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.