Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Hey MTV, where's the music?
Monday 9.17.2007
I was driving to class today, singing along to the radio, and enjoying the beautiful day when a fabulous old school rap song came on the radio. Of course priming activation occurred causing me to react in the only way imaginable, I turned the radio up even louder, started singing even louder, and was immediately taken back to my high school days when life was simple.
There was an instant transformation. I was no longer worrying about tests, papers, graduating, and getting a job. I was carefree, had very little responsibility, and was blaring music and dancing at a party with my high school friends. Honestly, does it get any better?
I'm sure the person driving next to me thought I was crazy, but come on, we all get excited when a long forgotten song comes on the radio. I made a point to try and remember what the name of the song was while in class, but somehow between the lectures, a test review, and the drive home it slipped my mind. It was such a prime example of the storage bin model. I can remember every last word from all my lectures today, but I can't even remember the name of that fantastic song or even the words.
However, I know someday (hopefully sooner than later) that same song will come on the radio and bring me back to my high school days and when it does you know I will be blaring the radio and singing along with a big smile on my face.
Tuesday 9.18.2007
"Have you seen the music video for this song?" my friend Marisa asked. "Of course I haven't" I thought. "When is the last time MTV actually played a music video?" Last time I checked MTV stood for Music Television, but who knows these days.
I was thinking about all the TV I watch (and I watch a lot) and I honestly cannot remember the last time I saw a music video on MTV. So then I got to thinking about MTV's VMA's (Video Music Awards)...who makes them the judge of good music videos when they hardly even play them? But that is cultivation for you! Cultivation theory proposes that heavy media exposure changes the way we think about the world. Heavy exposure to MTV's reality programming is causing us to think reality television is more of an art than music videos. It is also changing our perspective of what is considered entertaining to watch.
I know they have TRL (Total Request Live) and MTV2, but I'm sorry...in my book that does NOT count. What happened to the good ole' days before The Hills, Made, and Cribs? I miss the music videos...oh wait, I really don't. Music videos were usually less than entertaining. I only watched them when nothing else was on or when I thought maybe I would discover a great song and have an excuse to buy a new CD. Looking back now, I would much rather have MTV play endless drama and reality TV. So I guess in the end, good choice MTV!
Wednesday 9.19.2007
Let's face it, we live in a celebrity obsessed world. I'm as guilty as anyone...I subscribe to US Weekly, watch way too much E!, and check PerezHilton.com multiple times a day. My latest addiction is Chelsea Handler's new show Chelsea Lately .
There's something about a D-list celebrity, her midget assistant named "Chuy," and her round table of even less famous guests who make fun of celebrity pop culture that makes me laugh. Even my boyfriend, a football and beer kind of guy, finds Handler's wit more than tolerable.
So why is it so entertaining to make fun of celebrities?...a number of reasons, but who really cares about why. I just know a new episode of Chelsea Lately hasn't aired since August 24th and everyday I get a little sad when I check my Tivo and don't see a new episode recorded. I have identified with Chelsea. She has become like a friend and I have gotten accustom to welcoming her into my living room on weeknights at 10:30. I, like a lot of people, have become addicted to celebrity pop culture.
I was watching a TMZ special the other day where the host asked people in California what year the 9-11 attacks occured. The results were shocking, but not too suprising. The majority of people interviewed knew Angelina Jolie's kids' names and who Paris Hilton's sister was, but could not correctly identify the year of the 9-11 attacks.
There is nothing wrong with being celebrity obsessed, but let's also be news obsessed, history obsessed, and knowledgable about things that actually matter. It is perfectly acceptable to be familiar with every detail of Britney Spears' recent tragic life choices, but that is not reality. Let's try to be more realistic and focus on the important things so we can have intellectual conversations and look beyond the world of Brangelina and TomKat.
¶ posted by Stephanie Lauren Kahan at 9:42 PM •
I was driving to class today, singing along to the radio, and enjoying the beautiful day when a fabulous old school rap song came on the radio. Of course priming activation occurred causing me to react in the only way imaginable, I turned the radio up even louder, started singing even louder, and was immediately taken back to my high school days when life was simple.
There was an instant transformation. I was no longer worrying about tests, papers, graduating, and getting a job. I was carefree, had very little responsibility, and was blaring music and dancing at a party with my high school friends. Honestly, does it get any better?
I'm sure the person driving next to me thought I was crazy, but come on, we all get excited when a long forgotten song comes on the radio. I made a point to try and remember what the name of the song was while in class, but somehow between the lectures, a test review, and the drive home it slipped my mind. It was such a prime example of the storage bin model. I can remember every last word from all my lectures today, but I can't even remember the name of that fantastic song or even the words.
However, I know someday (hopefully sooner than later) that same song will come on the radio and bring me back to my high school days and when it does you know I will be blaring the radio and singing along with a big smile on my face.
Tuesday 9.18.2007
"Have you seen the music video for this song?" my friend Marisa asked. "Of course I haven't" I thought. "When is the last time MTV actually played a music video?" Last time I checked MTV stood for Music Television, but who knows these days.
I was thinking about all the TV I watch (and I watch a lot) and I honestly cannot remember the last time I saw a music video on MTV. So then I got to thinking about MTV's VMA's (Video Music Awards)...who makes them the judge of good music videos when they hardly even play them? But that is cultivation for you! Cultivation theory proposes that heavy media exposure changes the way we think about the world. Heavy exposure to MTV's reality programming is causing us to think reality television is more of an art than music videos. It is also changing our perspective of what is considered entertaining to watch.
I know they have TRL (Total Request Live) and MTV2, but I'm sorry...in my book that does NOT count. What happened to the good ole' days before The Hills, Made, and Cribs? I miss the music videos...oh wait, I really don't. Music videos were usually less than entertaining. I only watched them when nothing else was on or when I thought maybe I would discover a great song and have an excuse to buy a new CD. Looking back now, I would much rather have MTV play endless drama and reality TV. So I guess in the end, good choice MTV!
Wednesday 9.19.2007
Let's face it, we live in a celebrity obsessed world. I'm as guilty as anyone...I subscribe to US Weekly, watch way too much E!, and check PerezHilton.com multiple times a day. My latest addiction is Chelsea Handler's new show Chelsea Lately .
There's something about a D-list celebrity, her midget assistant named "Chuy," and her round table of even less famous guests who make fun of celebrity pop culture that makes me laugh. Even my boyfriend, a football and beer kind of guy, finds Handler's wit more than tolerable.
So why is it so entertaining to make fun of celebrities?...a number of reasons, but who really cares about why. I just know a new episode of Chelsea Lately hasn't aired since August 24th and everyday I get a little sad when I check my Tivo and don't see a new episode recorded. I have identified with Chelsea. She has become like a friend and I have gotten accustom to welcoming her into my living room on weeknights at 10:30. I, like a lot of people, have become addicted to celebrity pop culture.
I was watching a TMZ special the other day where the host asked people in California what year the 9-11 attacks occured. The results were shocking, but not too suprising. The majority of people interviewed knew Angelina Jolie's kids' names and who Paris Hilton's sister was, but could not correctly identify the year of the 9-11 attacks.
There is nothing wrong with being celebrity obsessed, but let's also be news obsessed, history obsessed, and knowledgable about things that actually matter. It is perfectly acceptable to be familiar with every detail of Britney Spears' recent tragic life choices, but that is not reality. Let's try to be more realistic and focus on the important things so we can have intellectual conversations and look beyond the world of Brangelina and TomKat.
¶ posted by Stephanie Lauren Kahan at 9:42 PM •