"Her Life....In Not so Serious Ruins"

To tie into our diversity and gender unit in class I have decided to talk and quickly cover the accomplishments of a very successful woman in the entertainment industry- Nia Vardalos. Born in Manitoba, Canada (which automatically gives her positive points) Nia Vardalos is a successful actress and screenwriter.



She is well known for her overnight success in 2002 of the low-budget film she wrote and starred in - “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”. The movie made $368 million dollars worldwide and made her an instant success. [1] While some may ponder at the incredible success of “Greek Wedding” others who come from different backgrounds will understand the charm and influence of such a movie. The reason why it did so well not only in North America but worldwide is because of the diversity.

For so many it was as if a camera had entered there homes and there family life. It was a chance for the new generations of immigrant children to finally have someone that understands them and there daily lives after school. Many school children born and raised here that do go home to typical “Canadian” households’ never quite understand and almost appear fearful of immigrant or cultured children. This was a way to inform, appreciate, unite and have fun with the very diverse world we are living in.

However, it was also a calling for parents and grandparetns living in North America. Adults these days are in the unfortunate position of attempting to raise there children with balance of there own history and culture in a different country with different traditions. “Greek Wedding” allowed so many people to familiarize with the characters lives especially Vardalos’ character Toula Portokalos.

Toula falls in love with a non- Greek Man, Ian Miller (John Corbett). In the beginning we see Toula, a single thirty something year old women, try to reinvent her self and get away from the years of humiliation from her past for being different. As she is going through the transformation she meets a teacher (Ian) and quickly falls in love with her. Ian is forced to accept her and her huge, conservative, Greek family and Toula must accept the fact that her life is not how her family always planned it to be. This shows the many obstacles and challenges that real life couples feel nowadays and this was one of the biggest appeals to the movie.

Another reason for its success is the humour and great detail that was added. We see Toula’s dad Gus (Michael Constantine) as the typical protective Greek father who is very proud of his Greek heritage. A perfect example of his pride is when he’s driving Toula and her friends to school and he can’t help but ask and prove “that every word comes from the Greek alphabet”. Other members of the family such as the sympathetic mother, odd aunts, uncles, cousins and siblings complete the picture and bring comfort to people as many of us have similar families.

It’s a shame that movie networks and industry members don’t see the potential and the great business they could have if they were willing to take the chance. At the end of the day all of us are immigrants and have different cultures and traditions. Why shouldn’t we celebrate that, why can’t we give everyone a chance to shine, and if it fails then stop producing them? There is after all nothing like humour, and in a time where there is serious humour lacking in the world and people are colliding, the best way is to celebrate how as much as we hate to admit it, we’re more similar in our own crazy way.

Personally, what I really love and relate to is the character of Toula. In the beginning we see how she feels like the odd one in both her lives, her family and school life. She is an awkward child and can’t seem to ever find her footing. To see her transform and become strong and independent was so great to see. Vardalos has done such an amazing job at capturing her and many other girls’ lives. She is one of the most underrated role models out there; she has a great message, and delivers it beautifully.

She is once again hitting our screens with her new film that hit theatres on June 5th, which not surprisingly revolves around Greece. “My Life in Ruins” has many similarities as “Greek Wedding” and looks to be a great way to bring back Vardalos. I hope she continues to write and create meaningful work that many can relate to, and do it all on her own terms.





[1] “Nia Vardalos says life is far from ‘in Ruins’” All Movies Online Article. June 12th, 2009.

The End of an Era?

For decades now soap operas have been the butt of many housewife jokes and for years the soap industry has been steadily becoming a dying breed. In 1937 Guiding Light was created and was originally a radio drama and after a couple of decades it moved to television. [1] Many soap operas were quick to follow and are still running to this day and they include As the World Turns, General Hospital, One Life to Live, All my Children, Days of our lives and The Young and the Restless.

Soap operas are probably one of the guiltiest pleasures around for women and men. Whether you watch to kill time when you’re at home sick, or as a child had adults who watched in your household, or are a disciplined fan who watches every day, soap operas reach out to many people. Everyone probably has one fond memory of watching soap operas and could probably identify each show’s iconic characters.



For instance, everyone knows The Young and the Restless is home to the beloved couple Victor and Nikki Newman (Eric Braedan and Melody Thomas Scott) and one of its more modern characters is the devious vixen Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford). General hospital is the home to one of the most famous soap couples ever- Luke and Laura Spencer, their wedding was watched worldwide and brought in a record breaking 30 million viewers making it one of the most watched event in soap opera history. [2] Days of Our Lives is of course home to “Bope” Bo and Hope Brady (Peter Reckell and Kristian Alfonso).



On April 1st media outlets and the soap industry were in shock to find out that after 72 years on the air, CBS’ Guiding Light has been cancelled. [3] September 18th will mark the last airing episode of a daytime staple.

For many this was inevitable, and while this may be true, it’s still very much like losing a part of what made daytime television television. Realistically there are many reasons why soap operas are reaching the end of their run and all you have to do is tune into any show between 12-5 pm to see.

The most creative person in the world runs out of ideas, there is only so many stories that can be told for each character. Although soaps have been known to cross many ethical, moral and scientifical lines for the sake of plots they have finally reached the end, and it’s obvious, painfully obvious. Stories are inconsistent, unrealistic, and character degrading.

The goal for a show to succeed and be consistent is long gone; the never-ending changes of senior members of the show heavily affect the outcome of the show. The main problem is that new directors, writers, and producers are coming in with big plans to completely change a show and generate unrealistic ratings. These people try to change everything they can even if they have to ignore the show’s history and there loyal viewers. They begin to change characters and rewrite history however they please, and the network officials have nothing to say as all they care about is money and ratings.

Soaps are one of the most unique mediums out there, and I personally don’t what to see them completely gone. However, I would love to see better writing and consistency with the characters. A lot of the times there appear to be little or no effort and there writing comes off as being lazy. The audience does not want crazy stunts and sex scene after sex scene, all they want is some good character interaction. Another issue I have with soap operas that I wish they would address is the lack of female empowerment.

It’s very common to see females being used on television in general, but I feel soap operas a lot of the times pass the line. I don’t enjoy the dumbing down female characters to make the men look better, as executives believe that they have to cater around the large female audience. This also insults all women; we do not only watch TV to see good looking guys with their shirts off walking around town doing obscene things and insulting women’s intelligence.

After all was it not As the World Turns that had one of the first female characters (and the oldest) Nancy Hughes face the troubles with her marriage and she took the bold step of joining the work force, she became one of the first women in series to do so. The controversial issue of abortion was also one of the first to be discussed and incorporated into stories on television (All my Children). All my Children were also one of the first to openly discuss and create a lesbian relationship between the two female characters, Bianca and Maggie (Eden Riegal and Elizabeth Hendrickson).



Women have been loyal supporters and it is unfair for the soap industry to treat them as such clueless, and plot driven objects. It’s not to say however, all the women are treated to that extreme, because the men also have a fair share of cluelessness being portrayed. But I believe that female portrayal is much more of an insult. There is so much potential and as the saying goes when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. It’s unfortunate that the soap industry does not see the potential and try to work with what they have; they have one of the most loyal audiences around and have plenty of opportunities to continue and make something big.

[1]”Guiding Light Cancelled” New York Post Online Article. Michael Starr. April 1st, 2009. June 11, 2009
< http://www.nypost.com/seven/04012009/tv/guiding_light_cancelled_162386.htm >
[2] “ Luke and Laura’s Almost-20th Wedding Anniversary” Soap Central Online Article. Dan J Kroll. November 15th, 2001. June 11, 2009
< http://www.soapcentral.com/gh/news/2001/1116-lukelaura.php >
[3] ”Guiding Light Cancelled” New York Post Online Article. Michael Starr. April 1st, 2009. June 11, 2009
< http://www.nypost.com/seven/04012009/tv/guiding_light_cancelled_162386.htm >

Happy Birthday to the Gift that Keeps on Giving!

It’s made up of flipping shapes made of four connected squares, and the object is to make them fit as they drop faster and faster. It provides hours of endless pleasure, and this week marks its 25th birthday! Tetris the iconic game machine created in the 1980s celebrates two and half decades of serious game life.

It was created in 1984 by a Soviet Programmer and has since become a worldwide phenomenon. They were once only available on Nintendo’s but have since grown to become available to every possible gadget such as Blackberries, Facebook, and Iphones.[1]

No matter who you are or what background you come from, we have all enjoyed a good game of Tetris. Alexey Pajitnov who was 29 at the time worked at the Moscow Academy of Sciences when he created the game. He claims that all his life he enjoyed puzzles, mathematical riddles and diversion and that is how the creation of Tetris came along.[2]



Tetris has been such a big part of popular culture that there have even been scientific experiments done to further understand the game. The Massachusetts Instituted of Technology concluded in 2002 that the potential combinations are so varied that not even a computer could calculate the different combinations.[3]

Tetris has had a long and tumultuous business life, with Pajitnov not gaining licensing rights until 1996. It has expanded to every possible technological medium and has sold 125 million copies.[4]

Personally, I enjoy Tetris very much but like a fellow player stated in the article you grow to have a love-hate relationship with the game. You love it because it provides hours of entertainment and motivation, however, if your not careful it can easily drive you to insanity! The need to win and outsmart the computer is so powerful and is so rarely done it can drive anyone to craziness. What I most enjoy about tetris is the simplicity. No fancy music, graphics, controls or other gaming gimmicks. All it consists of is a box, shapes randomly dropping, and three controls (left, right, down). I think it’s going to continue to be a staple in everyone’s house and will always outshine the never ending flashy, complicated games that are produced nowadays.

We all have memories of playing Tetris, whether it’s winning or losing, playing with a parent or a friend, playing during your free time or sleeping time, to playing on your couch to on the train with your phone. It’s something that so many people have in common and gives so many of us some of the greatest moments.

Like the creator said “Technology changes a lot, but I can't say people change a lot." [5] There is no doubt Tetris will be around for a long time and is receiving a well deserved celebration, happy birthday!



Source for [1]- [5]
“Tetris Turns 25 and Becomes a Gaming Icon” CTV.CA. The Associated Press. June 2nd, 2009. June 10, 2009
< http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090602/Tetris_25_090602/20090602?hub=SciTech >

"Connecting the World One Poke at a Time"

A must see clip:




I think this is a very funny and interesting piece of work. It really does beg the question will this be what real life is? We all go on Facebook regularly (some more strictly than others) but most of us don’t think of the impact it might have on us negatively, never mind how ridiculous our actions are such as “poking”.

Mission Accomplished?

The war on Iraq was an illegal and unnecessary war, the Bush administration’s decision that was heavily manipulated was created to be a calling for Americans to unite and get the justice they deserve. However, being such a powerful nation that it is, do they not have a responsibility to act responsibly? There actions affect millions of people directly, and millions of others indirectly.


Within a nation there are people with different opinions and way of life and that is one of the greatest things of a democratic country. That’s why one can be a liberal, conservative or independent and live freely with no danger, or so we are told.

To many people their opinion of America and Americans forever changed and there was no going back after the invasion of Iraq. But it was so interesting, shocking, and satisfying to see American artists through their work share their opinions of the war and the government. They courageously whether they had ulterior motives or not, went against the norm and their own government. They heavily criticized Bush and his administration, they criticized other citizens who were for the war, and the responsibility that we have as people to avoid such things.

Art has been said to be a form of therapy, a way were people can express themselves, and that’s exactly what numerous artists did. Artists such as the Dixie Chicks, P!nk, Eminem, Green Day and Pearl Jam chose to do so. Everyone is entitled to freedom of speech, and are allowed to speak their minds. However, many of these artists were criticized (some more than others) for being unpatriotic, uneducated, radical, and wrong for believing in what they do.

The Dixie Chicks are one of the most extreme cases that received horrible backlash. In their documentary “Shut up and Sing”, you can see all the obstacles the group had to endure simply because the lead singer Natalia Maines said “Just so you know, we’re ashamed the United States president is from Texas” at a London concert. [1]
Large networks turned on them, politicians spoke out, riots were created, radio stations boycotted their music and articles were being published right and left discussing the Dixie Chicks. The Dixie Chicks became one of the most hated women in America overnight. All their success, contributions and life were disregarded, and everyone jumped on the “hate the Dixie Chicks” band wagon.

Ironically, around the time the chaos around them sprang up they had their single “Travelin’ Soldier” climbing the charts. This song was as patriotic as it gets, there is after all nothing more patriotic than supporting the troops, but in a matter of days the single was wiped off music charts, and sales declined by 42%. [2] Now there are many reasons why people went against the Dixie Chicks the way they did, but there is absolutely no reason for people to make death threats, spoil the concert tour for other people, and for influential networks to attack the way they did.


Artists such as Eminem, Green Day and Pearl Jam have always had a liberal stance, and have been controversial and that’s why I believe there was less chaos surrounding them. However, P!nk has never shied away from controversy herself, but she too did get a negative reaction and was not even allowed to have her song “Dear Mr. President” played. What was different about her is how raw and honest her lyrics was, she never actually mentioned names but it was very blunt. In her song she asked the president who he prays for (a dig at his religious Christian side), how he can hate his own daughters if they were gay and take rights away from them (his stance against gay marriage and lack of support for women’s rights), and how far he’d come from his reckless days of smoking, drugs and alcohol. She continues to paint his wife Barbara as a pushover, and a woman with no stance. At the end, she notes how he has never had to work for anything in his life and gives him several examples of citizens in his own country that face horrible circumstances on a daily basis.

It’s very obvious why that song would not be allowed to play, but where does the role of freedom of speech, that everyone is so proud of come in? How come she was never allowed to have a chance for her song to hit the charts? Fortunately for her, her song did garner a lot of attention in other countries such as Canada, Australia and many other European countries.

To conclude, there are also artists that are as neutral as neutral gets and recently have produced work against the war. Near the end of the 2008 election Carrie Underwood (an artists in a conservative field) revealed in a TV Guide interview that “I lose all respect for celebrities when they back a candidate”. [3] She continues to go on to say “It's saying that the American public isn't smart enough to make their own decisions. Music is where you go to get away from all the BS. Whether it's from politics or just the world around you, music should be an escape”. [4]

I found this very interesting, as I am very much a fan, she has a point. Unfortunately, when the American media is not portraying everything accurately and fairly then we need people to point that out. Music reaches so many different people and is known to reach people differently than any movie, show, or politician ever could. Interestingly, Carrie has released ten singles and all ten have reached number one, making her one of the most accomplished female artists out there. One of those ten hits was her single “Just a Dream”.



“Just a Dream” is about a young couple who gets engaged during their teens and plan to marry, but the man has to go off to war. The man gets killed in the war, and the female talks about how she always dreamed of walking down the aisle in a white dress for her wedding. But instead she is now walking down the aisle in a black dress for her fiancée’s funeral. It’s a great video with great lyrics and it touched many people’s lives, because of the so many people that lost their lives, and the many incomplete families. This song received very little negativity, and she received several awards and standing ovations after every performance.



Freedom of speech is very much a two way street, there are severe consequences if you speak what you think and it’s different from the norm. These consequences frighten many people, and many people think it’s best to keep to themselves. This is an unfortunate solution and really disregards all the rights and freedom we do have in this part of the world.

But it’s important to realize that the people that choose to not share their opinion or are careful on how they do, have every reason too. People have families, lives and need jobs and money to go on, and if we as a society attack those people like artists then less and less of them will produce creative opinionated work as they fear they will have no way to support themselves in the end.






Sources
[1] ‘Shut up and Sing” TV Documentary. 2006. Directed by Barbara Kopple, Cecilia Peck
[2] ‘Shut up and Sing” TV Documentary. 2006. Directed by Barbara Kopple, Cecilia Peck

[3] “Carrie Underwood Talks Hosting the CMAs, Idol and More!” Nov.12.2008. May 23, 2009
[4] “Carrie Underwood Talks Hosting the CMAs, Idol and More!” Nov.12.2008. May 23, 2009

"Good Girl Gone Bad" No, really

FEBRUARY 23

The picture that leaked from the LAPD of a battered Rihanna is published for the most part to create money and buzz. The media should not have spread the photo. The picture has been spread all over the internet. It is not fair to Rihanna because she did not give consent and is probably very humiliated.

Maybe she doesn’t want people to know how she looks like, or is not ready to face the world’s opinion and overwhelming support. She should have had the choice because something like this is very hard to face and needs time.

The main advantage of this scandal is for TMZ, where it was published, and for the police officer, as I’m sure he got paid. However, this could be turned around and Rihanna could be the perfect person to show young girls what could happen and be a strong candidate for preventing domestic violence.

This picture could help Rihanna’s career, and have major repercussions for Chris brown’s life and career. If the alleged attack is true Chris Brown will be even more hated and can kiss his career good bye, at least for a while.

MARCH 2

The fact that Rihanna is back together with Chris brown is very disappointing. It’s very sad what Rihanna chose to do because it paints a very negative picture. What Rihanna is basically saying is that it’s okay if you get physically abused, disrespected, treated invaluably by someone who claims to love you.

It’s giving a picture to so many people like young boys and men that it’s okay to do that to a woman. It will make young girls believe that you deserve that kind of abuse and you should always go back to them and not speak up.

In this case Rihanna does have a responsibility because Rihanna wouldn’t be Rihanna without the support of her young fans. They supported her and looked up to her, what she is instilling in them is not worthy of any number one hits.

MAY 22

With Rihanna’s current actions I think the public is amazed but also tired of her actions. She is going on as if nothing happened and it’s disappointing. It seems the case has been swept under the rug and people are slowly forgetting it ever existed, a perfect scenario for both sides.

I think many of her fans feel alienated, but she is still receiving and overwhelmingly large amount of support. She has been seen hitting fashion shows and the only buzz around her is her always interesting fashion choices.

Interestingly, around the time that the alleged attack occurred actress Keira Knightly released a PSA about domestic violence. It’s an interesting piece, creatively done and at times graphic.

It’s refreshing to see a young Hollywood actress have a voice and stand for something. She has many fans and is a class act, with a promising future. She shows that you can have it all and do so beautifully. It’s unfortunate that many girls don’t feel they have the same options in Hollywood.

June 12 (Updated)

The Rihanna and Chris saga continues with more details being revealed. The first one being that Rihanna has been subpoenaed and must testify in court. This in the grand scheme of things is not the worst thing that could happen. However, it seems every chance Rihanna gets she tries to come off as if nothing ever happened three short months ago.

It’s disturbing and at times scary to see her nonchalant actions. 95% of males engage in dating violence and that’s not a statistic to be proud of or ever defend no matter what the circumstances are. I say this because in the past few days it was revealed that Rihanna and Chris asked to be seated beside each other at the NBA playoff game (people.com). Fortunately, this did not occur because of sudden change of plans.

This whole situation does not make sense. Charges are still being pressed but it seems that both parties are trying desperately to sabotage this case, which begs the question why are they even pursuing it? I think that Rihanna is desperately trying to fix her image of a pushover girlfriend every chance she gets. She has been seen with many interesting famous women such as Katy Perry and Fergie.

Also, there has been an update with Jasmine. Jasmine is the little girl that is a huge fan of Rihanna and was fighting leukemia. Rihanna heard of her story and met her, after meeting her a couple of months ago she arranged for numerous people to be tested as potential donors. It has been released that they indeed did find a match for Jasmine and is recovering, a happy ending to one chapter of Rihanna’s life.

However, the court case and her relationship with Chris is still unclear. No one really knows where she stands and what she is going to do next. Hopefully she will do what’s right by her and perhaps for other women who have been in her situation or worse.

The new American Idol

In the summer of 2008, American Idol announced a new addition- a fourth judge. In a matter of hours the internet was buzzing. Everyone had their own theories of why this fourth judge was being added.

One of the most popular theories was that Paula Abdul, Idol’s resident kind and at times distractive judge was leaving. Abdul immediately issued a statement that she was not being replaced, and that she knows the new judge. The new judge turned out to be singer/songwriter Kara Dioguardi. Others went on to say this was a ratings ploy, because Idol had experienced a decline in ratings the previous season. Although, I believe there is substance to that, I think more than anything it was the hope of the judge’s interaction would become newsworthy.

The media and we as a society are very quick to judge and closely analyze women. Were Kara and Paula going to dress similar? Were they going to argue? Is Kara the female version of Simon? How were the other two men (Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell) going to react?
People were very scared of change, rightfully so. American Idol has become a staple in many North American homes, and culture. There are so many versions that stem from Idol worldwide. Each one of those judges has established their presence on that show.

Randy is the neutral, technical judge. Paula is the comical relief, with her always positive criticisms. Simon, well Simon is Simon. He’s the brutally honest and sometimes overdramatic judge that everyone wishes they could be. Although all three have creditability with the many years in the music business, they were still missing something on that show.

Personally, I wasn’t too crazy of the idea of a new judge and I was ready to heavily judge her premiere episode. To my surprise, along with many other people’s she was a positive change. She somehow merged with the other three, but still made herself unique. It didn’t seem too forced. In the beginning it was awkward, but she quickly grew on people.

Kara is a very accomplished songwriter, writing for artists such as Pink, Rascal Flatts, Christina Aguilera, and Carrie Underwood. She has over a 100 hits to her name. (www.karadioguardi.com) Along with that she has plenty of experience of failed career chances. She has made albums that have never sold, been in bands that were unsuccessful. This gives her a tremendous advantage; she has been in the business and has been criticized and has been given second chances. That’s something that she regularly addresses and is evident in her criticisms and comments.

Another important part of her is she understands the business side very well. She has approval from the business side and the creative, artistic side. Again this separates her from the other judges. The last thing that really works in her favor and sets her out is her look and personality. She’s very much a “girl’s girl”, she’s a lot about the female empowerment. She doesn’t act or come off as superior, she acknowledges her flaws, makes fun of them, but never lets them get in her way.

With the news that she only signed on for one season, and she might not be coming back Idol received their dream reaction. Everyone once again started buzzing and sharing their opinions. It’s been said she’s coming back, but it has not been confirmed. I hope she does come back as I believe she is very fair and more than qualified to do so. She is a mixture of all three of the judges- she understands the technical, realistic, artistic and emotional side.

Anyone Listening?

Diversity: the state or face of being diverse; difference; unlikeness; variety; multiformity; point of difference.[1] Even the definition of diversity gives you a variety of different answers. In a society where we have various ethnic groups and so many resources, it’s hard to believe that there’s minimal representation of diversity in entertainment.

In Entertainment Weekly’s analysis of ethnic groups on television, they showed that all the major network broadcasters, program a bigger population of Caucasians, than the actual percentage in the United States (66.2%). [2] The average percentage of whites shown between all the broadcasters is 74.2%, which is 8% more than the entire population.[3] Unfortunately, there is no increase of representation for the other ethnic groups such as Blacks, Latino/Hispanics, Asians, American Indian/Alaska Natives, and Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders. Of course those ethnic groups are minorities, but there are also minorities of the minorities such as Arabs.

Arabs presence is almost non-existent in television, unless for criminals, which can easily be played by other ethnic groups. The same could be said of Native Indians, if they are shown it’s there stereotypical image, like the Arabs. Those scenes are typically of them in Native attire dancing to tribal music, drums banging in the background.

These images are humiliating and inaccurate. Diversity matters tremendously for many reasons, one of them being the social learning theory. This theory explains that “children learn about themselves and the world around them from observing others”. [4] Television has a huge impact on their behaviour, attitude, and impression of other racial groups and their own group. If the portrayals on racial groups are one sided and negative, in almost every case the child will leave with that impression. With that impression in mind, it can affect how they socialize, and how they treat others.

We’re a diverse society and we’re only going to get more diverse. It’s not rational, realistic or helpful to continue to portray one side as the perfect superior side, and the other as the negative inferior side. There are serious consequences that come out of that, such as an increase in the crime rate. When two groups are constantly put against each other like black vs. white, native vs. white than it will absolutely play out the same way in real life.

Another reason why diversity matters in entertainment is because in most cases the entertainment industry exemplifies beauty. It’s where we look to see new trends and good-looking people. However, if only one kind of woman or man is put on our screens on every show, and they’re acting, dressing, moving the same way than it eliminates many people. We don’t all look the same, have the same jobs, or were brought up the same way. There is no universal version of beauty, occupation, family, friends, or life.

Everyone has different jobs, different families and friends, and look differently. Some look great with big eyes, and some don’t. Some look great with small eyes, and some don’t. We all can’t have the same combination of traits that looks good. Different traits look better on different people. Yet the entertainment industry bombards us with the image of similar looking people.
Again it’s unrealistic and ignores many people. If you don’t see anyone that looks like you, or is referred to in negatively because of their appearance eventually it will affect how you look at yourself. We’ve seen this time and time again; a perfect example is blond women. When all you see is blond and blue eyes, and they have the lead roles, are the love interests and garner the attention, girls will start to believe they must have blond hair and blue eyes. The same could be said about men and their bodies. It’s easy to believe that if you have a strong, muscular, lean body then you’ll have a happier life filled with respect and women. But this is not the case at all, and not everyone can look like that, nor should they.

Hollywood producers need to broaden their views of how characters should be played. Casting calls shouldn’t be so limited, because it leaves so many people out. We need different people, playing different roles, and the best way to do that is give them an opportunity. Let someone fight and display their ability to play that character before looking at their image. Give people opportunity to step into unfamiliar territory, the rewards might be bigger than the risk.

[1] “Diversity definition” Dictionary.com, April 29, 2009. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/diversity
[2] “TV’s Great Black Hope” Entertainment Weekly online article. Jennifer Armstrong, Margeaux Watson.
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20206185,00.html
[3] “TV’s Great Black Hope” Entertainment Weekly online article. Jennifer Armstrong, Margeaux Watson.
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20206185,00.html
[4] “Why it Matters...Diversity on Television” Children Media Now, April 23, 2009.
http://breeze.hwdsb.on.ca/diversitymatters/

Starlet +internet+ exercising freedom of speech = trouble

In response to Miley’s ‘racist” controversy, I agree she crossed the line. If she wants to act like an adult and have fans than she should strongly think about stopping her self-sabotage. She is the a perfect example of the influence of Disney.

Disney has one of the most sensitive audiences around, and they try to desperately stay out of trouble and make everyone happy to have business. However, there process of picking an innocent child and molding and sculpting them as they feel fit has never been more apparent. Their main goal is business, and they will go to desperate measures to make sure business is good. Being a 16 year old is hard enough, but to put all these pressures on her, and expect her to come out victorious is ridiculous, selfish and disturbing.

Disney wants her to be a voice for young children, tweens, teens, parents and still carry sex appeal for older demographics. Nobody can live up to that, no matter who they are. But Miley certainly gets points for trying.

Her response showed just how naïve she is, her blog was supposed to set the record straight and make everything all better, but it did exactly the opposite. I think she tried to inject sarcasm and garner sympathy, but it worked against her.

She should be held accountable for those so called ‘goofy faces”, because many people have similar faces, and take offense in that, as they should. No one wants to be mocked, especially with something that is out of their power, like your face. She has diverse, and what kind of message is she sending to those little girls? She is there role model, like it or not. When someone you admire is poking fun and humiliating how you look, chances are that’s going to impact your self-esteem and what you think of Miley. Also, her other fans might think its okay to go around making faces of other people.

The Asian community see themselves as a minority, because of the stereotypes of them. They have every right to criticize and be angry with her actions. Along with that is also the parents, parents want someone that they can trust will be a positive role model in their children’s lives. This is not positive or heroic behavior. Parents are also mad and now skeptical of this girl’s message, and are becoming less and less lenient with justifying her actions.

However, like mentioned above Disney also has a strong hand in this situation. It’s fair to say a lot of the responsibility is on Miley’s head, because she decided to do such actions and be present in the photo. But her parents and her friends in the photo are also very much responsible. Instead of protecting her and informing her, they are encouraging such offensive behavior.

At the end of the day, this will probably be brushed under the rug, like any other previous crisis. But sooner I later, there will be a huge price that will have to be paid.

"Once upon a time..."

It is well known the media has a lot of power, used in positive and negative ways. Thanks to the media we can have two attention seeking twenty year olds, who don’t do much for a living but create and perform in their own screenplay. Thanks to the media, an infamous American politician is currently seeking his hand in reality television, as he waits for his court date. Thanks to the media, the actions of an irresponsible doctor, who crossed many ethical lines, and brought us the mom of octuplets, is also on her way to a reality television. It has a funny way of making something or someone huge literally overnight, and we as a society love nothing more than to see ordinary folks get there shot.

But here’s something positive we can thank the media for- Susan Boyle. We’ve all by now have heard of her voice and her story. A 47 year old woman, who lives on her own in a small village in Scotland, she went out to audition on Britain’s Got Talent, a reality talent show. On April 11th Britain and the internet were buzzing with the unexpected treasure they have discovered.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Susan Boyle walked up to the stage with snickers, comments, and odd looks from the audiences and the judges faces. Despite the attempted humiliation, she went on to sing, and sing she did. She sang “I have a dream”, and after the first note she had everyone’s jaws dropping.
Susan is not a typical looking artist, and not the most attractive around, she represents a big percentage of the world that is largely misrepresented in the media. Even the media’s representation of “ugly”, or “unattractive” is more than many people in real life can ever achieve.

She made so many people happy and embarrassed at the same time. Most of us like to believe that we are open-minded, and physical appearances is not everything, but Boyle has proved that the thought that we keep hidden in the back of our minds, is much more dominant than we like to admit.

We treat attractive people differently, give them the benefit of the doubt, shower them with accolades, and raise the bar much higher for their potential. But in most cases, the same cannot be said about normal looking people. Simon Cowell was one of the first to rush to judgment, and is quick to point out his own mistake, “We're all guilty on the panel of judging [Boyle] before she sang. We were completely and utterly wrong. It's terribly embarrassing." [1]

But Boyle’s innocent smile, charisma, appearance and voice have captivated many people and has many people saying "Boyle would not be mesmerizing if she were not an ugly duckling," [2]. Her personality is such a big part of her appeal, and that’s so refreshing about her story. She is not a young misguided child that has not blossomed, she is a woman that comes unpackaged, looks different and is not heavily influenced.

After her sudden fame, there were many offers thrown her way. Offers for makeovers, personal life (never been kissed, or married), and pretty much anything the media can get their hands on. But she still refused to talk about her personal life and about any potential suitors, but the makeover has caused many to talk.

She has been seen with a new look, she still looks like the same person, but more groomed and younger. There are opinions from both sides, some believe she should totally change herself and become a star and “let her fairy godmother finish her work” [3]. Others believe that it’s important to "keep her as natural as possible for as long as possible, She has to make sure that the person people all around the world fell in love with remains the same." [4]

There is no doubt she has shed an important light on appearance. How much of a person’s appearance should be held accountable for their success? Is it fair to judge based on her looks? After all, "Part of the charm was that she wasn't done up". [5] She has made Simon Cowell show a softer, awed face, she had the whole auditorium up on their feet after her first note. She has accomplished so much in those brief few minutes she had to shine; I think it’s important for her to remain authentic.

However, she is being presented with many resources, resources that she would have never received normally. Many people in her shoes would jump at the chance, and take what they want and use it to their advantage. I think she has without really trying made a statement, and it’s time for her to enjoy this part of her life, however she chooses. Whether she wins or loses on the show she has millions of people supporting her, and is clearly someone that isn’t much influenced, and will do what she feels is right. She’s putting a classical twist, on a modern woman.

[1] “Simon Cowell: Susan Boyle Could Lose Britain's Got Talent” People.com, Pamela Warrick. April 25, 2009
[2] “Susan Boyle's new hairdo pushes recession to the sidelines in Britain” YahooNews. Ca, Gregory Katz. April 24, 2009. April 25, 2009
[3] “Susan Boyle's new hairdo pushes recession to the sidelines in Britain” YahooNews. Ca, Gregory Katz. April 24, 2009. April 25, 2009
[4] “Susan Boyle's new hairdo pushes recession to the sidelines in Britain” YahooNews. Ca, Gregory Katz. April 24, 2009. April 25, 2009
[5] “Susan Boyle's new hairdo pushes recession to the sidelines in Britain” YahooNews. Ca, Gregory Katz. April 24, 2009. April 25, 2009

“48 Years, 2 months and 27 days”

On February 2nd 2009, Dave Devall CTV’s long-running and charismatic weather man announced his retirement after working for almost five decades at CTV. It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t like Devall. He not only attracts adults, but young children, teenagers, and seniors as well. He is what you would call a class act.

Devall started his career at CTV, which was then CFTO, in 1961. [1] He quickly garnered viewer’s attention and became a hit. His simplified and approachable explanations of the weather attracted many people. It became his trademark to sum up the day’s weather by writing backwards on the screen provided. He learned to do this when the weather was done by hand. He worked as a meteorologist for 48 years, 2 months and 27 days, the longest ever according to Guinness Records. [2]

Although, CTV is based in Toronto and covers locally, it’s still a show that many people watch outside of the city. What’s interesting about Dave is his reputation. Rarely if ever do you hear him say anything controversial, he always appears happy and professional. He’s just neutral. Neutrality is something that all journalists are supposed to have. But let’s be honest so much of our media is mainstream, news channels included, is it possible to be too neutral?

The complete opposite of that, is journalists or broadcasters that are highly biased and represent only one side. Some examples include Rush Limbaugh (American radio broadcaster), and Keith Oberman (American broadcaster).

This begs an interesting question, should there be sides, or is common ground the best place. I personally get tired of watching the news, talk shows and other TV mediums with anchors, hosts and personalities that have no personality (no pun intended), opinions or emotions with the subjects. I enjoy people who accurately and fairly can defend their opinion.

For example, the ladies of The View are a perfect example to analyze. The talk show has been making many headlines in recent years. It accidentally went from being a mainstream show, to a heavily charged political show. The panel currently includes Whoopi Goldberg (the moderator), the liberal comedian Joy Behar, actress-comedian Sherri Shephard (undecided?), the conservative Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Barbara Walters (moderator). Barbara is one of the two creators and producers. Bill Geddy is the other creator but he works behind the camera, and is a registered republican.

There are many special things about The View. For one, they are all woman. Not just any woman though, they’re funny, good-looking, intelligent woman. This of course unsettles many people. To many, it’s still not possible for a woman to garner the same amount of respect as another male TV personality, or another male in general. But as time goes by, and for anyone who kept track during the recent American elections, you’ll know that those five women became one of the most talked about woman in television. Big companies like the New York Times began quoting them, skits about them increased in late night shows, politicians stopped by and there ratings sky rocketed. The day after the election they received a record 6.2 million viewers. [3]

Another point that makes The View stand out is the number of people. Anytime you bring people together that have been brought up in different ways, or are in different times in their lives you can have interesting discussions. Throw in five women and it’s a guaranteed excitement. Each one of those women is at different times in their lives. All of them have had to grow up in different circumstances, and all have different opinions and backgrounds. During discussions if you don’t agree with one of them, you’re bound to find one you agree with. It’s very interesting to see different sides being debated and makes The View stand out from other talk shows. For example, below is a common occurrence in which the ladies are talking about politics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ug2oUG21hjQ

Things definitely can get uncomfortable and emotions run high but in the end it’s very entertaining. Not entertaining to watch and make fun of, but to actually listen to what they say and how they bounce off each other. A lot of people would never be comfortable to be so out there with their opinions and politics, and that’s understandable. Once you put your opinion out there, it’s always going to be out there for anyone to see and use against you. That is why a lot of people shy away from that and just focus on entertaining.
An example of TV personalities avoiding controversy is Live with Regis and Kelly. Regis Philbin and Kelly RIpa are often referred to as a dynamic duo. Kelly Ripa became part of the show, after the original female co-host Kathie Lee Gifford decided to leave. There is more than a three decade age difference, but somehow with these two it works.

They rarely discuss personal opinions about politicians, political events and entertainment scandals. If it is in the news, they will occasionally acknowledge it but quickly change the subject to avoid any trouble. Again it’s understandable why they would choose to do so. Regis has said on many occasions he wanted this show to be light hearted and provide an hour in the morning for people to forget real life and just enjoy some entertainment. Sometimes it would be nice to hear where they stand on certain issues, but it’s clear they have boundaries and they will not cross those boundaries. After 26 years on the air, it doesn’t look like they’re changing their game plan, nor should they. They hold a special place in North Americans lives and have become staples in morning television. Below is the link of the welcome Regis received after leaving the show to get a bypass surgery. It’s very evident how much he’s loved and respected in this clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lCtLP_hINA

There are also hosts like Ellen Degeneres who garnered fame not by what the media was saying but for being themselves. The Ellen show has earned 25 Daytime Emmy awards since 2003, including Outstanding Talk Show Host for four straight years. [4]

Of course prior to the show’s creation Ellen faced a huge low in her personal life. After ending all speculation of her sexual orientation she confirmed to People magazine she was gay. There was a big backlash, and it became apparent that not only was society not ready, but neither was Hollywood to accept gays and lesbians.

After premiering in Australia, The Ellen Show started garnering great reviews and started appearing in North American homes. In no time the show received skyrocketing ratings and was given more time slots. Ellen became a hit and the most supported television host out there. She climbed her way up without using her personal life, but simply making people laugh. People fell in love with her all over again, and it became impossible to argue that she’s not funny and entertaining.

But in the past couple of years, using her fame for good causes, she has spoken out. She has spoken out about the treatment of her hometown New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, about the murder of a gay teenager, animal cruelty, and California’s Prop 8, the ban on gay marriage. She speaks out when it’s important to do so, and minds her own business with the smaller stuff. During the elections season, Ellen had a specific message for the Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin and her ideas about gay marriage. Ellen did not shy away, but did not make it look like she’s personally attacking her, she just delivered it in her own “Ellen” way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xW4M4t3ZdI

One last example is closer to home, CBC’s The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos. George one of the most creative, intelligent and original TV hosts out there nowadays. It’s hard to misshim, he’s usually wearing only black clothes and has extreme sarcasm.
For many people, he is remembered as the VJ on Much Music and the host of the Punk Show. But he has since graduated from that and runs his own one hour late night talk show at CBC. George is credited to saving the network. “The Hour is meant to bring sex appeal to a network not known for its smoulder”, and “…it’s dynamic, engaging, spontaneous” are all comments that are commonly given to George and The Hour. [5]

George interviews politicians, celebrities, athletes, environmentalists, and musicians. He knows what he’s doing and it’s very clear to the audience. He understands international relations and it a promoter of helping out locally. He brings charisma, which is his greatest advantage and refuses to be a typical mainstream anchor. He has been recognized for his originality with his 3 Gemini Awards for best host and 3 more for the show. [6]

With all the different talk shows out there and the few I have mentioned they all have different approaches, and different people running them. So which is better? Personally, I believe that The Hour is the best choice, especially for young Canadians. It provides valuable information, and entertainment. The host is very relatable, and it’s a very versatile show.

But if these shows were given a quick overview, they all seem to do well with ratings. That’s one similarity; the other is all the shows use comedy, which I think is an important point. People want to hear the news and what’s going on in the world. But when it is delivered with only certain people and the same structure it becomes very unappealing. It’s important to have versatility, variety and still deliver information. What’s the point of having so many forms of media if we’re all going to use it the same ways and play it safe?


[1] “Dave Devall, Weather Specialist” toronto.ctv.ca, April 18, 2009
[2] “Dave Devall, Weather Specialist” toronto.ctv.ca, April 18, 2009
[3] “’The View’ Ratings Higher Than Ever” Rick Kissell, March 9, 2009. huffingtonpost.com. April 18, 2009<>
[4] “About the Show” ellen.warnerbros.com. April 18, 2009
[5] “Rebel Rebel” Olivia Stren, January 2007. torontolife.com. April 18, 2009
<>
[6] “George Stroumboulopoulos” imdb.com. April 18, 2009
Pictures:
“Cool Devall” Online Image. Toronto.ctv.ca. April 18, 2009
< http://toronto.ctv.ca/gallery/html/dave_devall_20090202/photo_0.html>
“The View” Online Image. latimesblogs.latimes.com. April 18, 2009
< http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/photos/uncategorized/2009/03/08/the_view_500.jpg >
“Regis and Kelly” onling Image. msnbcmedia3.msn.com. April 18, 2009
<http://msnbcmedia3.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/040921/040921_rellyAwards_vmed_2p.widec.jpg>
“Ellen” Online image. realastrologers.com. April 18, 2009
<http://realastrologers.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/ellen_degeneres.jpg>
“George” Online Image. dailyseagull.com. April 18, 2009

Toddlers + Tiaras = beauty?

Most of the time when we see the red boxes and white letters we immediately know that’s it’s the logo for TLC, the Learning Channel. The past couple of years it has been garnering many accolades for there interesting and engaging programming. Shows like Little People, Big World, 17 Kids and Counting, and Jon and Kate plus 8 have had skyrocketing ratings.
The main appeal of TLC’s programming is the reality based and family friendly shows. It gives many of us a personal look into other families lives. But they’re not just ordinary families. There families who are stereotypically different, who have challenges or difference that makes us normal people feel unsettled or curious.
In recent months, as TLC introduced its fall line up, they started facing some controversy- from high school students. There new show Toddlers and Tiaras has sparked a nationwide outcry of disgust.
Toddlers and Tiaras is a show that follows families that have children involved in beauty pageants. These children are splattered with spray tans, fake eyelashes, flippers (for there still growing teeth), heels, full make-up, hair extensions, skimpy swim suits, and provocative dresses and gowns. But that’s not all. They’re daily life includes practising sultry runway model walks, meeting with a coach, practising there poses, and polishing up the right attitude to go with it.
When watching the show you can’t help but be disturbed. These children don’t even look or act like children, except for the occasional meltdown, but even then the meltdowns aren’t childlike. They scream, swear and threaten their own parents. The parents give in, because god forbid there children cry or threaten to drop out of the pageant, it would have a horrendous effect on there bankbooks and reputation.
The main problem with this whole situation is the parents and there desperation. They are desperate to relive all their childhood dreams and ambitions through there children. They’re too busy being the children and trying to fill the void of insecurities, inadequacies, and opportunities they were never offered.
Two teenage girls, Karrin Huynh and Lesley Cornelius have had enough and created a Facebook group. [1] The group was created to encourage people to make TLC take some actions and stop glorifying this topic.
Unfortunately, nothing has been done so far. After receiving complaints from viewers the message has been forwarded to executives to further consider actions that must be taken. [1]
The other problem besides the exploitation of these kids, which is a big problem, is the effect on many girls out there. “And society wonders why girls have low self-esteem and low self-confidence when they’re sitting at home wondering, ‘Is this what I’m supposed to look like? Is this what I’m supposed to be?’” This is Huynh accurate thoughts. We’re always told from parents to hold off on make up, and heels aren’t what make us or our outfits pretty, yet we see these adults glorifying this.
This show is such a negative message to girls all over the place. How these girls look is not natural, nor will the emotional consequences a couple of years from now. We’re creating a generation that is more obsessed with looks than any other generation, and we don’t have any excuse because we are much more informed. We know what eating disorders are and we know the different stimulants teenagers go for.
To make things worse, TLC continues to defend the concept of the show. Yet if you go on there website you can rate the contestants on a scale one through ten. TLC is yet again contradicting everything there saying. These contestants are kids, it’s not healthy by any means to rate them at that age.
These kids already seem brainwashed and act 20 years older. I’m sure Jon-Benet Ramsey is in the back of everyone’s mind. What happened to that little girl could have been avoided and it’s a shame how the adults acted in that situation. But that just shows the different people out there and the actions they’re willing to take.
To conclude, removing Toddlers and Tiaras should be taken into serious consideration. There are not many advantages that come out of this show, and the disadvantages certainly outweigh the good. It promotes a negative message to a big part of society and is the force behind the destruction of many children’s lives.

Work Cited
[1] “TLC controversy” “Student want ‘Toddlers & Tiaras’ off the air”, TVGuide.ca, February 4, 2009. March 30, 2009
http://tvguide.sympatico.msn.ca/TLC+controversy/TVNews/Articles/090204_toddlers_tiaras_scandal_DW.htm?isfa=1

Pictures From:
#1 (TLC logo) http://www.thejills.com/
#2 (2 girls) http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/toddlers-tiaras/about-toddlers-and-tiaras.html

Will YOU be my BFF?

There was a time when women like Cindy Crawford and Brooke Shields were the most admired Hollywood it girls. Beauty, money, beauty, charm, fame, more beauty and brains was all included in the package deal. Both these women appealed to both males and females, something that isn’t easy to accomplish.
Nowadays all you need is anxious body parts, a mouth that talks, oh and having a rich family name helps. Que in our generations “blond bombshell”, the one and only Paris Hilton.
We’re all guilty of failing for those ridiculous “reality” shows. It seems the concept of them gets crazier and crazier. When I heard of Paris Hilton’s new project- her search for a BFF (best friend forever) I immediately thought no way am I going to fall for it. No way was I going to waste my time. After all this is the same woman who rudely interrupted my soap operas, while playing her own real life soap opera when she was sent off to jail. No way was I going to support any airtime for her.
Unfortunately, the same could not be said for another member of my family. While washing the dishes one night I couldn’t help but hear some interesting comments. Comments that made me stop what I’m doing and run for the TV.
In the eyes of Paris Hilton winning a challenge increases your royalty, acting immature and insecure to impress someone makes you a better candidate for a best friend. A best friend forever that is.
It’s hard to say what’s more embarrassing, the fact that Hilton can honestly do what she does with a straight face and convince herself she’s doing good and working hard like normal folks, or the irresponsible Network owners who allow these shows to run.
The whole concept for the search for a new friend is a joke, never mind the fact that desperation is written all over it. We all know in a real world you can’t test people to be friends, unless your desperate for desperate people to call you a “friend”.
Everything from the over the top walk she does, to her overdone appearance, to her ineffective emotional speeches are wrong. It is an unsuccessful way of garnering sympathy from North Americans. Are we supposed to feel sorry for her? I certainly don’t. Not many people can live with so many crimes on there records and have only the amount of time she had in jail. No one after breaking loose gets their own reality show making fools of other people. No one gets to open yet another fragrance. No one should be famous for just being famous.
There are many talented young women out there that if they received half the attention Hilton did, would make a difference. But then again there is a reason why those girls are not in the public eye. Yes, as people we strive for negative stories, but girls like Natalie Portman, Emma Watson, Emma Roberts and Hilary Duff don’t jump at the chance of talking about how hard working and humble they are. They are the girls that should be celebrated.
Going back to the show, besides free promotion and career opportunities I’m convinced there’s more in it for the contestants. They act as if she is royalty or one of the wonders of the world. Now I understand everyone wants there 15 minutes of fame, but where the heck are people’s morals? Doesn’t anyone feel stupid, embarrassed, lousy, and cheap after groveling at her feet in front of thousands?
To quickly conclude, its nothing new the amount of attention young starlets get, but it gets old, which is why it’s so frustrating to see people like Hilton all over the place. We’ve seen enough. We’ve seen all her poses, camera angles, heard more than enough interviews and for some they have seen all there is to see- literally. It’s time to let people like Hilton just pass, and use the media or the money that is invested in shows in better places.
After watching the last ten minutes of the show, which included two girls bawling their eyes out and begging for another chance to be her friend, I began my walk of shame back to the kitchen.
As Paris always says TTYN (talk to you never).

Europe Ilusions

During March 10th to the 20th Kaitlin, Brittany, and me spent time in Europe. The first half of our trip was spent in Greece and the other half in Italy. We had a full itinerary that included a lot of travelling and sightseeing. Transitioning from city to city to we were able to see the culture and lives that Europeans live. To our surprise Europe was not only in different in its architecture and history but in how people dress, entertain, and run their businesses, all under the influence of different forms of media.
Some of the main things we noticed regarding media were:
- The different sports culture
-Nudity
-Food habits
-Music
-Lack of body obsession
-Fashion
-Advertisement
-Youth legalities
Below are our thoughts and feeling about the different categories.

"I love this Blog"

Michael McCloud vs. Toby Keith

Toby Keith is a famous country singer and songwriter, who is very famous for his outspoken politics and music. In 2006, a musician by the name of Michael McCloud filed a lawsuit against Keith claiming that Keith’s song "I Love this Bar" was copied from his self-written song "Tourist Town Bar". [1] Keith was adamant about proving his innocence, and convinced the courts that the original writer was Scotty Emerick and he did not copy the song. This helped Keith's case tremendously and the lawsuit against him was dismissed.
Below is a video clip of the two songs.

Toby Keith - I Love this Bar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q85rPq1u9sc

Michael McCloud- Tourist Town Bar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU9OYRPb7nw

My first thought when I was watching McCloud's video was how rude and pathetic he seemed in the YouTube clip which was taped during his many performances of that song. He comes off very arrogant and sneaky. If he really is innocent and was really fighting for musical integrity there was no need for him to add the part of how Keith was going to make him "...a rich man, with a comfortable life, retirement, house, car, big boat, and Harvard education for kids". It displays selfish motivation behind the whole incident. Yes, one could say he was bitter about the fact that his song was stolen, but in this case I think he was going into it more for the money and attention then the music.

But anyone that is remotely familiar with country music will know that Tobey Keith is a very controversial artist and I was very skeptical about him too. I am very much aware of the trouble that the Dixie Chicks went through a couple of years ago, and like many people became a loyal fan of the Chicks. During the controversy Toby Keith only added fuel to the fire and had many negative comments about the Chicks and the lead singer Natalie Maines. He crossed the line many times and Natalie fought back, which created the now infamous Toby Keith and Natalie Maines feud. He is not one to walk away and his actions can cause some confusion and doubt of his character. But after listening to both songs, I think it's just one of those simple catchy tunes that aspire from something else and there's not that much similarity. The notes are not the same, neither are the words. The two similarities I did notice was that both men have pretty deep voices and added the same emphasis when they sing "I love this bar" or "tourist town bar" at the end of a verse but that is what's usually the case for songs that are structured this way. Below are the lyrics of the opening verses for each song.

"Tourist Town Bar"

We get bimbos and bozos and bikers and boozers
Daytime drunks and three-time losers
We get a room full of rednecks and fancy dressed fellas
And busloads of bluehairs and dirtbags and sailors.

"I Love this Bar"

We got winners, we got losersChain smokers and boozersAnd we got yuppies, we got bikersWe got thristy hitchhikersAnd the girls next door dress up like movie stars

There is no obvious copying and I again think it's just one of those simply constructed songs that have a hook. Even McCloud has said that it's a no-brainer song. "The song was written on the toilet and it took me five minutes". [2] I think this hurt Keith's reputation a little bit, but during that year he had lost a lot of support because of his prior feud. After the case he also had the chance to talk up about the case, and talk is exactly what he did.

"It is an awful thing to be accused wrongfully of copyright infringement. It goes to the core of what you are as a man, a singer/songwriter and an artist. You know it is being done to you by some greedy lowlife opportunist who just wants to get rich off you." [3]

Clearly, both men did not shy away from talking shots at the other. Both men have aggressive personalities and carry a lot of pride. I don’t a direct connection can ever be proven and I think the lawsuit only helped Keith. The song was not that very popular to begin with and with the lawsuit the appeal skyrocketed. In a way, Keith does owe McCloud one thing and that is gratitude for helping his song climb the charts.

[1] "Toby Keith Cleared off Infringement Case", Aces Show Biz, November 30, 2007 <>
[3] “Toby Keith Cleared off Infringement Case", Aces Show Biz, November 30, 2007 < http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00012698.html
Lyrics Sources:
"Tourist Town Bar" - http://www.the9513.com
"I Love this Bar" - http://www.lyrics007.com

Making it and Losing it Big

Have you ever heard of the saying “keep your friends close, and your enemies closer”? What this saying means is you shouldn’t give too much leverage to someone who does not have your best interest in mind, and will take it abuse it and throw it back at you. So when you build a career, that 50% of the time is based on your body, isn’t it like you’re handing millions and millions of people leverage over you?I don’t think it was unreasonable to criticize Britney Spears at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards. However, there is equal or more blame to be placed on people that work for her and MTV behind the scenes, who let her go out the way she did. Most celebrities have stylists who must make their clients look good. The same goal applies to the hair and make-up people. It seems as if there were many people missing from this equation or were never informed. These people could have had a major role in making Britney’s performance a success. One of the main attractions to celebrities, especially to pop singers is there image. If Britney did not look so out of place and under qualified perhaps it would have softened the blow.

But to focus back on Britney, since the young age of 17, she made it known every chance she got to show her flat, toned midriff. She became the product associated with those infamous belly tops in the 90s. She allowed it to become her, just as much as Spears is her last name. Before and after her pregnancies, she never stopped resisting showing her body. She has sold this look for so long and that look attracts people to look, and in a way she’s encouraging people to talk about her body. This was a big opportunity that if done properly could have been a huge milestone in her career. There’s no better time to clean up your look, or reinvent yourself then during a comeback. Unfortunately, this is not what happened that night. We saw a side of Britney that many choose to ignore or indulge excessively in. It was clear that the woman was uncomfortable, lost, scared and misguided. It was an eye-opening moment that made many people realize the damage that has and is being done.

It’s easy to say she’s responsible for her actions and she destroyed her career on her own. However, it’s not entirely her fault. The paparazzi, media, her family and friends and all of us a society stood by and watched. We made her what she is, in less than a decade she has sold over 83 million records worldwide. [1] We went out there and bought the records, we called the radio stations, and we bought the tickets. But we’re also the ones that can change our opinions about her just as fast. If we as a society can see so many negative things in a person who clearly is not okay, without looking at ourselves, perhaps we are the ones with the bigger issues.

However, the paparazzi and the media indirectly drove her to that place in her life. They take advantage of this woman’s life. In the documentary, “Speared by the Paps”, the head of an agency openly mentioned that 50% of his time is spent on Britney. [2] He makes his living off of her, and can get up to $10, 000 for one picture! It’s very sad that so many people will cross so many moral and ethical lines, never mind legal laws that violate a person’s right to privacy. But what’s even sadder, is they are not fully responsible because Britney Spears is very much a contributor to the mayhem.

As mentioned on “Speared by the Paps”, Britney has made it a habit to essentially feed, or provide leverage to the paparazzi. She goes out every night and makes it known to everyone. She goes out to popular places, stringing the paps along and providing humorous and erratic behavior. A perfect example of Britney’s behavior in public is in the link below.

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


I think a celebrity can lead a pretty private life if they try; there are many examples of celebrities that do, and they are not just your overnight sensation- they are credible celebrities. Do you ever see Beyonce, Carrie Underwood, Halle Berry, Brad Pitt or Leonardo Dicaprio picking their nose, crashing cars, or getting into car chases? How about Anne Hathaway? Kate Winslet? Oprah Winfrey, perhaps? Probably not, right? Funny enough, these are the celebrities that attain success and still leave a positive and admirable mark in this very forgetful industry. They self-consciously make the decision to use their resources and protect themselves. So to say celebrities’ actions and their daily lives are newsworthy is true, but you do have a choice. Celebrities have a big hand in making something newsworthy, and when you’re flaunting around with your entourage in Hollywood hot spots, then expect some attention. I wholeheartedly agree with the celebrities that are fighting to protect their privacy, if they truly mean it. In the article “As Paparazzi Push Harder, Stars try to push back”, Cameron Diaz shares a story about how the paps pushed over an innocent friend to get a picture. This is ridiculous. [3] Stories like that really show how malicious these people can be and, with no consequences, they will only continue to push harder. No matter what, you should not have people camping out at your drive way, crowding your car, stalking your kids, and having access to personal information like addresses, appointments etc. The paparazzi and the media have absolutely no right whatsoever to that, Britney included.

Creating and enforcing the ‘Britney Law’ which “gives celebrities a safety bubble”, is a positive step forward. [4] But it will be very hard to enforce without violating the paparazzi’s freedom of press.It’s hard to believe that after the emotional year that Britney had, that she would ever work her way back up. But leave it to Britney Spears to climb from the bottom to the top.

At the 2008 MTV VMA’s, Britney not only looked stunning, but won not one, not two, but THREE MTV awards. She made everyone think, about how much a difference a year can make. The days leading to and following her performance were nothing but positive from the media, and praise for Miss Britney Spears was everywhere. The host, British comedian Russell Brand had one of the best lines of the night; “Consider this the resurrection of Britney Spears, if there was a female Christ, its Britney”. [5]All in all, there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration when talking about the media and celebrities, and how you digest what’s being thrown out to you. But it’s important to understand what’s meant for the audience to take in, and what’s meant for you not to understand. Nothing is as it seems. We have to remember that celebrities are people just like us and understand the tough position they are put in. It’s time to open our minds and attempt to understand how hard it is to walk in their shoes. The less we demand the less supply the paparazzi will have.

http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/272735/britney-spears-returns.jhtml#id=1593809


[1] “Biography” – Britney.com
[2] “Speared: by the Paps” - Documentary 2008 (TV)
[3] “As Paparazzi Push Harder, Stars try to push back”, By David M. Halbfinger and Allison Hope Weiner, September 2008
[4] “‘Britney’s Law’ to give celebrities a safety bubble” – Times Online
[5] “Spears dominates MTV awards show” – BBC Entertainment, (bbc.co.uk)

Pictures:
“Oops, I did it again” 2000 Album Cover. Online Image. People.com Feb 20th 2009
“Brintey Shopping” Candid Photo. Online Image. Britney-spears.net Feb 20th 2009