Sex, Drugs, And Cocoa Puffs (Summer 2003)

POP ROCKS Klosterman waxes philosophical about ''low'' culture

If you're a loyal reader of Entertainment Weekly, you really should check out Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs. For the love of Gleiberman, it even uses EW's review of ''Vanilla Sky'' as a platform to discuss cinematic notions of reality. Chuck Klosterman, who previously explored his native North Dakota's music scene in 2001's ''Fargo Rock City,'' now uses his disturbingly thorough knowledge of pop culture to explain how MTV creates rather than reflects youth culture ('''The Real World' is the real world is 'The Real World' is the real world''), invent TV equivalents for bands (''U2 is 'M*A*S*H''' because ''both got preachy at the end''), and champion the new country (''Teenage girls are the new teenage boys, which is why the Dixie Chicks are the new Van Halen, which is why country music is awesome''). If reference-laden tautologies make you run away faster than you can say ''Dennis Miller,'' get out your track shoes. Otherwise, this book is Hot Sheet.