Music and social commentary

I miss the days when music commented on societal issues. A screening I watched for my Television, Minorities, and Cultural Diversity web class was of the Public Enemy music video for "Burn Hollywood Burn," and it was amazing. It was not only a great song, but it made the listener re-evaluate the roles black people have had in movies and how unfair and racist their roles have been. One of my favorite bands of all time is Sublime, and their song "April 29, 1992" commented on the riots in Los Angeles and the poverty felt there. And no one can deny the awesome power of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" and what a great message it sends to the listeners. We need to get to a place where current popular music is less concerned with each others' disco sticks and get to important issues. Though I'm glad Katy Perry is open with her sexuality and that it is a positive message for lesbian and bisexual women, I would like to hear about more important issues. Where's the video talking about what crooks AIG were? Or the song pointing out the rising unemployment? Unfortunately we're going to have to settle with what happens when good girls go bad. Ugh.

Post 8: Celebrities on Twitter

With celebrities saying whatever is on their minds whenever they feel like it (Kanye West, anyone?), I must ask myself why we even care in the first place. The phenomenon of Twitter makes our celebrity obsession exponentially worse and I still don't understand it. I confess I do have a Twitter account, mostly because I wanted to follow the person posing as Edgar Allen Poe (as all his posts are quite humorous) and to follow Paul Pierce in the off chance of being able to get Celtic tickets for free. But I am still trying to understand why I "friended" celebrities to know their own stupid thoughts on whatever they are thinking about, which many times is as interesting as what they had for lunch or commenting about being tired. Fascinating stuff. Generally, they do not discuss topics that are especially important, and with recent celebrity deaths it has become acceptable to mention how sad they are on Twitter in lieu of an actual sympathy card (perhaps I am wrong and still sent a card, I'm not sure). Fans follow their favorite celebrities on Twitter to feel closer to them and to obsess over every post and every picture. What is more upsetting is that news organizations actually quote celebrities via Twitter. Why isn't the facebook status enough anymore? Why are we obsessed with celebrities to the point that they can't go out in public without paparazzi everywhere? I wonder what is happening to media today, where instead of focusing on important issues in America including health care, poverty, unemployment, etc., we instead talk about the incident at the VMA's (which was wrong, no doubt) for a long time. Yes, we need to address when celebrities act inappropriately because they are role models for children, but lets also be aware that we need to focus on other issues. So the next time you feel the impulse to go on Twitter to see what Ashton has to say, I encourage you to check a news website and read about issues unrelated to celebrities (ignore the Gosselin articles entirely) that have to do with the well being of all Americans or people across the world.

Post 7: South Park

One of my favorite shows on television is South Park. It is never afraid to comment on anything, anyone, anytime. The episode which depicted the vampire fad vs. the goth kids still gets me every time. Much like The Office, it comments on society's issues of today. With South Park, however, the creaters are unafraid to go above and beyond social commentary into flat out exaggeration and sarcasm. A fantastic episode revolved around the Jonas brothers and their purity rings, and they point out the irony of Disney selling sex to young girls and it being ok because the Jonas brothers wear those rings. South Park has gotten a lot of criticism over the years but it makes really relevant and poignant points on how messed up our society is, especially in small towns throughout the nation. And to keep it relevant, I will leave you with a clip form an episode last year following Kanye West's speech at an awards show where he called himself a genius:

http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/224089

Post 6: Offend me, its ok, its comedy!

I am the type of person to give any comedian a chance. I love watching stand up, and I love to watch Comedy Central for new talent. What I noticed the other day was that I like all kinds of stand up comedians- Dave Chapelle, Jim Gaffigan, Lisa Lampanelli, Chris Rock, Kathy Griffin, Dane Cook, and many others. All of these comedians have different styles and different ways of looking at the world, and they are some of the most genuine commenators of society today. Though news organizations are paid money to find the 'truth', to me I feel that the most honest people in society are comedians. And the thing is- I find comedians that insult the audience to be funny. We all have our own weird ticks, and believe me when I say I make fun of myself all the time. I feel that we should all stop being so super sensitive about everything. But here's my question- do you feel that comedians who give their own spin and social commentary get too much leeway in saying things that could offend others and come off racist or stereotypical? I do not allow certain things to be said in everyday company, but then I'll watch Lisa Lampanelli (who insults everyone and very crudely) who says something that I would never say in any company and I find it to be the funniest thing. If anything, comedians are the bravest people in this country and the most willing to stir up feelings and push boundaries of being politically correct. In this way, we can work through what we find to be acceptable and unacceptable and go from there. So keep up the good work comedians in making us laugh and uncomfortable so that we can find out what is most important in our society. And just because putting up You Tube clips seems to be my thing, here are a few of my favorite comedians (warning: they swear, use harsh language, can be offensive. sorry! you've been warned) :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjJCIbC9sxA Jim Gaffigan on Christmas & Easter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ2dquaHO7Q&feature=related Dave Chappelle on Clinton & Bush

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1VLDcS0FUA Dane Cook on nothing fights (audio only)

Post 5: Dunder Mifflin, Scranton branch

My abosolute favorite television show is The Office. To me, there is nothing funnier than the awkward scenarios and the drama that occurs on the show. It's my favorite show because it is unafraid to make the viewer uncomfortable. It is brave, as not other television shows really accomplish that sense of awkwardness and intensity. The characters are all very different individuals, and all cast members have great and diverse personalities. Though most of the characters are white, there is an African American man (Stanley, and this does not include the some of the warehouse staff), a man of Mexican decent (Oscar, who we later find out is gay), overweight individuals, an overly critical Christian woman (Angela), an Indian woman (Kelly) and other great characters. Ultimately, the characters are a group of people who hate their monotonous jobs and would rather be anywhere else but Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in Scranton, PA. The show is unafraid to be politically incorrect and make the viewers react in different ways. The show titled "Diversity Day" was the second show on season 1, and it deals with the office having to go through a diversity seminar because the manager Michael Scott performed a controversial Chris Rock routine in the office which offended many people. If you have never watched The Office, I strongly suggest that you watch it! It is important to keep pushing the envelope in television to keep the issue of racism in America prominent so that we do not regress in our overall progress of eliminating racism. Here is a clip from "Diversity Day" which shows how the writers of The Office are unafraid to make the audience uncomfortable and keep people talking:

http://www.spike.com/video/office-diversity-day/2693508

P.S. Steve Carell was mortified when he had to do this bit- he apologized to everyone on set when performing this scene.

Post 4: 8 years later

As many people commemorate the attacks of 9/11, the History Channel has played many different specials on the events of that tragic day. Seeing the footage again made me realize once again how there is true evil in the world and that it needs to be stopped. The History Channel created a new documentary that they played today (which I plan on seeing later- thank you DVR) that showed first person accounts with pictures and interviews. The one quote that took me back was a person commenting on the debris once the towers fell. Many said that it looked like a nuclear blast, but one person commented that, "You couldn't see black or white people, onlly gray people." It reminded me that in utter tragedy, our problems are passed aside and we re-evaluate what is important and unified as a country. Unfortunately, we lost sight of this feeling years later and other tragedies like Hurricane Katrina had the reverse effect with the negative images of "black looters" and "white survivors." We need to remind ourselves how we can become unified as a country and that our issues of race/gender/sexuality can be put aside when we consider what is truly important. God bless those who lost family and friends 8 years ago, and God bless all those who gave their lives to save others.

Post 3: You're standing on my neck...

One of my all-time favorite television shows on MTV that I constantly watched was "Daria," which gave positive messages to teenagers that do not follow the 'in' crowd. Today, teenagers get to listen to vapid spoiled kids whose sweet sixteen birthday party will probably cost more than my wedding/down payment on a house. I especially liked the character Jodie, who was an African American teen girl who felt pressured to fit the role of being a perfect student so that she could represent her race well, when the white kids never had to deal with anything because race was never an issue. As my class focuses on cultural diversity, though regular prime time television shows should create more positive attitudes regarding race/gender/sexuality etc., I feel that television shows for teenagers today need more attention. Because what is the percentage of teenagers in this country that live like those snobs on Laguna Beach? We should learn from Daria that being yourself is okay, that you don't have to be the head cheerleader or the perfect role model student. Being yourself and celebrating your differences is a good thing. And so I leave you with a clip from this amazing show that shows how unique and wonderful Daria and Jodie are and that they should not change for anyone but themselves. Plus, the show is absolutely hysterical. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJepkT9z4J0

Post 2: Blackbird

As a tribute to the unofficial Beatles' day, I was looking for inspiration from Beatles songs to discuss in my blog. As I was talking to my mother (who is a Beatles fanatic and has been since she first saw them on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964), she pointed out to me that the song "Blackbird" was written by Paul McCartney in 1968 in response to the racial tension that was prevalent in America. Charles Manson took "Helter Skelter" and other Beatles' songs as a sign to a 'race war' and used it to perpetuate racism. But when I listen to the songs, it gives me hope for a brighter future where we all see each other as equals. Let us believe in the wonderful insight and inspirational words of the greatest band that ever existed:

"Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly.
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise.
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see.
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to be free.
Blackbird fly, Blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night. "

"And when the broken hearted people
Living in the world agree,
There will be an answer, let it be.
For though they may be parted there is
Still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be. "

So for all those who have become discouraged by various experiences of ignorance and intolerance, do not lose hope for a brighter future. And if you need a little encouragement, I suggest listening to the Beatles, as it always makes me feel better about the world. Give peace a chance! :)

"And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make."

Nothing says culture like weddings...

I must admit, it took me a while to figure out the appropriate way to start this blog, which I created for my Television, Minorities and Cultural Diversity web class, until I realized I had inspiration from my work. For the past four and a half years, I've been a waitress at a function hall and I have seen the best and worst of people of all races, ethnicities, orientations, etc. (frequently worst at weddings...) Usually, it is interesting and fun to learn about other cultures. For instance, learning about how Jewish couples always break glass during the ceremony and how many African Americans jump over a broom into married life. One that I remember distinctly was a traditional Ugandan wedding that had ceremonial introductions with dances and music which lasted for a little over two hours, which was before they even ate (but took place after cocktail hour). With these different cultures sometimes bring cultural differences. Problems I have faced in particular are inequalities between the treatment of women in certain cultures. I worked a christening once where a gentleman accused a female coworker of mine of taking his drink that he hadn't finished (the glass was completely empty) and then calling our female bartender a "dumb b*tch" for not automatically getting him a replacement drink free of charge. He refused to talk to any women, even our sales manager, and he only calmed down when a male coworker came over to resolve the situation. When he came over, the individual calmed down and spoke to my male coworker with respect, as if the situation was not a big deal. The male coworker had to make his drink because the female bartender was "sure to mess it up," even though he had no experience as a bartender! Incidents like that have happened quite a few times, and it is one of the most frustrating things to face- an individual who completely disregards my opinion based solely on my gender. I know that I am lucky to have been born where and when I have as many other people in this country face (and have faced) much more bigotry and ignorance, but I still occasionally face sexism and it is something that brings the spirit down. I have huge respect for individuals like Cornel West ("Race Matters") and the millions of others who have faced such blatant ignorance and racism in everyday life. Though this country has come a long way, ignorance is still rampant and needs to be stopped for the well being of all Americans.