Assignment 9-1: Weekly Written Analysis 5

The animated film ‘Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa’ was released on November 7th, stealing the spotlight as the #1 grossing movie of the week. Additionally, the film’s $63 million gross was the highest seen since ‘The Dark Night’ back in July, not to mention it was ranked the second-highest non-summer animated release in history. A large part of the pull of this film is that it has the ability to appeal to both adults and children alike- a formula that has received mixed reviews from the general public (Box Office Report, 2008). While some find the adult humor and sexual innuendo of the film to be a harmless way to keep parents entertained, others find it appalling that a childrens’ movie would contain crude jokes and mature humor, even if it does go over the childrens’ heads. The topic has been hotly debated on the Yahoo forums, and among parents nationwide (Yahoo Answers, 2008).

The trend of including adult humor in childrens’ movies is not a new idea, although it has been on the rise over the past decade. Films like the Shrek trilogy and soon-to-be Ice Age trilogy are at the forefront, along with newer titles like Open Season and Over the Hedge, all of which revolve around cute cuddly animal characters whose actions and dialogue are often far ahead of their target audience. In ‘Madagascar 2’ for example, narcissistic king lemur Julian attempts to attract fellow lemurs by cross-dressing, gets his annoying sidekick Mort kicked off the airplane for carrying scissors and hand lotion, complains about how he misses ‘the separation of the classes’ when giraffe Melman interrupts his first-class lobster feast from the economy class, and professes that one of the things he’d like to do before he dies is “Invade a neighboring country and impose his own ideology.” While the kids may giggle along, most will not understand the implications of much of the dialogue. Adult humor and political references have become increasingly common on televised cartoons as well, ranging from South Park to Family Guy. It’s ironic that a genre that was originally created for kids now contains references they couldn’t possibly understand, however, the humor does represent modern-day America, and does an exceptional job of bringing families together again, albeit in a slightly less wholesome manner.

I personally love the new generation of cartoons and CGI animation. I’m glad to see that America is ‘lightening up’ on their censorship of animation, as my generation saw the banning of animated television shows like ‘Beavis & Butthead’ for its crude humor and sexual innuendo. While I do not have children of my own, I think it’s great that once I do, there are films that we will be able to enjoy together as a family. While some of the content may be inappropriate for young audiences, it’s unlikely that the kids will notice, and I think any parent who raised children during the unbearable Barney-era will welcome Madagascar’s universal appeal.




Box Office Report (2008). Madagascar 2: Box office number 1. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 23, 2008 from http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20239181,00.html

Madagascar 2: Your thoughts, parents? (2008). Yahoo Answers. Retrieved November 23, 2008 from http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081114181129AAUQ6pW

Assignment 1-3: Journal Article Analysis

For my analysis, I chose the article “Locating the Punk Preppy” by Daniel Traber. Being 18 pages long, the article served as a very thorough speculation by a man who claimed to have no real authority, but managed to create an incredibly detailed, accurate, and honest assessment anyway. This article was definitely written for a specialized audience; namely, one interested in analyzing the often overlooked area of punk rock, and the hypocrisies and commonalities inherent in it. To anyone unfamiliar with the subject, Traber’s references to “the scene” and “purists vs. poseurs” may not be fully understood, but therein lies the article’s charm. As someone who has been heavily immersed in the world of punk rock since 1995, I’ve seen countless articles and media outlets attempt to discuss and define punk rock in a way that makes me cringe at their ignorance, but “Locating the Punk Preppy” nailed the topic dead-on with an authenticity that put a smile on my face and had me nodding along in agreement.

The article focuses around the concept of punks and preppies; two opposing forces with seemingly little in common. While punk rockers aim to shock and offend with their anti-fashion biker jackets, studs, and outrageous hairstyles, clean-cut preppies wish to give an aura of upper-class style in their suits, ties, khakis, and polos. Although individuals do use clothing to define their values, lifestyles, and social status, the article analyzes what happens when people refuse to conform to a single stereotype, instead choosing to dabble in rebellion and offensive music while still remaining conservative in dress and behavior to create the once unthinkable identity of “the punk preppy.”

Punk rock was originally created as a rebellion against boring conformist ideals, however, Traber points out that punk rock music and fashion is in a sense conformist in itself in that all bands follow a certain formula and all fans dress in a certain way, branding themselves and following dress codes in the same way that they criticize preppies for. Despite claiming to be against social rankings, a clear hierarchy exists in punk rock circles, where status is gained through full devotion, knowledge of the obscure, and time spent in the “scene” or clique. Anyone with an interest in punk who refuses to submit completely to punk’s fashion and ideals [i.e., “the punk preppy”] is automatically viewed as insincere and placed at the bottom of the hierarchy by those of higher status, thus perpetuating the same elitism and snobbery that punks criticize preppies for. While the two groups appear to be outwardly different in every way, in the end they are simply two subcultural stereotypes with their own styles, fashions, and ideals. As humans, we are able to blend these opposite cookie-cutter identities together to form our own individual style and worldview that is more unique than either the punk or preppy alone.

The organization style of the article was its weakest point, going through eighteen pages without any subtitles to break up the information. While the article was very thorough with an excellent introduction and concluding points, topics seemed to overlap throughout the article with no clear structure. The article started off talking about identity construction through music, brought in the concept of the punk preppy, discussed the diversity and limitations of punk rock, described the fashion of both stereotypes, jumped back to the concept of the punk preppy, discussed social rankings, jumped back to fashion implications, then explained the reasons for the punk preppy and how the blending of the two stereotypes can in fact be beneficial. The information and ideas presented were excellent, and the writing style was easy to read, however, the layout of the information could use some improvement.

All in all, I felt that this was a great article that provided much insight to me personally. In my adult life, I’ve often struggled with the conflicting identities of remaining true to the rebellious blue-haired teenager I once was while adjusting to the responsible future-oriented casually-clothed twenty-something I’ve become. The key idea that stuck with me from this article is that this sort of conflict of ideals is okay, and that creating your own reality and refusing to conform to any strict set of rules is the definition of true rebellion, making the “punk preppy”, in a sense, more rebellious than the punk rocker himself. After all, the respected adult who spends weekdays working for the law firm and weekends stage diving at the local punk rock show is much more capable of the radical social change punks notoriously desire than the teenager standing on the corner criticizing his classmate’s polo shirt.

The final sentence of the article struck me as the most poignant, stating “If punk ideology is to be more than a stylized pose, if ‘real’ punks really want their liberatory politics to become more than audience chants or bumper sticker slogans, they will have to embrace some of the punk preppy’s strategy of critical adaptation.” No underground revolution ever found success by remaining elitist; social change occurs on a large scale by embracing mainstream non-extremist support rather than rejecting it. Being a part of the preppy-dominated system allows the punk rocker to work for change from within rather than standing on the outskirts with his nose in the air preaching to the choir, and Traber’s article nailed this unpopular viewpoint with elegance and ease.


References
Traber, D. (2008). Locating the punk preppy. The Journal of Popular Culture, 41(3), 488-508. Retrieved October 1, 2008 from OhioLink database.

Assignment 7-1: Weekly Written Analysis 4

Converse, the iconic white rubber-toed canvas sneaker popularized in 1917 by basketball star Chuck Taylor, has become the unofficial shoe of rock n roll. Throughout the past four decades especially, virtually every musician in every genre has been spotted wearing a pair of “Chucks” at some point, and Converse has embraced the association. To celebrate 100 years in the sneaker business, Converse has released a line of musician-inspired shoes spanning various genres and decades past. Styles include The Grateful Dead’s dancing bears, a Nirvana shoe featuring drawings from Kurt Cobain’s notebook, and an all-black “We Sold Our Soul for Rock n Roll” high-top inspired by Black Sabbath. Additional releases from Pink Floyd, Green Day, The Doors, and The Who are in the works, with prices ranging from $50 to $100 (King, 2008).

Converse is not the first sneaker brand to offer music-inspired shoes, however. Vans skate shoes, a California company in existence since 1966, began offering band-inspired shoes early in the 21st century. The company’s sponsorship of the long-running punk rock oriented summer concert series, the Vans Warped Tour, solidified its position among musicians, skateboarders, and punk rockers alike. Creating shoes primarily for bands in the punk rock genre, the Ramones, Descendents, Social Distortion, the Germs, Bad Brains, Dropkick Murphys, and Rise Against have all played a part in creating a limited edition shoe for mass consumption. More recently, they have also began to appeal to the hard rock and metal crowd with offerings from Iron Maiden, KISS, Slayer and Motorhead. Prices range from $50 to $65, making them roughly the same price as the company’s non-band related styles (Didcott, n.d.).

Both Converse and Vans have been met with mixed reviews for their music-inspired sneakers. While the concept certainly is a novel idea and fans of the sponsored bands have been mostly receptive, purists in the punk rock community especially have criticized the once respected shoe brands for “selling out” and capitalizing on the bands, many of which no longer exist. I personally have purchased the Social Distortion signature Vans for myself, as well as the Slayer edition as a gift, as I found them to be a rare and unique product that cost the same price as the company’s regular designs. I do feel, however, that the Converse music edition sneakers take the concept a bit too far, charging double to triple the cost of their regular Chuck Taylors. The company’s prices have been consistently on the rise over the past decade, jumping from $20 in the late 90’s to $40 and up in 2008. The price in conjunction with Converse’s recent buyout by sweat shop employer Nike has put the brand in a negative light in recent years. This combination of factors makes Vans the clear winner for best rock n roll shoe.

Didcott, T. “Vans Shoes.” http://shopbodo.com/van-shoes/

King, B. (2008, November 3). “The Converse music collection.” Blast Magazine.
http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/culturefashion/2008/11/the-converse- music-collection/

Assignment 5-1: Weekly Written Analysis 3

With November 4th just one week away, the presidential elections are a topic on everyone’s minds. Much to the dismay and criticism of opponent John McCain, presidential candidate Barack Obama has gained not only celebrity status, but celebrity endorsements as well. A diverse range of stars from Robert Deniro to Oprah Winfrey to Chris Rock to Usher have spoken publicly in favor of Obama. Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel performed a concert for him. The Black Eyed Peas made a music video in support of him. Even punk rock band H2O has added pro-Obama t-shirts to their line of merchandise. For the pop-culture crazed younger generation, Obama is viewed as a great inspiration, giving a glimpse of hope to the dominant middle class in the midst of a war and failing economy.

Meanwhile the Republican alternative, John McCain, is being referred to as merely another George Bush, as he is backed by the current president and has admitted to supporting President Bush’s policies 90% of the time, despite the fact that Bush’s disapproval ratings have exceeded 70%. While Obama has the support of the young and the urban, McCain appeals to the conservatives, the rich upper class, and the small-town Americans who are uncomfortable with the prospect of great change. The latter especially has resorted to many demeaning and unfair accusations, and at a recent small-town Ohio rally, McCain and Palin supporters stereotyped Obama as a “terrorist”, “baby killer”, “un-American”, and “anti-white.” Yesterdays newspapers reported on a story of Tennessee neo-Nazi skinheads who planned an attack on Obama and dozens of other African Americans with the intent to kill. Both parties declined to comment on the incident, though the issue of racial tension and stereotypes is clear.

At this point, who will win the presidential election is anyone’s guess. Obama appears to rein supreme in the public eye, though tension in small town America seems to be brewing beneath the surface. Opinions are strong on both sides, with seemingly few individuals being undecided on their choice candidate. Last week, a news story in my home state of Pennsylvania reported on a McCain volunteer who claimed to have been robbed by a 200-lb African American male who beat her and carved a ‘B’ into her forehead, insisting that she must vote for Barack. The story turned out to be an elaborate lie, turning a spotlight on the racial tension and cultural stereotypes inherent in many Americans. While individuals such as the supposed victim Ashley Todd fear someone of a different race and religious background gaining the presidency, I personally harbor the opposite fear, that racism is still so prominent in our society that we may never see anyone rise to power who is not a white Christian male, regardless of their stance on the issues.



Herridge, C. (2008, Oct 27). Government foils skinhead plot to assassinate Obama. Fox News. Retrieved October 28, 2008 from http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/27/government-foils-skinhead-plot-assassinate-obama/

Newton-Small, J. (2008, Feb 4) Obama’s celebrity army. Time. Retrieved October 28, 2008 from http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1709745,00.html

Norman, T. (2008, Oct 28). Joe the mugger: An Ashley Todd production. Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Retrieved October 28, 2008 from http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08302/923358-153.stm

YouTube. Misconceptions of Obama fuel Republican campaign. Retrieved October 28, 2008 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRqcfqiXCX0

Assignment 3-1: Weekly Written Analysis 2

Since the turn of the century, the issue of music sharing via internet has spawned much debate. Over the past eight years, countless lawsuits have been filed by the record industry for the distribution of music without pay, with charges ranging from $750 to $150,000 per song. The majority of court cases are aimed at those who upload albums for distribution rather than those who download them, though there has been much debate over the legal and ethical implications of both (Brooks, 2003).

By far the most famous court case was filed by metal masters Metallica against peer-to-peer file-sharing originator Napster in the year 2000. With their most recent record, however, they seem to have made amends with the downloading trend, with drummer Lars Ulrich recently stating on air “If this thing leaks all over the world today or tomorrow, happy days. It's 2008 and it's part of how it is these days” (PunkNews). According to a 2003 article in the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, as many as 60 million Americans regularly download music for free, and that number has increased dramatically over the past five years. More than half of those downloading music are teenagers who do not see the act as being wrong, as they were taught from an early age that sharing was a good thing (Brooks, 2003).

Ironically, it has typically been the more famous artists and record labels who have the biggest problems with free music sharing, while struggling artists and labels are happy just to get their music out there, as downloads often lead to actual record sales, merchandise sales, and more concert tickets sold. Personally, I find it frustrating that the only people you hear complaining about losing money are the ones who already have more than they know what to do with. Artists typically earn mere cents for each record sold, and as I see it, Britney Spears losing a quarter for that unsold record at the local Wal-Mart is far less of a hardship than the teenager who shelled out $18 from their minimum wage job to find out that the disc only contained one good song.

In a previous course, one of the topics discussed was the issue of copyright infringement and the ethics of music downloading. I admitted that I do occasionally download songs, but only for the purpose of sampling. If I like what I hear, I will surely buy the band’s records, as I enjoy having the complete concrete package of lyrics and artwork in addition to the songs. I am an avid music supporter, owning somewhere in the neighborhood of 600 CD’s and 200 concert t-shirts. I have attended literally hundreds of concerts and volunteered innumerable hours of my time to help book and promote bands. I’ve had my name listed in the thank-you notes of one nationally-known and many local bands’ CD’s for my endless devotion, and have even purchased albums after the band themselves gave me an advanced promo copy for free. And despite all of this, I had a previous classmate openly call me a thief, proclaiming that my actions of downloading the occasional song for personal enjoyment were unforgivable. I found it ironic, considering the vast majority of the artists themselves couldn’t care less if I “stole” a song or two, or even a full album.

As I see it, burning a CD in this day and age is really no different than recording a cassette for your friend in the eighties, and no one ever considered that a crime. Music is an art and a passion that’s meant to be shared with as many people as possible. In the end, true music fans will continue to support bands worth supporting, and if the careers of the generic one-hit-wonders crumble in the process, then good riddance to them. I will gladly give my last dollar to a struggling touring band to make sure they have food on their plates and gas money to get to the next show, but should I really feel guilty if P. Diddy can’t afford another layer of Gucci wallpaper for one of his 19 bedrooms? Are music downloading ethics really a black and white issue, or is there a gray area? For the time being, it seems that the answer remains in the eye of the beholder.

Brooks, L. (2003, September 13). Parents, children raise questions about legality of music downloading. Saint Paul Pioneer Press (MN). Retrieved October 17, 2008 from Newspaper Source database.

Punknews. (2008, September 5). Metallica forgives, accepts album leaks. Retrieved October 17, 2008 from http://www.punknews.org/article/30335

Assignment 3-2: Icon Analysis

Although there is an endless list of pop culture icons to choose from, and narrowing it down to three was no easy task, I chose to analyze three diverse celebrities, each from a different area of the entertainment industry: The Ramones, John Cusack, and Roseanne Barr.

Naturally my first choice came from the music industry, and so the obvious choice was The Ramones- a band of misfits from New York who changed music as we know it with their high-speed pop songs in the late 1970’s. At a time when the airwaves were dominated by disco and endless guitar solos, the Ramones broke out and challenged every aspect of music, breaking down the barriers between the audience and the musicians onstage. The Ramones weren’t rock stars with professional music lessons and elaborate stage clothes, but rather normal guys in jeans and t-shirts who barely knew what to do with a guitar, but chose to strum away on it anyway. Although they were initially written off by many music industry professionals as unbearable noise, the band eventually rose to legendary status, influencing virtually every band and music fan of the last thirty years. They played music for the sheer fun of it, didn’t care what anyone thought, and showed the world that we are all capable of anything if we only give it a try. It’s because of their influence and do-it-yourself ethics that I devote my life to music, and that I am able to book shows, promote bands, do photography, and be heavily involved in the local music scene for the sheer love of it without any professional experience. To me, The Ramones represent everything good about rock’n’roll, and without them, my entire existence as I know it simply wouldn’t be the same.

My second choice of an icon is my favorite actor, John Cusack. Due in part to my previously mentioned punk rock counter-culture fixation, I’ve generally strayed away from the typical Hollywood image of stardom and fame that we are consistently exposed to. Despite being a part of the Hollywood machine, John Cusack acts as less of a celebrity and more of a common man. In movies, he plays the awkward blundering hopeless romantic better than anyone, because he essentially IS that person. The image of a young Cusack as Lloyd Dobler in “Say Anything” is iconic in itself, as he stands outside holding a boom box over his head, playing Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes” to win back the girl. Every guy wishes he had John Cusack’s charm, while every girl dreams that they could find a partner so endearing. To me, John Cusack is the perfect actor, achieving mainstream success on his own terms. While he may sign on to do the big budget film, he’ll likely show up in his faded Clash t-shirt, incorporating aspects of his own personality into every character he plays. After 20 years in the spotlight, he remains humble, never flaunting his success or taking anything for granted.

My final choice is Roseanne Barr, a woman who has challenged every standard with no apologies. In an industry where women are supposed to be thin, beautiful, nurturing, and seen but not heard, Roseanne’s shrill voice, sarcastic attitude, and large frame break down the barriers of what the American woman is supposed to be. On her hit TV show, the traditional feminine role of conservative upper middle class stay-home mom was replaced with a blue collar working woman who took charge of her life, berated her family and friends, reveled in her obesity, and always got the last high-pitched laugh. Roseanne was a woman who intimidated men, did whatever she pleased, and never cared what anyone thought of her, and it’s that attitude that made her a strong role model for women everywhere who were sick and tired of being pushed around because of their gender. In a world where women are taught that they must look and act a certain way in order to be accepted, Roseanne is a god-send to all of us females who want to be viewed as more than just eye-candy. Sad to say, but in a world of Pamelas and Britneys and Lindsays, Roseanne is one of the few women in Hollywood whom I truly respect. I actually got the opportunity to see her do stand-up comedy on my 25th birthday, and I was pleased to find that she too is essentially the living embodiment of her TV personality- sarcastic, unapologetic, honest, and strong.

Assignment 1-2: Pop Culture Blog

Pop culture is the common ground that connects people of a culture in terms of behaviors, personal tastes, and values. This includes everything from music, movies, and fashion, to foods, fads, literature, and travel destinations that are ingrained in a particular culture. Pop culture is both a reflection of our society, and a method of shaping it. It crosses all boundaries of education and wealth, connecting people from all walks of life. Regardless of your general tastes or your position in life, at some point in time, everyone has watched and loved “The Breakfast Club”, read “The Outsiders”, hummed along to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing”, and voiced a loud “NOT!” at the end of a fictitious sentence. In modern times, it’s these things that connect us more than any language or religion ever could- it’s the language of pop culture.

I personally am a pop culture fanatic. The first time I watched the movie “High Fidelity”, I thought that John Cusack’s music-obsessed character had been modeled after my life, as my entire brain functions in song lyrics. I’ve traveled across the country to see concerts, visit the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, go to the now deceased CBGB’s, and visit various locations of pop culture folk lore. Last month I traveled three hours to attend a horror movie convention featuring 80’s teen heartthrobs Corey Haim and Corey Feldman, and just last night I spent my Friday evening at the local theatre watching the film “Choke”, drove home blasting the buzz-band The Gaslight Anthem, and returned home to read new best-selling novel “Don’t You Forget About Me”. Pop culture consumes every aspect of my life, it IS life, and I don’t know who I would be without it.

Pop culture affects everyone, and it is essential to understand it in order to do business, as it represents what is important to the people, and essentially what sells. I personally work for CCS, a company which produces custom skateboards and clothing for the teen market, and it is necessary to understand the trends in order to succeed. The sport of skateboarding itself is a fad, so without pop culture, my job as I know it simply would not exist. In order to further grow the company, one must understand the world of skateboarding, the founders and current athletes who have made the sport what it is, the features teens are looking for in a skateboard, and the fashions that go along with it. In the four years that I have worked there, the company has doubled in popularity and profit, due to the trends in pop culture, and those who have understood those trends and made use of them in a business context.

While there are countless artifacts in the world of pop culture, in my opinion, music is the most powerful. A specific example of a pop culture artifact would be the song “American Idiot” by Green Day. This song is a reflection of American culture, signifying a growing distrust in the government, dissent of the people, and an overall reflection of politics in the United States. This song marked a battle-cry against the Bush administration, and opened the eyes of the younger generation, encouraging them to take a stand against a “nation controlled by the media.”

Though this song blatantly spoke out against the government and any citizen with a Republican “redneck agenda” who condoned President Bush’s actions, the song became huge, hitting the airwaves on pop radio stations across the nation. Despite coming from a punk rock background, “American Idiot” amazingly allowed Green Day to break down the barriers and get their message out on soft-rock stations across the nation, grabbing the attention of millions of conservatives with their radical ideas positioned between subdued love songs. “American Idiot” spoke out and said what other songs were too afraid to, and America took notice, sending the song to the top of the charts. The song was not only a reflection of America’s ideals, but also helped to shape them as well.

Green Day: "American Idiot" (live)

Assignment 1-4: Weekly Written Analysis

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HUMN 341 Testing...

Hello everyone, and welcome to my Pop Culture blog! Although this is far from being my first blog, it is certainly my first academic one, and I look forward to filling it up and getting to know all of you throughout the semester! :)