For Tuesday, January 29th class, please read/view the following:
- Read: “American Icons: The Mythic Characters of Popular Cultures,” (721-728) Signs of Life (handout).
- Read: Brennan, Jake. “Celebrities Who Aren’t Really Celebrities,” (729-733) Signs of Life (handout).
- Watch: “I Got a Crush . . . on Obama”
* If you were not in class to receive these readings (handouts), email me, and I will send the readings to you by email.
Please consider the following sets of questions when posting your response to the readings and video. Answer any one set of questions (and please respond to all of the questions within the set); don’t forget, you MUST make connections to the readings (how your thoughts or opinions are connected to what was said in the readings).
1. At one point, in “American Icons,” the author suggests that by analyzing cultural icons (giving the example of Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe), we can learn a lot about American culture and how these icons “embody their society’s most basic desires.” First – explain how might such icons tell us about ourselves, our culture, or our most “basic desires”? Second, after watching the Obama video and thinking about how this political figure has become a bit of an American icon himself, explain how Barak Obama might embody our “society’s most basic desires.” What does our popular interest in Obama potentially say about our society? Is his popularity strictly based on political motivations? Explain. Also, after reading “Celebrities who aren’t really celebrities,” how do you think the media has contributed to Obama’s celebrity status (explain HOW)?
2. Consider one of your favorite icons. Search for a couple of websites that highlight that icon (whether an official or unofficial fan site). Consider the way the images are presented, the website is constructed, the key words and phrases present on the site, the colors, etc. and explain how those websites (and many of those elements) help contribute to the “image” or “myth” of that icon. Also, after reading “Celebrities who aren’t really celebrities,” explain how do you think the media has contributed to your celebrity’s status (explain HOW)? When responding to this set of questions, please be sure to include the URL (or website address) of at least two websites that you visited, so we can go visit them, as well, and visually see what you are talking about.
35 responses so far ↓
Ashley Mercado // January 24, 2008 at 9:04 pm |
The reading says the reason Elvis was so popular was, in part, because he helped popularize rock’n roll. The reason Marilyn was so popular was because of her innocence but in both of these cases, to me, it was the sex that made these two icons. Sex, since the beginning of time sells. It just does. This applies to Obama too. He is the first politician that can be seen in a sexual manner. I believe it was “People” that first published a picture of him in trunks with his bare chest out. The astonishing part was how good he looked. Since then he’s only gotten more popular in a anti-icon way. Just like Paris Hilton’s sex tape made her popularity soar is the same way, but not to the full extent, the Obama’s popularity soaring. Not only does he go to beach, like you and me and everybody else, but he’s hot. So he is embodying this “I’m just like everybody else” attitude but he’s hot and that “sexiness” is gonna sell. As the saying goes “any exposure is good exposure”.
Noga S // January 25, 2008 at 3:15 pm |
My icon is, and has been for many years now, Harry Potter. Whether you’re talking about the books or the movies, I am absolutely obsessed with anything to do with the Harry Potter world.
Therefore, it was quite hard approaching 2 very popular websites dedicated to the subject, and trying to stay impartial, looking at them as if for the first time. The websites are Mugglenet (www.mugglenet.com) and Veritaserum (www.veritaserum.com).
The first thing that catches my attention is the darkness of the background. It seems very natural, since we all know (even those who haven’t read the books and/or seen the movies) that the main subject of the Harry Potter series is magic – and you have to admit that dark colors (specifically black) are normally associated with magic. You would have been very surprised if the background would have been pink, right? You can argue and say that on the Veritaserum website the writing is actually on a not so very dark background – but if you’ll look closely you’ll notice that that background is a piece of parchment – an item that is very much associated with Harry Potter (although you do need to be a fan to know that the people in the wizarding community write on pieces of parchment, and not on regular paper like Muggles – non-magical folks, that is).
In the Mugglenet website you can notice on the left side that the titles for every section of it are written in a font that is taken from the books – again, only if you’re familiar with it enough. I think it’s safe to assume that every person who goes into a Harry Potter website is a Harry Potter fan. Therefore, putting certain words in the Harry Potter font will make a fan feel right at home. On the Veritaserum website there is no special font but the words appear on a sort of banner that is (again) made from the special “wizard paper”.
Since Harry Potter is a current and very relevant icon, it is most important for any website that aspires to be popular, to have the most updated news. That’s why the main page of both websites is filled with every bit of news – big and small – the most recent news being at the top. Both sites could have opened with a general explanation of “What is Harry Potter?” – But, once again, they know what the fans want – and they give it to them…
The same goes for the pictures on both websites – we (the fans) want to see the most updated pictures, so they will put them in the front page, alongside related news. Like most websites (not just Harry Potter websites) they also have a very big image gallery, but in my opinion there’s nothing special about that.
My final conclusion from all that I’ve mentioned above is that both websites try to portray the Harry Potter image in their layouts. It seems like they (the websites administrators and designers) thought very carefully before making all the decisions about how they want their websites to be. They’re obviously Harry Potter fans themselves and they wanted to stay true to the magical image of the icon.
I should make it clear that I don’t think you can yet refer to Harry Potter as a myth… talk to me again in 20 years…
I believe the media has contributed greatly to my icon’s status (I can not refer to Harry Potter as a celebrity, seeing that he’s a fictional character).
When the books just started coming out in 1997 in the UK (and 1998 in the US) there wasn’t much hype about it – it was just another book by just another anonymous author. Only in later years, when the media had “discovered” Harry Potter and stepped in, it became such a phenomenon. They started talking about it on TV, newspapers and the internet. The exposure intrigued more people and they went out and bought the books – making Harry Potter even more famous. It’s like a never ending circle – the media will talk about it, people will buy it and make the sales go up, which will make the media talk about it more, which will make more people buy it and so on and so on…
The release of the Harry Potter movies also made the status of it go up – I myself only became a fan after being dragged to see the first movie by my mother (and I thank her everyday for that).
In his article, Jake Brennan talks about people who shouldn’t be considered celebrities or an icon because they have no special talent and they’re only famous because they get exposure by the media for different reasons. Harry Potter does not fall under that category – any one who has picked up a Harry Potter book can not deny that JK Rowling is a very talented author. So it’s true that exposure helped – but it was a justified exposure!
One last thing I want to comment on is the discussion in the “Celebrities Who Aren’t Really Celebrities” article about the meaning of the word “celebrity”.
Until reading the article I never took the time to think about the meaning of the word. Now that I know what it means I really do feel that the term is being used too loosely and that is suffers from overuse. I will definitely think twice before calling somebody a celebrity the next time.
Sara D // January 26, 2008 at 1:29 pm |
American culture is defiantly reflected in our icons such as Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley. As the author stated in “American Icons” we love our “larger-than-life symbols that capture our imagination by embodying our deepest values and desires.” Embodying our deepest values and desires is exactly what they do and why they become the icons that so many people can relate to. Both Monroe and Presley came from humble backgrounds and gave people something they could identify with. Presley put the “sex” in rock and roll that always there, under the surface, waiting to be released. He also was a white man in the 1950’s that had that “black sound” and was able to bring a different, sexy kind of music that an African American would not have been able to in those times. Monroe was sexy and innocent, qualities that men wanted and women could identify with. So, both of these icons represented the culture of that time. Our celebrities are representatives of our fantasies and desires and people we can often relate to.
Who doesn’t have “a crush on Obama”? His popularity is not based strictly on politics. He encompasses so many things American’s look up to. He is young and successful, an African American running for president (and defiantly a possibility, not just some name on a ballot), he is good looking and speaks eloquently. He is a roll model for so many people and is the epitome of the American dream. His popularity says that our society was ready for such a figure. We were ready for the underdog to end up on top. Even if he does not become president, it is certain that we will be seeing him again. It is refreshing to see someone like Obama be so popular. The author of “American Icons” brought up the point that “such icons are getting harder to find”, so it is nice to see Obama on the cover of magazines and newspapers as opposed to the “non-celebrities” that Jake Brennan talked about in his article, “Celebrities Who Aren’t Really Celebrities”.
The media has contributed to Obama’s celebrity status. “I’ve Got A Crush On Obama” brought “sex symbol” to the list of other qualities that I mentioned above. The media has run with that, feeding us what we want to hear. We love hearing about the not-so-serious stuff like his charm and likability. It gives us a break from the serious issues and causes him to become more like us, more human. We like people we can relate to and it seems the media runs with it, giving us a sexy presidential candidate, instead of just another candidate.
Rotimi Akindele // January 27, 2008 at 3:31 am |
Well, on the subject of American icons; I certainly and definitely believe America as a whole, is a country which loves both iconic and heroic men and women. But as a result of non-heroic and iconic men and women in our society today; our consumer culture has now turned away from heroism as a result of celebrities who neither are icons nor heroes, for today’s men and women.
America as whole is no longer producing the likes of George Washington who was and is one of America’s greatest men, along with other great man such as Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Dr Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, and John F Kennedy. And, as a result of man like this not being replaced by others, the American culture has now become intoxicated with Sex, and anything erotic and exotic.
Whenever Heroism is missing, something inferior replaces it. And that’s as a result of the efficacy the likes of Rita Hayworth, Jean Harlow, Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley, who embodied and epitomized both the discharge of Sexual energy and Sexuality itself. Since then, I precisely and absolutely believe that the American culture has become more inebriated and intoxicated with Sex. And that has also resulted in the use of sexual terminologies such as Sexy, erotic and exotic; which the average American probably uses week-in week-out subconscious or consciously.
The American people are also becoming less euphoric, less ecstatic and are bored. And that’s why this so-called reality TV shows come up from different slants and angles.
And on the subject of Barack Obama, I am for certain that both iconic and heroic individualisms is returning back into our society; beginning from him. Plus his electability isn’t just because of his finesse but for the reason that his elegance, poise and composure embody that of America’s greats a la, Dr Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, and John F Kennedy etc.
Kristin Scott // January 27, 2008 at 1:56 pm |
Some really interesting perspectives and great commentary, thus far! Good job, folks.
Ying Liu Zhen // January 27, 2008 at 2:08 pm |
I would be interesting to answer the questions in the first set. In my impression, American icons are the famous and popular matters of America. That means the figures or people almost known by everyone. For example, Barbie doll, McDonald’s fast food store, and Bill Clinton. But, these figures and people have to affect our culture and our country obviously, no matter what kind of effects they show us. Thus, I agree that “An icon is not simply a popular figure or celebrity; an icon is also someone, or something, that has a meaning, a cultural significance” As plebeians, we have very simple basic desires. We work to feed ourselves or our family, we have fast food when we are hungry, and we sometimes see a movie in a theater, or see news at home with television. Of course, we have many other desires, but they seem very common. However, our desires mostly relate to American icon. For instant, if we don’t have movie star, we can’t see movie; if we don’t have politicians, our country will be fragmentized. Barak Obama got 51% of the voting in South Carolina means he won the election in that state. According to the report, most of the black people support him to be president. The video is one of the methods to promote Obama’s voting result and his popularity. His visual figure and speech have told me he is a confident, brave and sagacious person. As we know, the U.S economy is going down stairs especially the housing realty. So, what we need very much is changing our life condition from bad to good. Maybe Obama is expected to change the situation of our welfare, wage level, and tax. Black people hope to have better life and higher position in this society. In addition, we don’t want war at all and war is the curse of decreasing the American economy. Obama would be the politician that we need to manage our country. This is how he could be a bit of American icon and how he embodies the society’s most basic desires. Now, his political motivation is being a president. He wants power and political stage to exert his advantage to serve for people and achieve his primary goals. Anyway, giving chance is also the very important step to him. If he can be president, I hope he never forgets what he promises to do for people. Medias mostly propagandize the achievement in Obama’s post and the result of primary in South Carolina. Like what I mention above, the video actually is the promotion about how people adore Obama; T-shirt, computer, table, and underwear are printed with Obama’s photos. Medias promote this politician through different instruments such as radio, television, Internet, and newspaper. In this case, like what Andy Warhol stated, “Everybody will be famous for 15 minutes”. Now, Obama is really a celebrity in public. However, “rumors can create and destroy these people in an instant”. If a celebrity has a little bit abnormal behavior or speech, the medias will make a lot of reversed consensus to evaluate the celebrity. Therefore, as Obama becomes famous, he must be careful the reversed consensus; they will negatively affect the fame of him.
Lucrezia B. // January 27, 2008 at 3:00 pm |
I have to say that i agree with Ashley Mercado, in some ways. Both these icons were looked at for their connections they made with “the art of sex” and going public with it. and i’ll use Elvis again for example as the author did. It is true he was a southern truck driver, who “blew up” and this alone should have been the inspiring thing for people, that should have made him iconic alone…but we’re talking about America people, so of couse what stuck out even more was the way his performances suggested sex…and while this was at first a shock i’m sure it begin to drive people crazy, because if i’m not mistaken at one point of time, if not this point of time, the word “sex” alone was so “taboo”, and here this person was expressing what mmany of fans may have felt thru song and dance…with that being said it pretty much set a trend..and as Ashley mentiolned sex sells… bigtime!!! And everyone at some point ir another desires sex, just like money,m and fame..etc…and if you think about it thats what this is all about a common man just like me and you representing our most basic desires…just like other icons, and it becomes more special when we relate to these people as people justlike us because they may have come form the same place, or something like that… but when it comes down to all these fake celbrities, or shall say smell-ibrities..lol it just becomes ridiculous, and in most cases quite commical… Obama to me is just a nice lookin man, who running for president nothing more, nothing less, besides the fact that he is supposed to be black (i guess)…i had no idea that society looked at him any different, or that he was even featured on a picture or any of that…well until i just seen it on the video..but i think what it does is start makin him more commercial like, none of these types of things(like the fact that he is cute) should even matter, when it comes to picking a president to run our country, but again people… this is America…lol SEX SELLS.. and sad to say even when it comes to politics…i really think this video will be looked upon negatively somehow, and eventually get blown out of proportion, just because theirs always some sort of controversy when it comes to politics, and here you got this youn girl, making it look like Obama can “bring his sexy back”…but thats America for you…
gomez j. // January 27, 2008 at 6:37 pm |
My favorite icons have to be James Dean and Tupac Shakur. what drew me to these icons was their great acting. The one thing that stood out about them was the way they lived their lives in a Ernest hemingway kind of world; living out their art and i always found that interesting for a legend/icon to have.
When i checked out the tupac’s website http://www.tupacHQ.com the first thing that caught my eye was “Is Tupac Alive?”. It goes on to say how tupac struggled his whole life to make a legacy for him self before his life was cut short. It also compares him to elvis with the alive theories, not really dead but living in Cuba away from the public eye. On the right hand corner is a description of who he was that says “rapper,actor,poet….legend” and below is a quote of his that says “we gotta make a change…. it’s time for us as people to make a change”. It seems that this website glorifies the image of tupac being some type of prophet that so many of his fans and fellow rappers who see him as a martyr of hip hop. he talked about dying young being murder and becoming a legend. His fans have succeeded in resurrecting him into a eternal life force and there is even people who compare him to jesus christ, calling him black jesus.
The next is James Dean, the website http://www.jamesdeanmemorialjunction.com has a black background and everything else is in green and white looking like a highway sign almost paying tribute to the car crash site. the one thing i found interesting was a picture of the porshe 550 spyder in the middle of the website. the car looks brand new but when you move the mouse to the picture it shows the real car that james dean died in destroyed. the websit seems to pay tribute to james dean’s lust for speed and the picture of the car it’s almost a reflection of james dean him self smooth, cool, fast but in reality like the car that was destroyed he was a troubled person. below that are pictures of him in black and white showing him sad and lonely; a deeper person then what you saw on film.
Being famous and dying young at the peak of their career helped them become icons/legends. this is when a icon is born coming without any flaws and it fits on a t-shirt or magazine cover and it washes way the person it replaces. the media and pays tribute to the icon and not the person they were and the culture seems to forget that they were just people who ate, had families and had problems in their lives like every body else but there was something special about them they were larger then life. what made them so iconic to me was that their life wasn’t always perfect and they did have flaws which made them human and that i could understand and connect to. like what the reading said about americans losing their sense of the aura that sourrounds icons, i believe is true because all i see on tv are people who act dumb and have no shame or talent and they become stars like paris, britney and lindsay for not doing anything, we should pay tribute to people who deserve it not people who act stupid on camera.
Bionka H. // January 28, 2008 at 12:31 am |
In my impression about the “American Icons” is what we see in our society because everyone want to be the next singer/rapper, actor/actress, and model. They want to be “large than life” instead just being thereselves. Just because you see people making alot of money, but they can fall off at anytime. People who become famous do alot of stupid thing such as drugs, selling sex, and sexual assault younger people. Artist like R. Kelly, Snopp Dogg, David Banner, Michael Jackson, T.I., and 50 cent shouldn’t be famous because outraging remarks against women and violence childhood life. Elivs Presley is American icon for invention “Rock and Roll”. There is something different about Mr. Presley that we couldn’t explain. I don’t see how people is keeping Elvis Presley alive today! When I think of Marilyn Monore, I think she is sex symbol because of how her body look. Every singer want to be like her such as Anne Nicole Smith, Christine Ageluria, Keyshia Cole, Lil Kim, and Beyonce. Marilyn Monore known for sex goddess through photograph posing seductively way because sex do sell.
I didn’t get a chance look at “I Got A Crush on Obama” but I will give a common about Obama. Obama is great president for our country because he can get the job done. He can bring our soilders back home because our current president don’t care about American people.
Trisha A // January 28, 2008 at 10:59 am |
I agree on Ashley M. point when she says “Sex Sells.” It’s just the way that it always has been and probably will always be. I remember a few years ago when Alicia Keys first came out and the media was talking about how she wouldn’t be ‘famous enough’ because she didn’t follow the tradition that so many R&B stars followed. At the time, R&B was more upbeat, kinda hip-hopish and Alicia was sitting there playing songs on her piano. R&B stars were dancing elaborate dance numbers and Alicia just sat there playing her piano. While there are many other stars that also went the same way as Alicia, none of them was ever as popular as Beyonce. I also agree with Bionka H. remarks when she says “Marilyn Monroe is a sex symbol because of how her body looks.” In mu opinion, I believe Marilyn Monroe puts the bar where a woman is supposed to look. I know that is last week’s point, but there are many people out there striving to be like Marilyn. The text says that Marilyn was different than other girls in her time because of her innocence and laughter. When I think about that, Jessica Simpson comes to my mind. Jessica Simpson is basically known for being the cute ditzy blonde, rather than the famous singer that she started out as.
kiely holden // January 28, 2008 at 3:11 pm |
though she is nowhere near being considered my “icon,” only one name came to my mind upon reading the second set of questions: TILA TEQUILA.
for those few who may be unaware as to her current “impact” on pop culture, let me give you a brief rundown:
cute asian girl with troubled past quietly debuts upon the “celebri-scene” at age 18 when discovered in a mall by a Playboy scout, who offered her a small nude modeling gig. then she does some more stuff, like joining a band, doing some street racing, creating a fashion line, and appearing in some gaming and reality TV shows. in the meantime, she starts up her own website, TilasHotSpot.com, but really accomplishes very little in doing so, compared to her MYSPACE ACCOUNT.
yes, myspace.
very few people have any idea of the things tila tequila has done in her life or “career”–if you will–outside of the knowledge that she’s that hot girl from myspace.
sure, she did some more stuff that if you mustered up the willpower to stop looking at her oh-so-conservative photos for five seconds and actually read her blogs/bio/info, you might possibly find interesting. instead of fighting this, Tila embraces it, priding herself on her title as the “Queen of MySpace,” boasting that she’s well on her way to having almost as many friends as Tom, the creator of myspace, whose befriendship is automatic and unavoidable upon the creation of any new accounts.
like so many popular celebs today (*cough*paris hilton), tila tequila is practically famous for nothing, or at least was, until October 2007, when her show “A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila” was released on MTV–the premise being your typical reality tv dating show, but with a bisexual twist, as the 16 straight men and 16 lesbian women competed for her affection (which, as you may guess, and in true “tila fashion,” caused quite the “stir” within the ever-battling worlds of religion and media).
basically–while i GUESS i have nothing against her as an individual, i cannot help but scoff ever so slightly at this factor of our society. i mean, she is literally famous for almost nothing. or at least comparitively to the abundance of attention she is receiving for the few (and somewhat unimpressive) things she has actually done.
as far as her image is concerned, i simply can not take her seriously no matter how hard i try, as she lives in this dual existence that floats from “angry, punk-rock gangster babe” to “bubbly, limelit fashionista” all the while squeezing every last drop out of her seemingly brief fame. anything it takes to become that picture-perfect celebutante she so desperately desires.
i will admit though, that even i knew very little about tila tequila until about a year ago, though she had been one of my friends on myspace since approximately 2003–though i cannot seem to recall how that came to be. and though i am not necessarily what i would call an avid myspacer, i will also admit that as she began picking up media wind over the past year, she became increasingly more annoying on myspace, posting stupid bulletins every 15 seconds, which is often the best way to get yourself deleted from my friends list, no matter who you are. but for some reason, i have yet to delete her. and i have no idea why.
either way, i’m done thinking/reading/writing about oh-so-awesome tila tequila. i am literally exhausted. see you all in class tomorrow. =]
http://www.myspace.com/TilaTequila
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tila_tequila
http://www.tilashotspot.com
Melissa L // January 28, 2008 at 5:10 pm |
Both Ashley and Sara make a good point about Obama’s popularity having a lot to do with his sex appeal. Sex indeed does sell; a perfect example of this is Paris Hilton, who Brennan would refer to as a “stinker”. Hilton’s “career” exploded with the leak of her sex tape and is only now showing signs of slowing down. Her only “talent” is her ability to spend her father’s money.
In addition to Obama’s sex appeal I feel that he embodies “society’s basic desires” in another way. Much of society today is dissatisfied with our current president and desires a drastic change to the running of our country. Obama embodies this change. He is young, easy on the eyes, and intelligent. Everything our current president is not. All in all he is nothing like we have ever seen before as far as presidential candidates go. His popularity definitely is not strictly political. He is so much more to so many. His popularity lies mostly in his potential for change.
I think the media has contributed to Obama’s popularity in many ways. Besides the “I Got a Crush…on Obama” video, there isn’t a day that goes by where there isn’t Obama talk on the news. He is constantly making appearances on day time television among other programs. In this way he is reaching broader audiences, which in turn only heightens his popularity.
Trisha A // January 28, 2008 at 5:13 pm |
The text talks about celebrities who aren’t really celebrities like Paris Hilton, which the text labeled her as a smell-ebrity. Her claim to fame was obviously the sex-tape and the FOX reality show “The Simple Life.” Same goes for Kim Kardashian who’s most famous for her sex tape. To tell you the truth, I think anti-icons are what’s popular right now. That’s why the reality TV is such a big thing right now. We have a general interest in seeing who was good, who was bad during the American Idol auditions. We have a general interest in Britney Spears and the drama surrounding her life. Just like it was stated in class, popular culture is what’s popular now and right now anti-icons are popular not Martha Stewart and Michael Jackson. Our “basic desires” are to see those ant-icons. As far as Barrack Obama go, Like Ashley Mercado stated “He is the first politician that is seen in a sexual manner.” He’s a young sexy black man that is for the people.
Lakendra B. // January 28, 2008 at 6:30 pm |
i have to say i agree with my sister on this one. (lucrezia b.) I mean like the author stated, people like marilyn, and elvis opened doors, by expressing their sexual suggestions, and not making it such a taboo topic/subject. And the fact that these were normal people who came from normal lifestyles like mine and yours made people be able to relate even more to these performers. And sex without a doubt is one of our most basic desires, and also important desires if you ask me, i mean that is how we are created! and no… Obama is not popular off just political motivation. Before i even knew his name, i knew that he was black(maybe), that he was cute, that he tried marijuana, and many other things.and even more interesting is that this is, and i’m embarrased to say, what is most interesting about Obama even to me!!! Because this is what he starting to be known by or as..just like hilary to me is popular because she is a female, and is bill’s wife.The girl in the video clearly will cause a lot of drama eventually, i wouldn’t be suprised if there are already some accusations in the making. But these negatives interests that we focus on is what’s making him more and more popular, i even know people who aren’t even old enough to vote yet, that know about him. And because the media focuses so much him whether it be good or bad, it just makes him get more and more popular.
Anthony Puckett // January 28, 2008 at 6:59 pm |
Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe were two completely bizarre individuals, in my eyes, that people just loved. They brung their own style to the television, which in my eyes, were the main reason that are big icons in their time and also, now. People in our society are attracted to weird things who have their own style and that’s what they give us. Our culture is one that goes off other individual’s styles especially celebrities and important figures. I’ve realized that by just watching what’s on television and how we react towards it. The way we dress, talk, and even, walk comes from what we see on T.V. or the internet. That is just the way we live.
The video about Barack Obama just shows the fact that we are attracted to something or somebody that has a certain trait we can relate. We don’t talk or even care about something that does not interest us. People see a young black male whose views and style are something we can relate. That’s one reason why is becoming a known figure worldwide(and the fact is running for President of the U.S. plays a part in it too). So, I guess I’m saying that his popularity isn’t solely based on the election because there are other candidates who are also running. And the media, they’ve played the biggest role in his celebrity status. Without them having him on every news station or commercial, he would be a regular candidate. Also, I do believe that race plays a big part in it.
Jose Oblea // January 28, 2008 at 9:22 pm |
Elvis and Marylin just have that sexy look that took them to the next level. Sure Elvis revolutionized rock and roll, but how the saying says sex sells. Elvis brought another type of sexy that made him sore. Marylin the same she was hot but innocent thats why she is described as a candle in the wind. She had that innocent sexy look that made her carrer rise also. Isnt that what many people have these days, and these people become so famous we can call them icons. We live in a world of so much exposure these days people apparently become famous for no particular reason almost like paris hilton sex video. Her popularity went through the roof. The problem we have is that we pay so much attention with insignificant stuff that we make it important or famous what ever u want to call it. This society hasnt really changed. The question is what do we really want? Sex thats what! Elvis and Marylin brought that to the table along with their talents. Barack Obama is seen as a sex simbol believe it or not! People have said that he is a very good looking man. That is true, but he is also innocent or in other word a nomal man making a his own living of course witha little polical side attached to him. That might win him this upcoming elections or at least the primaries. That video show how popular he is getting with little effort. Again showing what we really want in a society. Obama is an average man but with so much attention drawned to him that its crazy. Exposure is what Obama has but his popularity has increased because of it. but like my own collegue Ashley said “any exposure is good exposure”. Society is linked to the past Sex is everywhere and it sells. for the better or the worse. Elvis and Marylin are a good example in the past. Some so called celebrities have to much undeserved popularity. But then again isnt that why we all love them?
Monica E. // January 28, 2008 at 9:31 pm |
Icons in the meaning of itself shows us how America’s society center its reality around celebrities. For instance in the reading of American Icons, Marilyn Monroe was considered a sex-goodess she in a way demonstrated all the attributes of what women imagines themselves as being or attributes she had that women wanted. Or the fantasy of any males dream. Icons help us embody the style of an era. As stated in the article each era has its own icon. Desirable individuals that maxiummize society’s good and bad. Focusing on the non-important celebrity an actress verses the important celebrity who found a cure for a disease. By leading a make believe fantasy for the excitied fan or young person hoping to be that celebrity someday. American is a consumer society as such marketing and businessman are targeting our wants and the entertainment industry is not far behind; with its contiuous flow of coming and going artist evaporating or the one hit wonders. With its newest pop icon being Miley Cyrus or “Hanna Montanna” exploding on the televison screen. The newest icon for our pre-teens and much ounger generation.
The video about Obama was the dumbest crap I ever seen, but it undeniably relates into today’s music videos. Sex sales and the video has been seen over 1 million times. Barack Obama embodys our society desire extrction a powerful political figure who is Black running for the most powerful seat in the world. The popular interest shown towards Obama comes at an imporant time, I think it shows that Americans are geniuely interested in who becomes their next president. Along with the fact that he is Black and is in a way “the New Kid on the block” so everyone will notice an outsider so to speak. With media coverage running nonstop Americans cannot help but become bombared by images. WE have become immune to the hype of celebrity and have settled for the lather. Although it seems that he is the only interest of media he has become popular because of his political stance on issues and his down to earth persona that makes Obama the perfect candidate for presidency; he is also the only black person actually a contender in that race. The media only enhanced his popularity. The media has contributed of course by broadcasting every single aspect of his life increasing his celebrity and making the world known of him as a person and boosting his image. But for the better. Aslong as the race card is not used. With the clinton and Obama race comment.
Kyle G. // January 28, 2008 at 11:09 pm |
Response to Question #1:
Icon can make people change the way they live or the way they used to live. When someone looks up to another person (icon), they start to become like that person. They act, maybe think, treat other people, and do exactly as how the icon does it. It can also be a positive thing for some people. For instance, Michael Jordan is a huge icon to basketball player or people wanting to become basketball players. A young child that had the chance to watch Jordan play as they were growing up could have inspired that child to want to be a NBA player. That person could have struggled a lot, but always thought of how Jordan inspired him or her to push their self to work harder and become one of the best players today. An icon can be both a positive and negative thing. It is just on how people view their icon and to what level they take it too.
Maybe a lot of people are now realizing of how well of a political person he is and what he can do for this country. Even though people always stated that there will never be an African American President realize that it may be the first time this actually happens. People are looking at Obama and see the way he presents himself as a political figure. Some are starting to really think that even though he is African American, and can be the first African American President, that he will do a much better job than George W. Bush and will lead the US in better terms. Our society is ready for something different, instead of the same problems that George W. Bush has left on our shoulders.
The media is changing the way people look at Obama, in a positive way. Just as I explained above, people realize that Obama can be a big and positive move for us. Obama Girl is the top person that is making people change the way they used to look at Obama. People thought at first that he would not get really far in the race, but are now noticing that he can make it. The media has contribute to that so much, especially of how big Obama Girl is and how more and more people are going to her site and realizing of how much Obama can be big help. People will think they are not ready for Obama until they see that he is ready to lead this country.
P.S. I gave you the wrong email address for you to send my grades too. It is correct now and I was wondering if you can send my first grade to me along with this one. Thanks!
Sara M. // January 28, 2008 at 11:21 pm |
American icons like Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe remain as alluring today, perhaps even more so, than they were when they were alive and making headlines in their own time. This long-lasting fascination with them is a testament to how revolutionary their personas (public images?) were in the 50s and 60s when they first became famous. America was coming of age, and the baby-boomers were about to get frisky. Elvis’s raw sexuality combined with his “aw shucks”-mama’s boy southerner attitude made him an acceptable sex object. Sure, Ed sullivan could censor his movements from the waste down, but he could still sneak his sexuality into the family rooms of America with his pouty-lips, doe-eyes and snarly growls. He sanitized the African-American rhythym and blues music for white audiences and reflected the “basic desire” of sex. It not like teenagers weren’t fooling around before Elvis came around, but he made it relatable and more easy to take. Marilyn Monroe made a similar impact. With her “. . . innocent, even vulnerable” type of sexuality, she was able to become more than just a sex symbol; girls could like her too, because she was less threatening. Her child-like, girl-next-door quality was appealing to everyone. There’s a reason that “Team Aniston” T-shirts out-sold the “Team Jolie” ones. Even though sex is such a powerful, driving force in our lives, society wants to deny this, at least in the public sphere.
The “I Got a Crush on Obama” video has a sexual element, of course, but he’s not the sex object; the wanna-be starlet is. The fact that she even made this video to begin with shows how far our countr’s attitude towards sexuality has come, with her short-shorts and bikini, she’s looking for instant stardom as much as she’s singing the praises of her favorite candidate. But I don’t think that it’s a coincidence that He’s the object of this adoration. Barack Obama become a rock star the moment he burst on the national scene at the 2004 Democratic convention. I still get goose bumps when I watch that speech. He’s young, attractive, charismatic, funny, intelligent. . . oh, and by the way, black. I’m sure that opinion varies a great deal about this, but I think his “celebrity” status has more to do with all of those other characteristics; his African heritage and the color of his skin just kind of sealed the deal and made him stand out even more. The US is ready for a minority candidate, the way it was ready to accept the public sexuality of Marilyn and Elvis 50 years ago. We need to be conditioned, to learn and accept difference through a slow, evolving process. I don’t think that he has saught out any more media attention than any of the other candidates; I’ve seen them all on late nite TV, even the Christian conservatives who criticize the media. He just uses it better
because he’s younger and savvier.
Kyle Flanagan // January 29, 2008 at 12:23 am |
Icons in American culture, such as Elvis Presley or Marilyn Monroe, are essentially representations of not only American culture itself, but also of those comprising it. Take Elvis for example. His ‘black sound’, in combination with his raw sexual energy, catapulted him to the top of the charts and American conscientiousness. Because he was able to develop and utilize such a unique sound (for a white man), it allowed him to become a representation of the things occurring in the culture of the 60s and 70s. It is no coincidence that Elvis’ rise to stardom coincided with the sexual revolution and racial equality movements of the time. Monroe became such a cultural icon for somewhat similar reasons. Her ability to express sexuality without obvious attempts to do so allowed her to convey a sexuality never seen before (“… that’s how she’s most often remembered, laughing and innocent… It’s that laughter and that innocence that set Monroe apart…”, American Icons, Pg. 726). The uniqueness of it all was what was revered most, that she was a poster child of sorts for the sexual revolution.
Barak Obama, on the other hand, has become somewhat of a cultural icon for a different set of reasons, embodying our “society’s most basic desires.” His age and race are two large reasons for his climb to such widespread popularity. Being a young man (by comparison to traditional presidential candidates), as well as being an African American, allows him to connect with the underlining feeling of the country, that “the ol’ boys club” has taken the country away from being American. That somehow, or more precisely somewhere, along the way America has gotten away from American values and traditions, tending to the needs of others (American’s assertion of it’s own hegemony internationally) as well as the few (the upper economic class within the States) while sacrificing the needs of the majority. Obama’s charismatic connection with the masses has allowed him to become an icon of sorts to our American Society. Our popular interest in Obama tells us that we are more concerned with a “personal connection” with him, rather than being enamored with his “talent” (political views, aspirations, so on and so forth). Most Americans who wave the Obama flag, I would venture to assert, are almost completely unaware of his political platforms, rather they concern themselves to be interested in the “other things” (age, race, personality, et al.).
I believe that the media has contributed to Obama’s rise to such celebrity status as he has become a darling to the media in general. Historically speaking, the media has chosen to support charismatic politicians and attempt to destroy those lacking the ability of personal connection with the masses. JFK was known to have more than 300 affairs while in office, yet the media conveniently kept it in the shadows based upon his charisma. FDR was limited to a wheelchair, yet little film exists showing this, an apparent side effect of social know how on FDR’s part. Or even take Bob Dole, seeming old beyond his years, referring to himself in the 3rd person. Is it because his political views were so horrid, or because of his failure to connect with the masses? Because Obama has the obvious ability to convey personality and seemingly sincere passion the media has taken the opportunity to show him in a favorable light.
Jeanette Iden // January 29, 2008 at 1:29 am |
My icon, or should I say anti-icon is Miss Paris Hilton. The websites I found on her were; parishilton.com, parishiltonzone.com, and parishiltononline.net. The first website is Paris’ officail website. She controlls all the content of the website. This is her own perspective on how she wants society to veiw her. It presents her in the best light possible.It is very proffesional. The images, font, and colors on the website are very feminine. It potrays her as a sex symbol. The second and third website are both shrines to Miss Hilton. They are the fans perception of her. They arent very proffesional. They displays sexual video of Paris. Her sex tape ” One Night in Paris” is right on the first page of these websites. They make her look like a party girl, but also a sex symbol. which I think deffintly makes her a sex symbol today.
Paris starts off as just another young rich socialite. She then realized she could use this to grab the attention of the media. She than used to the media, espicially the paparatzi, to make her the sex symbol she is now.
Socrates L. // January 29, 2008 at 3:31 am |
One of my favorite icons is kanye west. He is one of my favorites because he is an awesome artist at least i find him to be so. Kanye West is considered to be a great musician but it only seems that the media mainly focuses on his cocky persona and the trouble it brings him.
Kanye West has been known to speak his mind in certain instances where he finds the chance to. For example one of his most remembered comments was “george bush doesnt like black people” this comment was aired on live television. it was broadcasted in the united states and the networking companies couldnt do anything about it. you could sense the shock in the studio with the look on mike myers face. kanye west has also attacked the government in his music basically stating in one of his songs that the government has the cure for aids but only rich people can afford it and the poor end up dying.
since the media basically focuses on all the negative aspects off kanye west and try to tear him down it makes people wonder why he is so famous. Kanye West has done alot for hip-hop music since his 1st album the college dropout.
not many knew of kanye west before his 1st cd. people didnt know he was a producer for other famous hip hop artist, or that he almost died in a fatal car accident and how he has a small metal plate in his jaw. Many people believe he was born in chicago but he was born in atlanta and then moved to chicago at the age of three.
kanye grew up in an upper middle class family and dropped out of chicago state university to fullfill his dream of hip-hop. not many people make it to where he has. Kanye West may be a controversial cocky artist but you can’t deny his musical talents.
my sources were from:
http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/kanye-west/graduation.htm
http://www.kanye.ws/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/03/AR2005090300165.html
Yohance // January 29, 2008 at 8:33 am |
These icons tell us a lot about ourselves, that we want to feel good. How it affects our culture is it is starting to reveal around sex appeal more than any thing. We desirer some thing that make us feel good, we are stating to desirer sex more than ever. We are starting to want more things dealing with sex.
Barak Obama has become somewhat of an American icon because of his looks. That we want some body that looks good to lead us. It hard to say weather it is not based on political motivations or not.
The media ballooned Barak Obama status. By exaggerating everything he says. The give it more meaning than it really has.
shaunta king // January 29, 2008 at 8:40 am |
I don’t really got a favorite icons or a celebrity but only i can see that most famale artist i like because they tell the truth about what woman going though in life. They are Beyounce , Allica Keys , and Keyshia Cole. The reason i like them because they encourage to be strong as a women for herself. When it come to pop songs the people i like are Justin Timbaland, Fergie, and Ashely Tidale and the reason why i like them because most of pop stars are rock roll artist, but with these three they put a little hip hop in to their songs. The only I can say about Obama that he going to be i next president or whatever he is running for, and i will be glad that he do get election so he can change the history of the first black president and change to make thing better for black. If he do he might can change stuff about education and jobs for young people. I hope he do because it will get better.
Erica Guiden // January 29, 2008 at 9:12 am |
My icon is Mary J. Blige, premiering in 1992 with “What’s the 411?”, and her latest single Just Fine. Mary as many know is considered as the Queen of Hip Hop & R&B for my generation. Some of the websites I viewed were Mary’s official website http://www.mjblige.com; http://www.rollingstone.com; & Mary’s my space page http://www.myspace.com/maryjblige. The image from the official website seems to me to be Mary as being sexy and promoting. In the background you can hear her first single playing and following singles. The website is pretty much showing Mary J Blige doing just fine in her life. The image from Mary J’s my space page basically depicts the same feature sexy as she is posing on a shelf looks to be full of albums, also featured on Mary’s page are recent & old videos of the star, and her fans admiring her(such as comments, songs, and poetry).
The media is definitely pursuing Mary as a singer which she is. My example would be Mary advertising one of Chevy’s model vehicles. The artist shows the struggles & the success both the company and her have made through the years. Simply stating in the commercial ad Mary implies I can’t be without you, The world couldn’t be without the Chevy cars and/or Mary’s singing.
Rigo p // January 29, 2008 at 10:57 am |
At the time, Elvis Presley, and even currently, represented the American Dream. As stated by the reading, Presley used to be a truck driver and turned out to be Rock n Rolls biggest icon. The connection that his story makes on people is truly remarkable. In a sense, it gives inspiration to those young kids that are part of America’s working class. In other words, someone going from living by the check now was stable for life. Another thing it tells us is that Americans always strive to get that big break and become rich. Fueled by the examples of Presley and Monroe, Americans always could have a sense that things could turn around even if they were dirt poor. Also, Presley, Monroe, and even Obama now, as stated by Sara D are all sex symbols in America. Presley’s music was in a way a start of something to come in music. At the time, Presley was very welcomed, but at the time not by many. As seen by his appearances of only his upper body on television. Presley was a pioneer for the music industry in clearly showing or referring to sexual anything…. By looking at todays videos on MTV or anywhere else, we can see how openly things have become. Obama became a sex symbol because he brought a young and confident way to the whole elections. Candidates were mostly old men that physically did not appeal to much. Obama at his young age brought something that can be compared to when Kennedy was president. Also, I believe his success can also be attributed to how he usually doesn’t fit the norm of an African American like Sara D mentions. The media has taken Obama and put him as an icon and celebrities support only adds to his status of being a sex symbol. Being mentioned by celebrities and being on the internet has made him part of the celebrities life.
alex a // January 29, 2008 at 11:47 am |
Through the years we have seen a substatial number of so called “icons.” From Elvis Presley to Marilyn monroe, to even more recent icons in the hip hop business like Notorious BIG and TuPac, they have all set the spot light in our lilttle celebrity fantasy world. However these icons say alot about us as a culture. For elvis, people denied his death and even are known to take offense when something bad is said about him. His music was internationally known and is known to give meaning especially to those that can relate to his life. Those icons like Biggie and Tupac are also influences. To those that enjoy hip hop music know that biggie and tupac are viewed as the ultimate rappers because of their music and their influence to their fans. Icons like those perhaps suggest that we connect to the “realness” of their songs. Christopher Biggie Wallace was known to be a crack dealer in the streets of New York. His raps made him famous and so most people relate to the struggle of making it to the top. We as a society can somehow match our lives to the ones our celebrities live. In addition, after watching that Obama video and taking 5 minutes to recollect my thoughts, it was clear to me that Obama has become not only a powerful political figure but a remarkable leader and trend setter. Barack Obama has become “that guy” that no one thought would make it to the presidential elections. 20 years ago, the thought of having a black presidential candidate was a fantasy dream to fulfil, and thats where it stayed – in a dream. And today its actually happening. Obama fills societies most basic desires because he connects not only with the top sophisticated political junkies but also to a more widespread youth of America. Hes a young, african-american, outgoing leader that catches the attention of anyone (even if youre not democratic). His influence isnt only on political motivations, i mean, sure all that political bullcrap is important, sure, but Obama also stands for something else. Personally, i think obama (as an icon) represents what America is as a culture – young, powerful, and (above all) hes a family man – the american dream come true. The media, in addition, has greatly contributed to his celebrity status. We have seen in the past presidential debates, not only is it about politics anymore, the media spices it up by forshadowing conflicts between clinton and obama, and even by centering attention to something he said in the debate. I am a firm believer that the media, although regulated in the US, is a great weapon to make and break someone. Obama, is just another icon and were here to experience his rise and fall.
Jacqueline R. // January 29, 2008 at 11:54 am |
After reading the handouts and watching ” I Got A Crush On Obama”, It seems to be that society plays a big part of everyones life. Icons such as Marylin Monore and Elvis Presley are famous because they do look like sex symbols, and Obama. Society looks at what in and what out and Obama is in because he is one of the candiates to run for president. As I watching the video on Obama, it does go back to the handouts because the girl singing was wearing little clothes if anything. I guess what capture everyones eye and the reason why this video has soo many views is because, ummm how can I explain this anything that has to with sexy sells. As for my favorite icon I would have to say it was Mickey Mouse, I’m not sure if that counts but to be it was that mouse with big ears, In my science class we watch this film I dnt recall the name of the film but it show how disney had this sort of sex symbol, like for example Tinkerbell and the outfit she wears. So yeah society plays in important part in everyones life, it doesn’t matter if we agree or not it just does.
Daniel Ulloa // January 29, 2008 at 12:11 pm |
as lame of me as this may sound… i have been a fan of pop icon hilary duff aka lizzie mcguire for a while now. and yes, i admite i have bought into her image given by the media. hilary has always been portrayed in the media as a “good” girl. someone little girls could look up to. because let’s face it, with the likes of paris and britney getting mass media cover, a little girl needs someone with morals who isn’t running around L.A. partying heavy, getting drunk and or on drugs. a big portion of hilary’s success has definitely got to do with her image. parents can worry not about letting their kids watch reruns of hil’s show, lizze mcguire, on the disney channel, which contributed to keeping hil’s squeaky clean image. you really can’t be some big party animal meanwhile working for disney. you have an image to uphold! at the same time looking good of course. the media has portrayed hilary as the anti-britney and to this day when mentioned, lizzie mcguire will forever and always be associated with her.
hilary’s official website, http://www.hilaryduff.com continues to portray this “wholesome” image of her. there are no images of her in provacative attire. just images of a pretty girl who is living the life many young girls (or boys) would just love to have. she’s been on tv, recorded a couple albums and has even crossed over to the big screen. the only faul offense i can think of that hilary has committed is losing lots of weight, therefore giving her audience the message, that it’s good to be super skinny. hilary has also dated older men, her last bf i believe was (28)… don’t ask me how i know all this information but she really hasn’t damaged her image as of yet. going back to her website, hilary definitely has a new look. she’s grown up, but continues to hold onto her image of the girl next door. the colors on her site are very sophiscated i would say. it’s not your typical pink and purple. hilary even has a fan club. which of course has a membership fee. the fact that hilary started off as a regular kid who auditioned for a few gigs and landed it big on disney, makes kids think “gee, wow. if she could do it, so can i”. her fan base is mostly pre-teen girls i’d say. http://www.myspace.com/hilaryduff offers a selection of images of hilary, as i mentioned before that aren’t too flashy and out there. as hilary matures girls can continue to look up to her and support her as an artist, because she hasn’t really changed her image drastically, rather adjusted it here and there.
Jenny Vance // January 29, 2008 at 12:21 pm |
I am an enthused supporter of Mr. Barack Obama for President of the United States of America. My views and opinions of Obama are of the political nature. I am a Political Science major and am very passionate about it. I have been completely disappointed in our current president from the start, and I believe with much conviction that Barack Obama will lead our country far better than George W. Bush, if elected to office. In some ways I’m troubled by his ‘celebrity’ status, but at the same time, I think he really is something to be celebrated. He is remarkably intelligent, well-spoken and has great visions for our country, among other great attributes. He seems to appeal to a younger audience, many of those followers find him very attractive, and I’m sure that plays a factor in their support…I’m just not sure how significant of a factor it is. By all means, he IS very attractive, but in context of what he represents and could represent, his attractiveness should hold no merit.
The ‘I’ve got a crush…on Obama’ video was quite entertaining-where our society is with technology and what we do with it is astounding. America is great, if only for the creative and wackiness of its citizens.
Miriam Salgado // January 29, 2008 at 12:27 pm |
One of my favorite icons is Keyshia Cole one of the more genuine urban songstresses out their in mid-2000s, Keyshia Cole worked her way up the industry ladder diligently yet quickly, making her major-label debut in 2004 at age 21. Born on the other side of the California Bay — the often tough and troubled streets of Oakland. Some of the websites the i view in Keyshia Cole i log in http://www.google.com search for her name and a lot of info come out she is one superstar the expresses her feeling in all the songs that she sings. In the website they show pictures of her and they tell her history how she become the women the she is right know. I could tell that in her pictures that she takes shows that she want trew a lot before she become a star, She even has a show in t.v is in cable she talks abot her family, they show their lives in t.v she show the real her and deam she has a crazy as life. Keyshia is my favorite icon because she talks alot about her feeling.
Brittney Nelson // January 29, 2008 at 12:35 pm |
One of my favorite icons is Kesha Cole. She remind me of myself also she stay on top of her family and business.
The article about where have all the icons gone seens as though the non- celebrity or smell -ebrity may have took over the spotlight. I feel as though it may be replace because thats what people are instested in also, we want our faces to stand out among teh ever growing crowd due to the world’s population exploding. Some people are famous because the media need different types of style. In addition they need some kind of talent to secure a future in the entertainment world. Sometimes that dont work one of the only ways to get attention is to consistently shock people in new and interesting ways some of this talent is shown right in front of your face. For instance, reality shows and game shows are some of the shows were you could reconize a one hit wonder based on the energy they bring to the set .Also, viewers make you want to tune in and want to watch it like I Love New York or Flava Flav for example. The entertaiment world need new things different people can relate to in order to satisfy on ever changing world . Thats why I feel as if icons will come and go but alway be remember.
As to the Obama video I feel as if she’s campaing an a way no one should. Also. thats a prime example of the way our people look at the world “not serious enough”. I think our people focuse on the wrong stuff and expect things to come to us in a big package. The things she has on is like a disgrace to her self and even looken at our future president in that type of way shows just how much she cares about this election. In a way I feel alot of people are looking at Obama in saying hes nice looking but no one should be making comments towards him due to his family in the value he holds to our country.
Marlena H // January 29, 2008 at 1:34 pm |
As people, our basic desire in life is sex; we are sexual beings and are attracted to anything that we find sexually appealing. With that said, what better place is there to find sex appeal and entertainment than Hollywood. Our icons (or as it is put in American Icons, our “anti-icons”) are what we make them to be. There cannot be any celebrities if there is no interest in them, but the truth is, there is probably more interest in their lives than most people would like to admit. And to get this attention, what better way than to get some attention from the all seeing public than to show a little skin. If the public wants more legs, they wear shorter skirts, if we want more abs, they tone up, if we want to see less clothes, they go bare-naked. Both readings (American Icons and Celebrities Who Aren’t Really Celebrities) gave examples of these “icons” that we as a society consider famous for whatever reason (some more obvious than others). I took the time to look up some of our stars in the all-knowing Wikipedia (http://www.wikipedia.org/) to see what came up when I simply searched for their names:
Elvis Aaron Presely- an American singer, musician and actor. He is a cultural icon, often known as “The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll”, or simply “The King
Marilyn Monroe- (born Norma Jeane Mortenson) was a Golden Globe award winning American actress, model, Hollywood icon, and sex symbol
Paris Whitney Hilton- an American celebrity and businesswoman
Steve-O- (born Stephen Gilchrist Glover) is a daredevil performer and television personality
If you were to ask anyone who took interest or a liking to any of these icons, you might find your answers to be the same;
Elvis-sexual (http://www.blavish.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/04/Elvis%20Presley.jpg) Marilyn Monroe- sexy (http://www.thoughttheater.com/upload/2006/06/marilyn-monroe%20800×600.jpg), Paris- (that’s) hot (http://www.allfo.ru/uploads/posts/1171968160_paris_hilton_037_1600×1200.jpg), Steve-O- hot ass (http://laist.com/attachments/tony/steveopeta.jpg). Sex sells and it’s all for the money; without our money support, these anti-icons would be nothing more than what they can try and make for themselves (keyword try).
With the whole “I got a crush on Obama video” made by barelypolitical, it was just that. The video was described (by comments on YouTube) as sexy and amusing with Amber Lee Ettinger dancing and singing about her love for Obama (which sadly she will be forever known to society with her icon label as “Obamagirl”). On barelypolitical’s website they said that it just a video for fun that they put together. Obama denied any affiliation with the video and its’ creators thus pointing out how with the age of the internet, people are not as much as in control with the messages that everyday people can put out there about them (not saying that this was a necessarily bad publicly for Obama given the 5,499,738 views the video has received). I think that this video was actually making fun of the people who actually do have a little crush on Obama because of his good looks and will vote for him because of that and not his political views. The media has taken his charm and transformed it into this vision of having a “hot president”; unfortunately it takes more than a nice smile to run this country. Even in politics, sex sells and the fact that our main interest as a society is sex appeal, the more you have, the more your icon status will rise (whether or not you deserve it).
As for me, my icon would be Chester Bennington, http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper851/stills/3cb30196116f2-22-1.jpg the picture speaks for itself.
Marlena H // January 29, 2008 at 1:38 pm |
the links didnt work the first time but if you want to check out the pictures i think it should work with this one
Elvis-sexual
http://www.blavish.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/04/Elvis%20Presley.jpg
Marilyn Monroe- sexy
http://www.gallerym.com/images/work/big/associated%20press_marilyn_monroe_seven_yr_itch_L.jpg
Paris- (that’s) hot
http://understrictembargo.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/paris-hilton.jpg
Steve-O- hot ass
http://laist.com/attachments/tony/steveopeta.jpg
Munkherdene R // January 29, 2008 at 4:13 pm |
People always look for something new that they are not familiar with. Icons, such as Barak Obama deliver people’s desires. Some of examples besides Obama are Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley. However, some other icons are not recognized because people’s desires always change and they look for new things.
In recent years, political figures have become American icons. I think people are tired of the old and boring political system that currently we have. Therefore, people choose somebody who is new and can change the current political system. Democratic Presidential Candidate Barak Obama brought up the idea of “Change” which means to change the current political system. His youthful personality, inspiring speeches, and intelligence become a good opportunity to make him an American icon.
I think his popularity is based on political reason because people are tired of the current republican political attitudes including war and tax spending. Obama has been against war since he started his campaign. Also, he can solve the long debated problem of immigration. If he becomes the president of America, he can be a more progressive president than other candidates.
Furthermore, we can find the phrase “Man of Change” in any media: TV, magazine, and radio. However, I don’t think media are the main affect of Obama’s celebrity status. The only reason he become popular is because of his political attitude. Finally, Obama is the guy who brought out people’s desires.