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/
Friday, May 1, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
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.
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.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
"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
Saturday, April 18, 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.
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
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
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.
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]
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
Monday, March 30, 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.
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
[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
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
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).
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.
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.
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