Celebrities That Will Not Go Away

Celebrities are something we as Americans cannot escape. As a society infatuated with fame, fortune, and power it comes as no surprise that we idolize and envy famous people. But there are some celebrities that just will not go away. It's a combination of reasons as to why they are still around. Many of them, such as George Clooney and Meryl Streep, have a great amount of talent, therefore we enjoy having them around. Another reason is America loves train wrecks. The fact that Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan are still in magazines and they barely do anything proves how we love watching people make destructive decisions. I feel it helps people's esteem because they can say to themselves, "Well, at least I am not in that position."

Two recent pieces of media have fueled this inner frustration with certain celebrities I wish were not focused on so much. The first is the ridiculous comparison tabloids are making between Brad Pitt and Rob Lowe. Pictures were released of Rob Lowe who - I will admit - looked a lot like Brad Pitt. He was sporting a beanie, billie-goat facial hair, and weird accessories:

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20387267,00.html

When I first saw that this realization was considered newsworthy, I was very annoyed. Drawing comparisons about peoples appearances are a fact of life but my irritation stemmed from the fact that Brad Pitt is still popular. Yes, he still stays relatively active in Hollywood but I am sick of hearing about him. However, the more that I think about it, his extended fame is clearly a product of our society's love for good-looking people. Brad Pitt was shaped to be the man women wanted and the man men wanted to be. The obsession with his looks was formed by tabloids focusing on his appearance and Hollywood casting him as a sexy heartthrob. Brad Pitt does have a lot of talent but it does get overshadowed by how attractive he is. Countless times have I seen magazines trace the evolution of his looks over the course of his career yet they never talk about the different characters he has played.

The last piece of media news that is bothering me is Lebron James. Though my opinion is biased in that I do not enjoy the NBA, but America's fascination and obsession over where he is going to go once he is a free agent is driving me insane. I am a huge sports fan and do get awe-struck when I see some of my favorite athletes, however, I do tell myself that they are just talented people. It's very special that they can do what they do but they are still simply people. But people's consistent curiosity with him is similar to people loving to focus on Brad Pitt's looks, however, in this case, people are focused on Lebron's talent. Just like we love beautiful people, we also love people who are outstanding at something. It can be related to a Jackie Stacey article where she discusses spectators and stardom. Though she talks about female spectators, it is safe to say that similar to women desiring the power that comes with talent men most certainly feel the same sense of longing for that type of control.

The whole celebrity and audience dynamic is a double edge sword. Myself and a I am sure other people get very frustrated by the amount of attention certain people yet we allow it to happen and subconsciously buy into stars' appeal, therefore, giving them their fame.

GaGa

Lady GaGa has created an absolute revolution. From her clothes to her musical sound, Lady GaGa has 1000% (yes, one thousand percent) transformed music indefinitely, as well as made her mark in pop culture history. The theatrics in her show are outstanding and have become what one might call legendary. And what's the best part about her as an artist you might ask? Strip away all the dancers, costumes, make-up, crazy hats, etc. and she has a voice that will send shivers down your spine.

I was reminded of my love for her while watching Glee tonight. They performed some stupendous renditions of her songs and it reminded me greatly of an article I read for class this week.

What Lady GaGa has done to society is quite similar to many of the points made in Jackie Stacey's article, "Feminine Fascinations Forms of Identification in Star-Audience Relations." Stacey discusses how women love to imitate stars that they admire. Though Stacey talks specifically about female audiences, men have also caught the GaGa syndrome. The hit Australian show, House of GaGa, was created by two gentleman named Antony Ginandjar and Ashley Evans, who fondly call themselves "The Squared Division." Their show consists of a woman who is a replica of Lady GaGa that performs several of her hit songs. She encompasses all that his Lady GaGa by sporting the apparel, learning the dances, and delivering a very similar vocal style. All of their efforts to put on a show that portrays Lady GaGa proves how audiences love to imitate stars. It is their way of having even a small taste of what the artist goes through. Tribute shows similar to House of GaGa are all over the world. It is people's way of combining terms from Stacey's article including pretending, resembling, and imitating in order to be like their favorite star.

Another way Lady GaGa's revolution can relate to Stacey's article is women's desire for power. Power, in this case, pertains to women wanting to exude a type of confidence and attitude that makes people stop. Lady GaGa is one of these stars that exemplifies this type of charismatic artist. Though some may say that the attention she receives is because of her clothes I would ask them to look closer at pictures of her. She's not simply WEARING those items; Lady GaGa is PERSONIFYING them. She brings new life to these outfits, which would normally make any person look looney, and also allows pieces of herself to shine through it. Women and some men alike are not infatuated with her clothing but rather how she carries herself in them. Any woman, myself included, would hope that when we walk down the street wearing our normal clothes, people look at us and feel our presence and confidence.

By simply being herself, I firmly believe Lady GaGa teaches everyone an important lesson everyday; whoever it may be, being yourself is always the latest fashion.

America Wants It. And America Wants it Now

America has evolved into a country that wants everything IMMEDIATELY. From the creation of fast food to the invention of Google, having almost anything we want be instant is very important to us. The camera brand Kodak has always recognized this characteristic and capitalized on this demand. They were the people who invented Polaroid and since it has been discontinued, Kodak has needed to find a new product that provides this feature an In one of Kodak's recent commercials for a new product, a father is holding his new born son as his wife sleeps in the hospital bed. He takes a picture of the baby and proceeds to click around on his camera and sends the photo to his mom's email as well as posted it on Facebook.

This commercial is a perfect reflection of many embedded mentalities in America societies. For one, America is always looking to cut corners in order to make everything as quick and efficient as possible. With my camera, I have to plug in a wire to my computer, select the pictures I want, and then go through another uploading process to get them online. Kodak's new camera allows us to skip the majority of the steps in order to upload a photo. The fact that they had to create this camera shows that there is still a demand for this feature. It also shows our desire to share information with everyone around us. Of course when good things happen, like having a child or attending a wedding, people want to share these moments with family and friends. It is furthering our country's drive to always keep people in the loop with our lives.

But I feel there is a bigger issue with the commercial as well as a huger risk at hand. This heartwarming commercial is covering up a great amount of bad that comes with wanting things fast. Our obsession with instant gratification is getting absurd. The phrase "patience is a virtue" does not apply to America anymore. I find this sad because there are things in life we cannot rush. You simply have to wait. I also think this perk of the camera is asking for trouble. Though it's geared towards an older generation that is beginning to buy cameras, who is the primary consumer? Teenagers. What age group is having issues with uploading and sending raunchy pictures? Teenagers. The concept of "sexting" (sending sexually suggestive content by technological means) is on the rise amongst younger kids. This camera is going to enable and encourage this activity.

America needs to relax. Having certain things kept to yourself, waiting for something, and remaining calm and collected are good to incorporate into daily life.

Apparently Gay People Can't Play Straight People?

I am going to start off by saying I am not an avid magazine reader. To clarify what I mean by magazine, I am implying publications like Time and BusinessWeek. However, when I find myself in an environment, such as the dentist's waiting room, I enjoy reading Newsweek. I have always found it to be an entertaining yet informative magazine. Though I do not subscribe to it, I always enjoy reading it when the opportunity arises.

With that being said, I am appalled by a recently published article. The one I am referring to is the article released on April 26, 2010 and written by Ramin Setoodeh that states homosexuals, in terms of acting, cannot "play" straight. Setoodeh claims throughout the article that knowing of an actor's sexual orientation taints how the audience will view their work. It also will inevitably ruin what you are watching because the actor simply cannot adequately perform.

These claims are absolutely ludicrous and, frankly, anger me immensely. The example used in the article was Sean Hayes ("Jack" from Will and Grace) who is playing a straight man in the Broadway musical Promises and how he unsuccessfully portrays a heterosexual male pursuing a woman. I will admit, I cannot weigh in on his performance, but saying that since Sean Hayes failed (to ONE person) in this musical also mean that other gay actors cannot pull it off either is beyond stupid. This situation can relate to Fejes' article, which states that portrayals of gay people are focused on one representation. Setoodeh's article limits the depictions and conceptions of homosexuals even more by limiting the broad gay community. Gay males are already viewed as being erotic, wealthy, and educated while lesbians are portrayed as being more manly. By saying they can only be these things and are incapable of anything else, only further's society's attempts to box up the gay community and control it.

I am going to conclude by mentioning some gay people who I think "play straight" impeccably well. Jonathan Groff, who plays "Jesse St. James" on Glee, is a great example. His character is the mysterious new addition to the Glee Club and is dating the female star, Rachel. The intense and passionate looks Jonathan communicates when he is with Rachel would leave anyone convinced that he is a straight man. I actually found out last week the actor was gay in real life and was completely shocked. Point made. Another is Anthony Rapp, who played the original "Mark" in the musical Rent and pronounced himself as bisexual. Though his character Mark did not have too much of a love story, his relationship with his ex-girlfriend Maureen was a very important. Rapp did an amazing job of playing the awkward man after his girlfriend dumped him for a woman. Two honorable mentions in this portion of my blog are Neil Patrick Harris, who is undeniably funny as the playboy "Barney Stinson" in the sitcom How I Met Your Mother, and Cynthia Nixon, who plays the intense, type-A "Miranda" in the hit show Sex and the City.

Start getting your facts STRAIGHT Setoodeh.

Teen Stardom Taking on a Whole New Approach

YouTube is one of the most used sites to date. I go to it at least five times a day and the number of videos being posted a day is unreal. It is a site that has brought joy, tears, and anger. But most profoundly, it has brought fame to the unlikeliest of people. I am speaking specifically to children. I cannot even begin to fathom the amount of videos on YouTube that star a little kid. These videos are some of my favorite ones. A few examples are:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thq0mI4JVg8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n9YslsI4CU&feature=related

These videos never fail to bring a smile to my face.

But there is something much bigger happening when videos such as these ones are posted on the internet. First, it is contributing to the media's glamorization of children. America LOVES little kids. From shows such as "Toddler and Tiaras" to dedicating specific sections in magazines to celebrity babies, our society cannot get enough of children. Their innocence is completely mesmerizing and I am sure some of the obsession has to do with adults yearning for their leisure lives. Exploiting children in these means has also given parents way too much entitlement. Since I have three younger sisters ranging from the ages of two to thirteen, I am constantly either seeing or hearing about parents boasting about something magnificent their child did or does. This can be related back to the YouTube videos. Almost all of the little kid videos are parents way of saying "Look! Look at how cute my baby is!!" Okay, parents. Yes, most of the time these babies are too precious for words. HOWEVER. As you can see on YouTube, you can find fifteen other babies singing Train. The reason why I extend a warning to parents is not only because I want their egos to be minimized but I also want them to realize this could really damage their child. By constantly putting a camera in their face, you are instilling in the child that they are the center of attention. The spotlight is always on them. By doing this, you run a very thin line of rearing a child who constantly needs attention and positive feedback. It definitely does not prepare them for the real world. Though a child dancing to "The Whisper Song" is way cuter and not as creepy as a thirty year old man doing it, our society needs to be careful with the amount of attention and exploitation these kids endure.

Moms in Suits, Dads in Aprons

My father is the proud parent of five daughters and takes his responsibility to my sisters and I very seriously. He has always been a massive proponent for us to be strong, independent women and that we are just as capable of anything a man can do. During his recent visit to Chicago, we were discussing women’s roles in the household. He informed me that nearly 40% of women are the breadwinners in their household. I was shocked and I decided to go home and do some research. Sources from Time Magazine, MoneyFunk.net, and Economica all have articles discussing this new trend. After seeing the facts in fine print my shock turned to pride. It’s about time this happened.

Slowly but surely, businesses are starting to capitalize on this new lifestyle taking place in America. For example, in an effort to regain a positive image, Toyota has created very humorous commercials for their new Sienna. It follows around the “Sienna Family” and one ad in particular stood out to me. A dad is at a playground (where, by the way, there are no moms in sight) and is discussing his new car. He brags to the camera about all the room he has for his children’s toys and yet he still has comfort and space. The dad then turns angry when another father drives up in the same car. He gets very aggravated and, in a very funny manner, yells and taunts the other dad. By targeting dads in their commercial, Toyota is reflecting the change in our society. With women dominating the workforce, more and more men are taking on “Mr. Mom" roles and are becoming the intended audience for many family-oriented products. Toyota exudes this by presenting their car in a humorous environment stressing male competition by having the two dads fight. They also appeal to men by showing the cars extreme luxury and high-tech features. Humor, competition, lavishness, and being up to date with technology are characteristics that attract a male audience.

I like change. Change is good. Especially if it’s a change like this one where men, such as my dad, can finally see things from the other side and type-A women do not have to succumb to a dated gender role. I also REALLY enjoy a change where mainstream media show it in a positive light and are, therefore, advocating it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO4l5IilM4c

Here Comes the Choo Choo Train! Woo! Woo!

A few days ago I was enjoying some nightly television. I have no idea what I was watching, but I was really looking for background noise as I cleaned my room. But a particular commercial caught my interest. Two little boys were playing with their cars, trucks, and planes and were alluding to the inconveniences of traffic, flying regulations, and gas prices. I said to myself, “Amen brothers. But where are you going with this?” The commercial then went to a different little boy playing with his train set in his attic and commenting that the train is on time and ready to depart. Who knew this insanely crafty marketing scheme was for Amtrak?! With the recent traveling annoyances and people not being able to spend money like they used to, Amtrak is seizing the opportunity to bring in customers. I am on board for this transition (no pun intended). Yes, your journey may take longer, however, it is a lot cheaper. Not only is it cheaper but you are also investing in a more unique way to travel. You have the opportunity to see this great country in a really different light. I once took a train from Canada, through upstate New York, to New York City with my mom and sister. It was a really awesome experience. The entire environment of sleeping and dining on the train adds a special touch to your trip. I feel this shift towards a return to trains as a means of transportation says a lot about America today. We are uneasy and nervous about the future so we are returning to original comforts that built America. I feel Amtrak is feeling the change in attitudes too and it is reflected in the commercial. An attic is where people tend to keep their histories- their roots if you will. Why do you think Amtrak filmed the little boy playing with the train set in the attic? Amtrak is encouraging and reflecting the return to trains. Trains aided immensely in the expansion of America. Our nation owes it to this historical form of business to keep it afloat.

YES. NEW MTV CHALLENGE SEASON.

A HUGE guilty pleasure of mine is religiously watching all of the Real World/Road Rules Challenges that MTV continues to film. I have never missed a season and I know far too much information about many of the cast members (mainly the male ones). But a lot of things have come to my attention since last night's airing of the new season, Fresh Meat II. The concept of Fresh Meat is to have veteran cast members select a partner to undergo grueling physical challenges in order to win a big cash prize. On last night’s episode, thirteen new cast members stood in front of a panel of veterans as they went through notebooks with each new contestant’s athletic statistics. A few things stood out to me. The first was that only one person of color (Darrell) was on the panel of veteran players; the other TWELVE people were white. I definitely felt a white supremacy undertone circulating between the pixels on my LG screen. Secondly, MTV has finally brought in what one could consider being a “typical” Middle Eastern man. Noor, a "fresh meat" person, has many physical characteristics of a Middle Easterner and I have no idea why MTV has waited until now to welcome on a person of his background. Though Parisa on Real World: Sydney was a proud Muslim woman, it would be hard to guess her heritage due to her lighter skin tone. I also do not think she is a good representative for one of the first Muslim people to be on Real World because no one ever remembers her (except for her annoying singing and infatuation with cast member Dunbar). So, what does all this mean? I do think that the idea of white dominance is very strong on these shows. The more I look back on previous season, the more I realize how constant it has been. White people are the primary cast members AND the white males are always the ones that take control over the game and most of the time, win. These shows are constantly reinforcing white, male, dominant norms. What surprises me is the lack of people who vocalize their concerns about this situation. But then again, I have gone through I do not know how many seasons of these Challenges and never thought about the gender and racial roles playing out on the screen. This realization only makes me want to watch it more.

Threatening Erin Andrews? Really?

Erin Andrews is the epitome of cool. For one, she’s drop dead gorgeous and through her quirky sense of humor and ability to laugh at herself, she barely recognizes it. Two, her job as a broadcaster for ESPN is one of the greatest in the world. And three, Erin is also a competitor on one of my favorite shows ever created, Dancing With the Stars. Basically, as someone who aspires to work in sports management and an enthusiast for celebrities ballroom dancing, Erin Andrews is my idol. However, in recent news, Erin has been receiving threatening emails. One email even states “somebody should shoot her in face.” What in the world could Erin Andrews have done to you? What heinous act did she commit to affect your life negatively? I will tell you what she did: NOTHING. As someone who has watched her on ESPN numerous times, there is no way she could have done something remotely wrong to anyone. The worst “act she’s ever committed” was when a videotape of her naked was released online (wait, she did not do that knowingly; SHE WAS A VICTIM). Though I have no idea who is sending these emails, I will say one thing: threatening Erin Andrews makes you a coward. Her insane drive to succeed and stay true to her family and herself makes her an incredible role model for females of all ages. The fact that she soldiers on from all of these unnecessary obstacles displays the integrity of women that exists. The people who are threatening her clearly have no lives.