Assignment 1-3: Journal Article Analysis

“Can You Handle My Truth?” Authenticity and the Celebrity Star Image



In the article, the author uses the celebrity image of Brittany Spears to educate her audience about how the public perception of the “true celebrity” can be manipulated by the celebrity and also by the fans that follow her.


The author states that the information technology age has had a dramatic effect on the history of and the making of the celebrity, but after doing research, finds that the opposite occurs. She finds that the celebrity is actually a symbol or figure of a larger idea of public wants and needs. Myers writes that the celebrity image “constructs meaning in the modern western capitalist system”. In her observation, the author states that “Celebrities are highly visible, easily accessed, and not confined to performances”. She further states that “the celebrity image is a potent form of ideological symbol”, (Myers, 2009).


The author points out that cited social critics argue that the culture of celebrity is a “coercive force” that moulds our society into a love affair with the rich and powerful creating a “false sense of reality and questionable values”, (Myers, 2009).


The author conveys a different belief that celebrities help the average person make sense of the world around them by having the ability to “accept or to reject the social values” displayed by the celebrity (Myers, 2009).


The author of the article cleverly uses celebrity Brittney Spears to examine how celebrities generate and identify for themselves that which has “social meaning and significance” using the power of the media as a tool. For example, Brittney chooses only to publish articles in People Magazine, rather than to publish articles in the lesser rated gossip magazines like Star and Globe. Brittany makes this choice because People has a better reputation than tabloid magazines and the information contained about the her will be more regarded as the “truth”.


Richard Dyer is quoted in the article saying “Stardom is an image of the way stars live…it combines the spectacular with the everyday, the special with the ordinary”, (Myers, 2009).Using this knowledge, the icon has constructed an image of her celebrity by making herself available in two personas; the spectacular singer/actor and the ordinary “real life” person. This angle works because the public thrives on the “possibility and impossibility” of knowing the “truth” about the “real life” of Brittney Spears (Myers, 2009).


Because she was able to make use of the idea that the “truth” lies just out of view and just under the surface of her publicized image, she was able to manipulate the public into wanting more of the “truth”. The celebrity positioned herself to give more information about the “real” Brittney. This created the illusion of having a more “intimate relationship” with her fans.


After some negative publicity marking her as “trashy” and “too sexy for her fan base”, Brittany set about changing her public persona. To change her image, Brittany used the reality television show, Brittney and Kevin: Chaotic to re-define her “hypersexual” party girl image to a more grown up, more socially acceptable “good girl” image. The tabloids used this opportunity to tell the real truth, by revealing information that Kevin Federline had dumped his pregnant girlfriend and first child born of the relationship for Brittany. She was branded a home wrecker. Once again Brittany skillfully used this opportunity to tell the “real truth” and dispute the lies that were told about her.


Although the public is presented with conflicting images of Brittany, it is ultimately up to the audience to negotiate the waters of authenticity and to decide what images resonate with them. According to the author, fulfilling the need to peer into the life of a celebrity, fans ultimately begin to understand their own lives.


I enjoyed the author’s perspective on the celebrity world. I had no idea that the celebrity image is built on a two-sided formula which intentionally presents the celebrity in two ways to entice the public to want more information, increasing the strength of the public’s curiosity and need for more information about the celebrity.


The author made good use of research and cited seventeen sources in the bibliography to back up the information in her article.


The author began her article by stating one viewpoint about the increase in internet technology having a huge impact in the making of the celebrity, but disputed it by citing the works of many social experts and the actions of Brittney Spears.
The article was interesting because it gives a different view point about how celebrities market themselves in our capitalistic society. It is not necessarily the media that creates the celebrity, but the celebrities themselves, with the help of their fans.


References
Myers, E., (2009). Can you handle my truth?: authenticity and the celebrity star image. The journal of popular culture, Vol. 42, No. 5, 2009 pp 890-907.

Assignment 5-1: Weekly Analysis 5

South Park, Episode 201

In general, one would think that the completely uncensored television show, South Park is targeted for teenage audiences. The explicit language and large viewership points to the contrary. In fact, “In its original American broadcast on April 21, 2010, episode "201" was watched by 3.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. According to the research firm it was “the most watched cable television show of the night, and it outperformed the previous week's episode, "200", which was seen by 3.33 million viewers” (Wikipedia, 2010).
In the named episode, racially inappropriate animated characters and dialogue had to be censored from the show. According to Wikipedia, the show’s animated characters which were made to resemble celebrity icons” demanded that the show South Park produce the Muslim Prophet Muhammad” (Wikipedia, 2010). There was plenty of censored bleeping-out of words, and many people of the Muslim faith were insulted that the show even aired.
In today’s times we are taught how to respect others’ cultures and learn about them, not make fun of them and ridicule them because they are different. I think this type of show is inappropriate and blurs the line of free speech with hate speech. Is this type of hatred really necessary?? Do people really find this type of show funny or enlightening?? The show mocks African Americans, people who are over weight, intellectually challenged, Jewish, poor, gay, and those are just a few examples.
I have tried to watch the show out of curiosity, but the show was intellectually insulting because it is riddled with profanity and has characters like Mister Hankey, a talking piece of feces, and breaches subjects including toilet humor and menstruation. No thank you, I will keep my channel tuned to something else. This show is an example of just what our society does not need.

References
Wikipedia, (2010). Retrieved May 2, 2010 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/201_(South_Park)

Assignment 4-1: Weekly Written Analysis

Brittney Spears

Brittney Spears is a current popular culture icon, and celebrity. Her quest for stardom began in her early years. She was born December 2, 1981 in Mississippi and reared in Kentwood, Louisiana. She was a talented gymnast, sang in her church choir and participated in local dance revues (Wikipedia, 2010). At eight years of age she entered the Professional Performing Arts School in New York City and studied for three summers. As a child, she appeared on shows such as The New Mickey Mouse Club, Star Search, and was an understudy for the Broadway musical Ruthless!. In 1997, she joined the all-girl band Innosense, but it was a short-lived event (Wikipedia, 2010). In October of 1998 she released her debut hit single Baby One More Time which was certified as platinum fourteen times. This jump-started her career and she began her starlet ascent. Brittney’s trademark of being scantily clad in push-up bras and barely visible clothing, the revealing photos mixed teenage innocence with adult sexuality and raised many eyebrows and bordered on teenage porn (Wikipedia, 2010).

Due to her instant success and wild lifestyle, Brittany has had her share of problems including a failed marriage to Kevin Federline intertwined with the birth of her two children, a nasty fight for custody with accusations that she was an unfit parent, obvious mental health issues, alcohol addiction, and drug abuse. In the much publicized custody battle, she was ordered to attend substance abuse rehabilitation and parenting classes. Federline was given sole custody with Brittany only having visitation rights.

The media covered every aspect of her troubled life, no matter how horrible the subject. Sadly, looking voyeuristically into celebrity lives makes television ratings and gossip magazine sales soar. The media feasted on the celebrity’s misfortune and bad behavior like hungry sharks, and our American culture which idolizes celebrities fed the frenzy.

Thankfully, Brittney got the help she was crying out for after she shaved her head and started showing signs of heightened erratic behavior and mental breakdown. Her father fired her personal business manager and secured her assets. Her psychiatrist ordered her admitted to the U.C.L A. Medical center under involuntary hold. She was allowing the narcissistic, self centered life of her celebity to tear her apart from the inside out.

Thankfully, she emerged after the break down presumably more stable. Soon after, she guest starred on the CBS sit-com How I Met Your Mother. Like her or hate her, she is what our society has made her. I may not be a fan, but I wish her the best.


References
Wikipedia, (April 24, 2010). Brittney Spears. Retrieved April 24, 2010 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britney_Spears

Assignment 3-1: Weekly Written Analysis 3

George Clooney

George Timothy Clooney, an incredibly good looking movie icon in today’s times is also known as Gorgeous George. He was born in Lexington Kentucky on May 6, 1961. The icon started his early education in Kentucky, and later his parents moved to Ohio where he spent part of his childhood. He lived in Columbus and then Mason, Ohio.

In middle school, George was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a virus that paralyzed areas of his face for nearly a year. He was taunted and called names such as “Frankenstein” by his classmates. According to Wikipedia, Clooney disclosed to the Daily Mirror in 2003, “That was the worst time of my life” (Wikipedia, 2010).

Clooney’s father Nick Clooney, a news anchorman and talk show host would bring George to the set of his Cincinnati show and let him participate. George grew to be very popular with his father’s audience. Later, to avoid upstaging his own father in his career, George terminated his job as a broadcast journalist. After holding down odd jobs, he turned to acting.

His first steady TV role, E/R which he landed in 1984 was a short-lived sitcom, not to be confused with his role in the hit show ER. He achieved stardom and is most famous for his role in the television hospital drama ER in which he played the role of Dr. Doug Ross from 1994 to 1999.

Since the hit TV role as Dr. Ross, he has received several accolades by media icon People Magazine. He was chosen as one of the “50 Most Beautiful People in the World” in 1996 and voted the “Sexiest Man Alive” in 1997 and a second time in 2006. He was voted the “Best Dressed Male Television Star” in 1997. He was voted one of People’s “Top 50 Bachelors in 2002”. He was ranked number twenty-seven on Premier’s 2002 “Power 100 list”, and number twenty-nine in 2003. He was voted number three of the “Top Sexiest Men” in People Magazine in 2003. In 2005, he arrives on the cover of the first ever men’s “Vogue Magazine”. He was voted one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World” in 2007, 2008, and 2009 (Wikipedia, 2010) and (Internet Mobile Database, 2010).

He has starred in many other acting roles in movies such as Batman, From Dusk till Dawn, One Fine Day, The Peacemaker, Batman and Robin, The Perfect Storm, Oceans Eleven, Oceans Twelve, Oceans Thirteen, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Syriana, The Good German, and Leatherheads (Wikipedia, 2010).

Today, he is not only a famous American icon; he’s an actor, a film director and a producer and screen writer who has risen to superior iconic status. According to Internet Mobile Database, Forbes Magazine estimated his earnings for the year 2007 at $25 Million (Internet Mobile Database, 2010).

While George continues to be one of my favorite male actors, not only for his great looks and sex appeal, I applaud his efforts as a great humanitarian as well. He is doing remarkable work in Darfur, Chad, and Sudan. He received the Summit Peace Award in 2007 for his efforts to resolve the conflict in Darfur.

You can bet I would watch any movie he makes.


References
Wikipedia, (April 17, 2010). George Clooney. Retrieved April 17, 2010 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Clooney
Internet Mobile Database, (2010). Biography for George Clooney. Retrieved April 17, 2010 from http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000123/bio

Assignment 2-1: Weekly Written Analysis 2

Facebook

What is Facebook? “Facebook is a social networking website that is operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc” (Wikipedia, 2010).
The social networking site was invented in February of 2004 as a means of college interaction by a Junior Harvard student by the name of Mark Zuckerberg (and his friends) in his dorm room. It was preceded the prior year by his site called Facemash where he matched the faces of fellow students with farm animals which did not go over well with Harvard officials.

Facebook’s intended audience was originally meant only for Harvard college students, but was opened later for other area Ivy League colleges as well. Today, as of 2006, you must be over the age of thirteen with a valid e-mail address to be a Facebook user.

People who are registered users of the product are able to set up personal profiles which may contain photos, photo albums, list personal interests, contact information and more. The product has many applications like Chess which allows users to play interactive online games with friends, a Gifts section where you can buy virtual gifts for one dollar that can be personalized to give to friends. There is a Marketplace section to place free classified ads, an Events section to post upcoming events for users and a Video section to share home videos.

Communication can be done with people you know who are users by “friending” them. Communication with “friends” and other users can be allowed in incremental degrees. There is public messaging and private messaging and different levels of “friending” which allow the user to choose how much information they want other users to see. There is also a chat application. Users may develop and sign up with special interest or fan groups, some of which are posted by businesses to use as a modern mode of marketing their companies and products to a younger audience.

Facebook has made a large impact on the world in general, but especially on politics in the last presidential election. According to Wikipedia, “over one million people installed the Facebook application 'US politics' in order to take part (Wikipedia, 2010). During the election the debates’ user responses were measured regarding candidate issues and comments. The results showed the world something “…what young students had already experienced: that Facebook was an extremely popular and powerful new way to interact and voice opinions” (Wikipedia, 2010). Extremely popular is right. Facebook’s audience in the United States alone is “over twenty-three million users” strong and growing according Inside Facebook, a website that tracks statistics for the company (Inside Facebook, 2009).



References
Inside Facebook, (2009). Retrieved from http://www.insidefacebook.com/2009/03/25/number-of-us-facebook-users-over-35-nearly-doubles-in-last-60-days/
Wikipedia, (April 10, 2010). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FaceBook

Assignment 2-2 Icon Analysis

My Three Icons


The icons I chose are Elvis Presley, a famous pop singer and movie star, Oprah Winfrey, a famous talk show host, and Superman, a fictional super hero of comic books and movies.


Elvis Presley is known as “The King of Pop”. He began his career in Tennessee in 1954 and his first single “Heart Break Hotel” was a number one hit in 1956. His singing style was strongly influenced by gospel music and he was credited with the beginnings of “rock-n-roll”. He was one of the most popular and controversial singers (due to his pelvic undulations) in American history during the twentieth century (Wikipedia, 2010). He was nominated fourteen times and won three Grammy Awards. He received the lifetime Achievement Award at age 36 and has been inducted into four music halls of fame. He is regarded as one of the most important pop culture icons of the 20th century (Wikipedia, 2010). I grew up listening to his music and watching the corny movies he made and I remember how much I loved them both and how undeniably handsome he was in his younger days.


Oprah Winfrey is an American television talk show host, actress and a philanthropist. She is best known for her talk show entitled “The Oprah Winfrey Show” which is credited with being “the highest rated talk show in history” (Wikipedia, 2010). She has been ranked as “one of the most influential people" of 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 by Time Magazine and is the only person in the world to have made the list for all seven years (Wikipedia, 2010). The reason I chose Oprah to be one of my icons is the fact that she is a self-made woman born to poverty that is worth a reported 2.4 billion today (Wikipedia, 2010). Even though she is a billionaire I believe she has moral principles in her life. I applaud her efforts to help the children in South Africa suffering with HIV/AIDS and I believe she has helped many women overcome obstacles, prejudices, and fears in their lives. She is a role model not only for African American women, but women in general.


Superman is a comic book hero, and also a fiction movie icon. He represents good versus evil and gives the audience a sense of hope that good will always prevail. He is the most human, yet humble superhero of all who adheres to a strict moral code upheld by western culture. He has superhuman strength, but is weakened by kryptonite which shows his vulnerability. Superman is “both an American cultural icon and the first comic book superhero” (Wikipedia, 2010). Although the character of Superman has been played by many actors over the years, I especially enjoyed "Superman: The Movie" from 1978 starring the late Christopher Reeve who was cast to play the role of the super hero. The latest Superman movie was Superman/Batman #3 which was released in December of 2003 (Wikipedia, 2010). To me, Superman is the ideal man. Strong but vulnerable, a moral force that fights for good over evil.

References
Wikipedia, (2010). Retrieved April 07, 2010 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis_Presley
Wikipedia, (April 5, 2010). Retrieved April 8, 2010 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oprah_Winfrey
Wikipedia, (April 6, 2010). Retrieved April 8, 2010 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman_(film)

Assignment 1-4: Weekly Written Analysis 1

Reality Television Shows
According to Wikipedia the definition for a reality show is a type of program that is said to be produced with everyday people instead of professional actors and without a traditional script. What draws the audience is the absolute sensationalism and drama between the characters participating in different situations (Wikipedia, 2010). Those situations include a wide range of topics such as dating, cooking, home makeover, millionaire wives, losing weight, catching criminals, revealing unfaithful love partners, swapping wives, unruly children, unruly pets, ghosts, modeling, fashion design, dancing, singing, racing, being fired, and people with way too many children.
Reality shows are made in several different styles. The “fly on the wall” is a type of voyeuristic view of the every day activities inside a residence or job. A “docudrama” is a pre-planned situation show that resembles a soap opera, and the “cinema verte” style uses specialized camera and sound techniques and sometimes uses the camera to provoke the participants. (Wikipedia, 2010).
The obsession with Reality TV shows is has exploded and is still growing. Reality TV Magazine gives updates for over 200 reality shows daily (Reality TV Magazine, 2010), and there are more reality shows in the works including “America’s Next American”. (Seriously??)
Ratings and viewership for this genre are astonishing. According to an article in News-Leader.com, for the week of March 22-28, the top reality shows and their viewership statistics are: “American Idol” 24.21 million viewers, (Tuesday), “American Idol” 24.11 million (Wednesday), “Dancing with the Stars” 24.19 million, “Undercover Boss” 16.72 million, and “Amazing Race” had 12.21 million viewers (Moore, 2010)
Although there is controversy about the unreal environments, questionable editing, and blatant staging, reality television shows will be around for a while, even if the Salahis will be featured on “The real Housewives of D.C.”.

References
Moore, F. (2010). Hoops and reality shows help CBS win ratings week. The Associated Press [On-line article]. Available: http://www.news-leader.com/article20100401/ENTERTAINMENT10/4010337/1005/RSS04
Wikipedia, (2010) Retrieved April 1, 2010 from the website http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality_television.
Reality TV Magazine, (2010) Retrieved April 1, 2010 from the website http://realitytvmagazine.sheknows.com/
Real Television, (2010) Retrieved April 1, 2010 from the website http://www.realtelevision.net/?topic=simple_life