about violent movies is those guys have a machine gun and they still can't hit nothing. Then the good guys always have the smaller guns and pop-they get the bad guys. It's not very real.
TREVOR
When you see a train blow up, you don't think, "Oh, how violent." You think, "Hey, cool." You don't go away and want to blow up a train yourself. People who think we're going to do that are pretty lame. If I thought a movie had a moral to it, I wouldn't go. It would be a drag. And if I thought a singer was trying to be a perfect role model, I wouldn't listen to their music. It would start to be really lame.
CARLY
Everybody knows what sex is. If they never saw a TV, it doesn't matter, because that's not what corrupts everybody. I know tons of people that have had sex with tons of people and probably have some nasty diseases. They don't find out about it through the TV.... Even if they solved this gang violence, people are always going to be angry at somebody. I'd rather they write a song about it than come and kill me, you know?
LAURA
For younger kids, movies with unnecessary violence, where everyone's shooting each other and the world is ending, blah, blah, blah, could be a negative influence. But kids my age are exposed to that every day. They know what's right and wrong.
ABRIELLE
When I was little, I listened to Guns N' Roses, and I never wanted to kill people or be a devil worshipper like people say they are. I listened 'cause I liked the music, not because I wanted to worship Satan. People use music as an excuse, but it has nothing to do with anything. If you shoot someone, don't say, "Well, Ice Cube told me to do it." Just say, "I felt like shooting them."
JESSE
It's like my mom told me: If you're smart enough to watch a movie and not go out and buy a gun after it, you have nothing to worry about.
SEX
AARON
I don't have sex. The way I look at it, I've got a lot going for me in sports. I don't need to get anybody pregnant, catch anything. It'd be just ruining my life. It's not worth it. The scary thing is AIDS is around a lot. I'm not sure how much around here, but I know a lot of teenagers have it.
JESSE
Sex is there, but it's not something that's part of our lives yet. It's not, like, part of our daily schedule. We definitely talk about it, how one day it might happen, but we don't want to rush it, 'cause of the consequences.
CARLY
The sad thing is that adults think the more they talk about sex education, it's like telling kids, well, here's how to do it safely, so go out and do it. That's really sad when adults think that, because it doesn't matter how much they teach it, kids are going to do it anyway if they want to.
TREVOR
We talk about girls all the time. Which ones we like and which ones are lame. It's about the only thing I hide from my parents. I don't think parents have the right to know that stuff. It's personal. To me, sex is something where you should definitely wait until you're married.
ABRIELLE
I don't think you should do it at 14.1 wish it was more for adults, in a way, because it does cause problems.
HEROES & ANTIHEROES
LAURA
People expect kids to admire politicians. But kids admire what they're into. I'm into creative writing, so I admire Toni Morrison.
AARON
My father is my hero. He teaches me that no one has the right to judge me. That everyone is equal no matter what color. If I ever have a problem, he knows what to do.
CARLY
I don't know anybody that looks up to their parents, like, "I want to be like my mom." I don't know if there's heroes anymore. If you have a hero, it would probably be like one of your friends that could like stick up for you or like kick some butt or hurt somebody if they tried to hurt you.
TREVOR
I don't really have any heroes or anybody I look up to. I don't think anybody my age does.
ABRIELLE
Parents, not entertainers, should be role models. What you see with entertainers isn't what you get. You may think Michelle Pfeiffer is a really great person, so nice, and she may really be mean and rude.
READING
TREVOR
I hate to read-it takes too long. The last book I read was in fifth grade. I think it was called The Fairy Rebel. The only time I read is when I have to, like for a test, and I hate it then too. There's too many things I'd rather be doing.
JESSE
I like mysteries, and I read the newspaper and watch the news. The last book I read was Catcher in the Rye. I like Holden's sense of humor.
LAURA
My favorite book is The Catcher in the Rye. [Toni Morrison's] Beloved and [Amy Tan's] The Kitchen God's Wife are next on my list. My sister subscribes to Sassy and Seventeen-But they've always seemed too materialistic to me. They assume that all girls care about is makeup and how to have a good summer bod. All the letters start off with "Help, my boyfriend...."
CARLY
I read this issue of Newsweek once, because it had this article on being bisexual or something. But I didn't read it. I, like, read the words under the pictures, you know, and that's it.
ABRIELLE
I've had people tell me I'm smart because I read all the time. For a while I was reading literature. A Tale of Two Cities, Pride and Prejudice. I read Little Women four times. Then I started reading the dictionary.
FASHION
JESSE
The pants-halfway-down-the-butt thing is out. Personally, I'm into the stylish, casual look.
LAURA
People aren't really into labels anymore. Those were really popular last year, three years ago. I wear what's comfortable. I hate looking like everyone else. Little baby tees, little backpacks-I hate that. I do a lot of my shopping at thrift stores. But I really don't like shopping. Maybe that's because I'm really frugal and I don't like to spend money.
TREVOR
I wear shorts all year because they're more comfortable than pants. I live across the street from school, so I don't have to spend a lot of time outside in the winter. Nobody thinks it's weird, it's just what I do. My parents don't ever say anything about it. I never wear a shirt with a collar unless I have to for church or something.
CARLY
I have friends who dress every kind of way. As long as they wear clothes, I'm happy. Thrift stores are sort of cool because you can get worn-in clothes. I mean, as long as you don't buy underwear, because that's sick.
ABRIELLE
My mom was kind of a hippie. She had an Afro bigger than her head. She used to wear bell-bottoms and go-go boots. I found the pictures and it was unbelievable. I felt better 'cause now she can't complain about me.
POLITICS & POLITICIANS
CARLY
I don't really think about big things like the world and stuff.... As long as politicians misunderstand me, I'm fine with misunderstanding them. They've never even met me, and they think I'm bad. And I haven't even been on TV! They've been on TV and told everybody everything.
TREVOR
I don't know anybody who watches the news or reads very much. Everybody would think you were a dweeb if all you did was watch the news. I don't care about all that political stuff, and bad news doesn't really worry me.
ABRIELLE
I don't read the paper or watch the news. Sometimes I'll watch Dateline NBC or 20/20. But I'm not interested in politics. Because I don't like people that lie. and they lie. All politicians. They're in it to win it, and that's all that matters.
BOB DOLE
CARLY
Sounds familiar, but I'm not sure. Is he, like, some big person in the Congress?
AARON
I don't remember exactly what he said, but something about kids being useless and drug-using. He must not have any kids. We clean houses, we do school, we're going to be the future generation. He should shut up.
ABRIELLE
I've heard of Bob Dole. I don't really know what he's about. When I hear his name, I think of fruit. Pineapples. I guess he's a President candidate, for the Republicans, I guess.
TREVOR
I can see where he's coming from, not wanting kids to listen to music because of the lyrics. But I don't want them to start going against the Constitution or anything. If someone wants to listen to rap, they should be able to. It's their right. But I hate it.
CALVIN KLEIN'S SEXY ADS
JESSE
It's just his style, his way of selling clothes. It's not appropriate or inappropriate-everyone can look at them a different way. I don't think those ads are leading teens to sex, but they're not discouraging it either.
CARLY
I don't think it matters that much unless they forced the people to do it.
LAURA
There is so much out there that shows kids having sexual contact. I don't think kids really look at it and say, "If I buy that, those kinds of things will happen to me." It does grab people's attention more than if they have someone just sitting on a chair. But it's just advertising. It doesn't have any relevance to my life.
ABRIELLE
If the kids are okay with it, and the parents are okay with it, those are the people that really matter.
DRUGS
CARLY
I have friends that do drugs. And the only thing they've ever done that you could even classify as anything near peer pressure would be just to ask you if you wanted to, and you'd say, "No," and they'd be like, "Cool."
AARON
I told some friends they were stupid to do it, and they said, "How would you know? You've never tried it." I had marijuana once, just so I could prove it to 'em. I don't know why people get excited about it. It gave me a nasty taste-and cotton mouth.
ABRIELLE
I smoked pot once, when I was in the fourth or fifth grade. Somebody gave it to me, so I tried it. It was stupid. I wasn't really thinking. I'm not afraid of it. I just think it's stupid. I know the consequences. One of my brothers tried LSD, and he smoked and drank. But he's a new-born Christian now, with a family and a job. So I know what's the right thing to do.
FEARS
AARON
Lots of kids worry about going into high school and having to meet the seniors and having to bow at 'em. I don't care if I get the crap kicked out of me, I'm not bowing to no one.
JESSE
I'm scared to death about going to high school. I'm so glad I'm in the school band. It'll make me feel more like I belong there.
CARLY
I would be afraid of getting paralyzed, not being able to move. Not really afraid, but just, I wouldn't want that to happen because then I'd be like a vegetable. Which I pretty much am now. But at least I can do other stuff.
GOALS
AARON
The ideal life would be going to college, playing sports, getting a bachelor's degree, getting drafted into the NBA, winning the world championship, getting voted rookie-of-the-year, going to the Olympics, winning a gold medal, getting some shoe endorsements, making a whole bunch of money and then retiring when you're like 29.
TREVOR
I want to get into business so I don't have to mess around with college. Me and [my friend] Andy, neither one of us wants to go to college. We don't like to read, so what's the point? All they'll give you is more reading.... If we can get a loan and open up a Laser Quest game center when we graduate, we won't have to worry. We'll make all kinds of money. Everybody who tries laser warfare gets hooked. That's like my dream.
ABRIELLE
I like to write, and I might be a lawyer, because they make a lot of money, and everybody is getting in trouble with the law.
JESSE
I definitely want to be a drummer, and I'm going to carry that all through college by staying in the band and taking lessons if I can. It's a way of letting me express myself.
CARLY
I'm not the kind of person who's like, "I just want to make a difference." A lot of people are like that. I don't want to be an adult. They're so cut and dried. I think once you get to be an adult, your brain shrinks. You stop knowing how to have fun. I never want to get married. It seems too routine for me. I hate routines, and I hate people telling me what to do, and I hate deadlines and things like that, so I probably wouldn't be too good at any job. But probably I'll get the hang of it.
THOMAS FIELDS-MEYER
VICKIE BANE in Green Mountain, KIMBERLY CHRISMAN in Los Angeles, CATHY FREE in West Valley City, ANNE LONGLEY in New Britain, KATHY KEMP in Birmingham and JENNIFER MENDELSOHN in Bethesda
Your Reaction
