Journal Article Analysis: Quality Entertainment

The article Jon and Kate I Hate is about celebrities over the years and how they are portrayed in media outlets. The author points out that “the celebrity in the nineteenth century often was constructed from actual, historical source material and then fashioned by the popular book or magazine of the time into something unique or special” (Hoppenstand, 2010, pg. 1). He then discusses how media beginning in the twentieth century has become less about the quality of material being delivered in the story and more about the celebrity’s ability to act in front of the camera. After World War II, radio, movies, and television shows became more about what the viewer wanted to hear or see so celebrities became more beautiful and the story lines became less noteworthy. Now, in the twenty first century reality television shows like Jon and Kate Plus Eight have taken over America’s televisions and celebrities within these types of shows have absolutely no talent or quality to their story lines whatsoever. The truth of the matter is that many Americans tune into shows like these for the drama and to figure out what the next idiotic thing these celebrities are going to do or say on national television. Hoppenstand then establishes that Americans are to blame for the “quality” of shows that are now splattered on almost every network. “Our fascination with people and events that have no value or merit other than sensational nonsense is the root cause of the problem. If nobody watched Jon and Kate perform as Jon and Kate then they would not exist in our own reality in any meaningful way” (Hoppenstand, 2010, pg. 2). In other words the author believes that if Americans chose to watch shows that had substance to them rather than watch shows with drama and half naked people on them, the shows on television would be of much better quality.
Reference

Hoppenstand, G. (2010). Editorial: Jon and Kate I hate. The Journal of Popular Culture, 43, 1-2.

Retrieved from http://0-journals.ohiolink.edu.olinkserver.franklin.edu/ejc/article.cgi?issn=00223840&issue=v43i0001&article=1_ejakih

Weekly Written Analysis 5

A reality television show that uses a massive amount of stereotypes is the Jersey Shore on MTV. The show’s cast members consist of eight twenty-somethings who live in a house together for a length of time. The first stereotype the cast mates use in the show is “guidos” and “guidettes” which they use to categorize themselves as Italian Americans. The four girls or “guidettes” in the house are Nicole, Jenny, Sammi, and Angelina. The four guys or “guidos” in the house are Mike, Pauly, Vinny, and Ronnie.

The acronym MVP is used quite frequently in the show and stands for most valuable player or Mike, Vinny, and Pauly. These guys believe they are the most valuable players when playing the field, searching for women. While out in the clubs looking for women, the guys must look out for “grenades” or girls who they are not interested in. The guys are looking for girls who are “DTF” or easy and down to do anything. The girls are looking for guys in the clubs who are “gorillas” or “juiceheads” meaning they are trying to find guys who are tall and muscular. They are not interested in lean, surfer types.

Though these stereotypes are used all in fun, it is hurtful to stereotype people in this manner. The stereotypes used in this show are all based on the way people look and not by their character. This group may be missing out on a great girl or guy because they are judging a person by their outward appearance. This show was created for its entertainment value but we, as viewers, must not take this show seriously and judge people in the same manner.  

Weekly Written Analysis 4

Heroes in today’s society are those who make an impact on people’s lives by “putting themselves at risk, or using their resources purely to help someone else in need” (Associated Content Inc., 2008). They act in a selfless manner and do not expect to be rewarded for their heroic acts of kindness. The reward that heroes get from acting courageously is the fulfillment in knowing that they helped someone in need. Society also benefits from heroes because they are comforted in knowing that there are people out there willing to help others.

In the movie Avatar, the character Jake Sully has been recruited to participate in researching the Na’vi people on Pandora so that the people from Earth can move the Na’vi tribe out of their land. The people of Earth want to move the Na’vi tribe so that they can retrieve a precious resource hidden underneath their land. This new energy source will give these businessmen from Earth a new natural resource and ultimately generate a large profit for them back on planet Earth. After spending time with the Na’vi tribe, Jake Sully has a change of heart and wants to save the Na’vi tribe from the destructive nature of the Earth people. Jake Sully becomes the hero of Pandora, saving the Na’vi tribe from destruction and forcing the people of Earth back to their native land. 

Resource:

Associated Content, Inc. (2008). What defines a hero and heroism in today’s society. Retrieved from website: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1029742/what_defines_a_hero_and_heroism_in.html?cat=19

Weekly Written Analysis 3

Stereotypes are used to group people together into categories based on certain characteristics that these people portray. Stereotypes “can be toward either the good or the ill of a particular people or group, and although they can be intended to favor or disfavor a particular group, more likely than not they will be used for negative purposes” (Browne, 2005, pg. 102). The young women in the reality television show Teen Mom on the MTV network are great examples of how we can sometimes stereotype individuals in a negative connotation. The title of the show itself puts these girls in a category out of the norm. We are all taught at a young age that first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage. These girls however did not follow this norm and are now teen moms.

Teenagers are known to make irrational decisions and these young women initially made some irresponsible choices. However, since they became young mothers they have made very responsible decisions and only want what is best for their young ones. Many of the girls on the show are now single moms and must balance work, school, and raising their child. One couple on the show decided that their family situation was not stable enough to raise a baby and they did not want their child to be raised in that kind of environment.  Though it was the hardest decision they had to make in their young lives, they decided to give the baby up for adoption to a family they felt was more suitable.

The lesson that can be learned from this show is to not judge a book by its cover. Many of these young women have had to give up their childhood and grow up much sooner than other young adults their age. They have learned from their irresponsible choices and have grown into responsible young adults. Instead of frowning upon these girls, we should encourage them to continue working hard and providing for their little ones.

Reference:

Browne, R. (2005). Profiles of popular culture. Madison WI: The University of

            Wisconsin Press.

Assignment 2-1 Weekly Written Analysis

For this week’s journal article I decided to talk about the movie “The Pursuit of Happyness” and how it incorporates the myth of the American dream. The American dream is an ideology of what stands for successfulness in America. We all have our own dreams and aspirations but most people’s aspirations “represent wealth, power, beauty, self-indulgence, all the things that people now think are the real goals in life” (Browne, 2005, p. 21). Americans feel that if they have enough money or status, then they will be happy and successful. The real questions are how much money or fame do we need to have to reach success? Will we ever reach that point where we will be happy with what we have? Some individuals are so greedy that they work as hard as they can to reach their goals yet they forget about what is really important in their lives. How happy will you be if you are a famous millionaire but you have nobody to share it with? I think these are all questions we should keep in mind when “pursuing happiness.”  

Will Smith’s character, Chris Gardner in the Pursuit of Happyness, felt separated from the rest of society because he was unable to make ends meet and ended up homeless with his son. He took the initiative and was offered a stockbroker internship at Dean Witter. Though he did not receive compensation for the internship, it opened many doors for him and a possibility of becoming hired on at the firm. With much perseverance, Chris was able to reach his American dream by not only becoming a stockbroker at Dean Witter but by ultimately forming his own multi-million dollar stock brokerage firm. Chris Gardner never lost sight of his aspirations nor did he lose sight of reality. All he ever wanted was to be able to provide for his family and once he came to the realization that this was achieved, he knew he was happy and successful.

Resource:

Browne, R. (2005). Profiles of popular culture. Madison, WI: Popular Press.

Assignment 2-2 Icon Analysis

The three contemporary icons chosen for this analysis are Lady Gaga, the Twilight series, and personal computers. Lady Gaga is an iconic pop singer/songwriter who began gaining popularity in late 2008 with her overnight success with singles such as “Just Dance,” “Poker Face,” and “Bad Romance.” She has sold more than fifteen million albums and fifty one million singles worldwide as of August 2010 (Wikipedia, 2010, Lady Gaga section, para. 3). The Twilight series was written by Stephenie Meyer and is about the love story between Edward Cullen and Bella Swan. Throughout the series, the two lovers go through many obstacles but find that their love can overcome anything. Personal computers are such a huge part of society with over five hundred million personal computers in use today. A personal computer can be a desktop, laptop, or a portable device such as the ipad.

I chose each of these three icons because they are significant in my life. Lady Gaga is one of my favorite music artists because she is very creative and intelligent. Not many people can sing, write songs, or perform on stage; even less can do all three. She has her own style and I enjoy her originality. I am not a big reader but when I read the Twilight series I was hooked immediately. As soon as I completed one book, I began another. The story is just so intriguing between Edward and Bella; I just kept hoping they would be able to make their relationship work though they endured several obstacles along the way. Computers are such a huge part of my life because I work on a computer all day long at work and when I come home I have to log on to my computer to complete my schooling online.

 These three icons each have their own meaning to me. When I think of the biggest star in the music industry in 2010, the first person that comes to my mind is Lady Gaga. She is successful and is constantly in the media. When I think of one of the biggest films and/or book series within the last couple of years, I think of Twilight. I think that many people fantasize about such a love story (girls especially) and we dream of the day when that special someone comes into our own lives. My computer is such a big part of my life because I am constantly on it whether it be for work or school. If I go a day without it, I feel like I am missing a part of me.

Resource:

Wikipedia. (2010). Retrieved from website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Gaga

Assignment 1-2 Popular Culture Blog

What is popular culture and what does it mean to you?

• Popular culture is a reflection of what is going on in many people’s lives at a certain point in time.
• If I take a look back into my high school years, I think about the music, clothes, and movies that define that era in my life. Britney Spears was extremely popular as well as several boy bands such as NSync, Backstreet Boys, and 98 degrees. I wanted to look and dress like Britney and I wanted to date guys who looked like the boys in the music videos of my favorite boy bands. Those items for example influenced me in many ways and defined that period in time in my life. 

Why is an understanding of popular culture relevant to you in a business environment and in your present and future career?

• Popular culture has such an extensive audience and strong influence on society. “We see reflected in pop culture certain standards and commonly held beliefs about beauty, success, love, or justice. We also see reflected there important social contradictions and conflicts—the tension between races, genders, or generations” (Petracca & Sorapure, 2007, pg. 4).

What would you consider to be an example of a pop culture artifact? And why would you choose it?

• An example of a pop culture artifact is the reality television show, Keeping Up with the Kardashians. I have always thought of them as a modern day Brady Bunch because like the Bradys, they have a mixed family with children from previous relationships. I think this signifies how many families are today. With the average divorce rate being close to fifty percent, I think that many Americans can relate to families like the Kardashians. I for one can relate to the Kardashians because I too come from a divorced family. I guess it is nice to see that other families have the same problems and issues that mine do and that my family is not completely dysfunctional.

Resource

Petracca, M. & Sorapure, M. (2007). Common culture: Reading and writing about American popular culture. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.