Entertainment Media Archives - Page 44 of 50 - Jonathan's Blog From The Source

Reality Television at Blame

Posted on: 08/22/08 9:14 AM | by Jonathan McKee

There really isn’t all that much I can add to this Media Life Research article:

Reality television has already been blamed for many societal ills, from the dumbing-down of television to the rise of the faux celebrity culture (think “Surreal World” contestants). Is it also responsible for promoting promiscuity?

Yes, says a new study from the State University of New York at Buffalo, at least when it comes to online social networks. The study blames heavy reality TV consumption for the proliferation of “promiscuous friending,” or being more likely to engage in friendships with people with whom you have no off-line relationship. Heavy reality TV viewers have larger social networks than average and share more photos online. What’s more, heavy reality TV viewers may adapt personality traits associated with celebrities, such as sharing personal information with all those online friends. The researchers say reality TV even may be to blame for the erosion of the distinction between the everyday world and the celebrity world. (click here for the entire article)

It’s always fun when I see research confirm my own observations.

(shout out to Anastasia at YPulse for the link)

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Rihanna Knocks Katy Perry Outta #1

Posted on: 08/14/08 10:54 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Katy Perry (I Kissed a Girl) has been riding the #1 spot on the Billboard charts for 7 weeks now, but this week Rihanna’s Disturbia bumped her down.

Months ago I blogged about Perry’s song, I Kissed a Girl and I Liked It, a blog that has attracted over 10,000 web views and hundreds of heated comments (some of which I didn’t even bother posting). I have been frustrated with the song because of its “do what feels right at the moment” message that kids love hearing.

Unfortunately, I can’t say that its replacement is anything of redeeming value.

Rihanna is definitely one to watch (I often recommend that parents and youth workers keep their eyes on certain artists, because their kids are), with two hits in Billboards top 10 right now, and rapidly becoming one of the most popular female artists:

Rihanna’s “Disturbia” puts an end to the seven-week run at No. 1 by Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” on the Billboard Hot 100, rising 3-1 after selling 148,000 downloads, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It’s Rihanna’s fourth chart-topper here, tying her with Beyonce and Mariah Carey for the most by a female artist this decade. (Billboard)

Most of us know Rihanna from her song Umbrella… eh, eh, eh… but she is proving to be far more than a one hit wonder.

Her song Disturbia is interesting. The lyrics are very vague. The video is typical of Rihanna’s videos– highly sexualized. But this one has a dark edge.

It’s no surprise that Rihanna is popular. She’s pretty, she’s got talent, she’s partnered with some of the best (Jay Z, Chris Brown) and she’s usually provocative. It sells!

Hmmmmmmm.

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Reflecting on Last Week’s Teen Choice Awards

Posted on: 08/11/08 1:51 PM | by Jonathan McKee

Last Monday night the Teen Choice Awards was not only the cleanest it has been in four years, it was also the most viewed in four years, with 4.4 million viewers (as reported by Media Life). Blame it on Miley or the Jonas Bros (the popularity, or even how clean it was)… the results were a hit with teens, tweens and kids.

Last week I gave my annual report on the award show, a television event that I call a “must see” for youth workers. In that report, I remind youth workers that the show doesn’t provide the whole picture if you don’t know the “content behind the names.”

This year the TCAs provided keen insight as to what kids are watching and listening to. The show always is a great pop culture barometer, allowing teens (or anybody who logs onto their website) to vote as many times as they want on a huge collection of entertainment-based favorites including movies, TV shows, music, fashion, and more. Just as the show boasts, the TCAs lets teens share “their choice and their voice.”

Every year this two hour show reveals volumes to parents and youth workers about the content being thrown at our kids- we should pay attention. But understand, a glimpse of the list of winners doesn’t reveal a thing if you don’t know the content behind the names. That’s why I am filling this article with links so you can click to read more or even peek at videos and lyrics from some of these “role models.”

And that’s just what we did. We provided you with links about Miley, the Jonas Bros, Gossip Girl, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Katy Perry, Usher…. you name it. Click here for the entire article.

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Good for Miley

Posted on: 08/5/08 9:15 AM | by Jonathan McKee

When Miley’s in the headlines… I’m always a little worried. Miley is a good clean girl, but she’s a teenager who’s grown up in the spotlight. That’s a tough gig. And she’s made her fair share of mistakes. Haven’t we all?

I’ve blogged about Miley’s ups and downs before, but today I’m compelled to share, Miley made me proud twice yesterday.

1. Miley didn’t fall into the trap of controversy by kissing the girl…

Miley might have had the opportunity to join the legacy of Madonna and Brittany on stage last night with Katy Perry. Media Life Magazine provides the details in their article about all the buzz:

Between that infamous Vanity Fair photo shoot and the suggestive pictures that have been floating around the internet, Miley Cyrus apparently feels she’s done enough to sex up her image this year.

The 15-year-old pop star, who hosts Fox’s “Teen Choice Awards” tonight at 8 p.m., turned down an offer from “I Kissed a Girl” singer Katy Perry to recreate the infamous Britney Spears-Madonna liplock from the “MTV Video Awards” a few years back.

Whew! We’ve had enough of Katy’s influence this year.

2. Miley brought good clean fun to last night’s Teen Choice Awards.

The Teen Choice Awards is not always an easy pill for parents to swallow ( a show that twice over the years has topped the Parents Television Council’s “Worst Family TV Show of the Week”). Last night, Miley was a breath of fresh air on the show.

Today I’ll provide all the details in my annual review of last night’s show in our Youth Culture Window article (posted tonight). But it was nice to have a host that not only avoided risque humor (like past hosts), but when winning her own award, gave a huge thanks to “the most important man in my life, who I love so so much, and thats Big Jesus Christ up there (pointing up).”

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“Gossip Girl” Pushing the Limits

Posted on: 07/31/08 2:25 PM | by Jonathan McKee

If you’ve seen even a few minutes of the TV show Gossip Girl, you probably wouldn’t let your teenagers watch it. (Heck, if you knew what the “textspeak” slang in the ad to the right meant… you wouldn’t let your kids watch it.)

Today’s Reuters article,about the hit teenage show (“Sex and the City” for teens? Critics slam “Gossip Girl”) summarizes it well.

“Their wardrobes are full of designer clothes, they drink cocktails at New York City’s coolest bars, dabble in drugs, have sex in places like the back of a limousine — all while still in high school.”

Now even some of the actors are verbalizing their surprise about the racy content.

Blake Lively, 20, who plays character Serena van der Woodsen, says even she is surprised by plot lines of the show. “Everybody is dating everyone and sleeping with everyone and there’s lots of scandalous stuff happening in the Upper East Side,” she told a news conference. “Even I am shocked; I’m expecting my sister, that I don’t have, to be my father.”

And where are the parents of the literally millions of kids that watch this show?

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How Skinny Do They Have to Be?

Posted on: 07/28/08 7:53 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Have you ever wonder how men have pulled it off? How is it that we have created a fashion style where guys can wear big, loose, baggy clothes, but girls need to wear tight, or revealing clothes?

Our young girls are buying into the unrealistic expectations of what they are “supposed” to look like.”

I was shopping in a store for my wife the other day (her birthday coming up), and asked what size shirt was up on display on the mannequin (it was the last one left). The sales clerk told me X-small (the size I was looking for). She told me she couuld get it for me, but she needed to take out all the pins holding the “excess” shirt back. She commented, “You should see how skinny these mannequins are that corporate sends us. All the X-small clothes fall right off them. We need to pin everything back to make it look how it would actually look on an X-small girl.”

I came home and saw this add from another company.

Super Skinny? Maybe we should just call it “Bulimic Jeans.”

How skinny are we trying to make our kids?

I remember last December reading an article about the pressure to look perfect driving girls to destructive behavior. Here’s a glimpse:

The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty is partnering with the entertainment industry to address this issue by giving girls a reality check educating them about what images are real versus Hollywood magic. This global program is especially relevant as girls today are measuring themselves against impossible beauty ideals… The new campaign was developed to help girls realize what they see in movies and magazines represents an unrealistic standard of beauty, not an everyday achievable look.

Hmmmmmmm.

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50 Cent’s “Good Name”

Posted on: 07/24/08 9:06 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Sorry… I just find this really funny.

50 Cent is mad at Taco Bell for “diluting the value of his good name.” LOL. (Apologies… I had to pick myself up off the floor for that one.) Bottom line: he’s suing Taco Bell. (It’s the American way!)

Rueters reports:

The lawsuit accuses the chain of disseminating a letter, addressed to 50 Cent, that encourages the rapper to change his name to “79 Cent,” “89 Cent” or “99 Cent.”

The letter was designed to promote the company’s “79-89-99 Cent Why Pay More” campaign, while avoiding the multimillion-dollar fee the rapper might have charged to use his name, the lawsuit said.

Rob Poetsch, a spokesman for Taco Bell Corp, said, “We made a good faith, charitable offer to 50 Cent to change his name to either 79, 89, or 99 Cent for one day by rapping his order at a Taco Bell, and we would have been very pleased to make the $10,000 donation to the charity of his choice.”

Click here for the entire article.

Sorry… I’m unable to write more at the moment. I’m still laughing about “diluting the value of his good name.”

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The Dark Knight

Posted on: 07/21/08 2:18 PM | by Jonathan McKee

Okay… I took the family to see the new Batman film, The Dark Knight (the first Batman film to not have the word “Batman” in the title), this weekend… and wow! Best summer film so far, period.

Let me be the first to warn you… NOT a kids’ film. The film was totally clean, but it was violent, eerie, and… well… “dark” (hence the title).

Heath Ledger’s Joker was amazing. The rumors are true… he really was that good. The Oscar buzz is no hype. I really hope they award him (or… his family… his memory) in some way.

As a fan of the 1989 Tim Burton Batman with Jack Nicholson as Joker, I went into this film skeptical that Ledger’s Joker was going to be that much better. I was blown away. I won’t talk about it here, because in our review of the film, I comment about this and Todd verbalizes my feelings to a tee.

IMDB (The Internet Movie Database) provides Michael Caine’s two cents about the role:

It’s Sir Michael Caine‘s opinion that Heath Ledger beat the odds and topped Jack Nicholson‘s Joker from Batman (1989): “Jack was like a clown figure, benign but wicked, maybe a killer old uncle. He could be funny and make you laugh. Heath’s gone in a completely different direction to Jack, he’s like a really scary psychopath. He’s a lovely guy and his Joker is going to be a hell of a revelation in this picture.” Caine bases this belief on a scene where the Joker pays a visit to Wayne Manor. He’d never met Ledger before, so when Ledger arrived and performed he gave Caine such a fright he forgot his lines.

IMDB also provided this tidbit:

When asked, “Why Heath Ledger as the Joker?” Christopher Nolan said, “Because he’s fearless.”

If you’re looking for a movie to see this summer, get a sitter for any kids under 12, pack the rest in the car and GO see this film!

You can read my entire review of the film here.

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Hayden Panettiere

Posted on: 07/18/08 1:09 PM | by Jonathan McKee

Before she was “the cheerleader” on the hit show Heroes… before she was releasing music videos, I interviewed Hayden Panettiere and we had a conversation about celebrities as mentors- the way celebrities dress and behave themselves. At the time she told me that she’d like to stay away from being known as a “sex vixon,” instead being known as “classy.”

I think her new music video just exited “classy” and took the “sex vixon” onramp. (what the heck was the whole “pulling up her jeans” thing at :58 seconds??? Note the lyrics shortly after.)

Here’s a peice of my October 19, 2004 conversation with Hayden.

JONATHAN: …Now tell me something. As you see other teen actors or musicians… Hillary Duff, the Olsen twins, Lindsey Lohan … Some of these girls are turning 18. There is an image that goes along with them; we’ve seen some of the same trends. What makes you different from these people?

HAYDEN: I think that they’ve got to do their own thing and I got to do mine. I want to be Hayden. I don’t want to be them. I don’t want people to think that I look like them, that I act like them, or that I dress like them. I am me and they’re them. I want to be separate. I have met them and they have always been nothing but sweet to me and I adore them … but I want to be myself. I want to do things differently.

JONATHAN: That’s neat. Now, I study the trends that kids follow and one of the biggest influence on kid’s lives these days is the media. Kids are looking at teen magazines and seeing celebrities like the ones you mentioned: The Olsons, Lindsey, Hilary … to see what they are doing. We have noticed, that as these celebrities grow up, some of them often change from “Mickey Mouse Club” to “sex vixon” …

HAYDEN: I definitely want to stay away from that. I don’t think that I would ever be the type of person that would go to a premier with tight tiny, tiny mini skirt and like a bikini top.

JONATHAN: Let’s talk about dressing for premiers for a second. For example you’ve got Anne Hathaway (Princess Diaries I and II, Ella Enchanted) … when she showed up to the School of Rock premier, she’s got this see through top on. I mean she might as well not even wear a top. Now, my daughters are 7 and 9 and they loved her in her films. And I’m thankful that they never saw the pictures from that premiere. Where do you …

HAYDEN: Personally, I am too shy. I don’t think that I could ever do that. But I think I might, you know, wear like a little belly shirt once and a while or something like that. You know, if you have the stomach for it. I wouldn’t at my age.

JONATHAN: Some other actresses and musicians have shown up on the cover of Rolling Stone wearing very little or at movie premiers with dresses that ‘shock.’ Some are highly critical of this kind of thing, others defend it. I would think that there’s a line that exists somewhere of ‘what you do and don’t do.’ Where do you draw that line?

HAYDEN: I think everyone has the freedom to wear what they want and do what they want to do. But I think they should consider what everyone else will think. Rolling Stone can be a “sexy magazine.” Personally, I wouldn’t do anything like that. I do draw the line at certain things like, ‘that skirts getting a little too short’ or ‘that top’s getting a little too tiny …’

JONATHAN: Sure.

HAYDEN: … and the clothes get less and less and when you wear certain things … I don’t want to judge anyone—they can wear what they want to wear, but I’m going to wear more conservative clothes or something a little more classy.

JONATHAN: I guess the bottom line is this: As you get, older, more popular and get even more roles, and if you know that your poster is going to be on the walls of little 8 year old girls across the country … would that make you think? Is there a responsibility that comes with this? Are you now a mentor?

HAYDEN: Personally, I think so. But for me- dressing raunchy is just not who I am. I am a little scared to say that’s not who I am, because I definitely have a rebellious side along with my more conservative side, but I would never show that through the way I dress. I can be rebellious through other ways than ‘wearing less clothes.’ It doesn’t prove that I’m more rebellious just because I wear less clothes and feel the need to walk around like that.

JONATHAN: What do you want to be known for?

HAYDEN: I’d like to be known as classy.

JONATHAN: What do you NOT want to be known for?

HAYDEN: I don’t want to be known as a party animal, or dressing trashy or …

JONATHAN: You want to be remembered for your talents and abilities rather than, “Hey, she’s the one that got caught on video doing … whatever!”

HAYDEN: Absolutely.

Sigh.

Here’s my entire 2004 interview with her.

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The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

Posted on: 07/14/08 6:56 AM | by Jonathan McKee

I always like to keep my eye on what teenagers are watching. And right now the show creating the most buzz is “The Secret Life of the American Teenager.”

Yesterday I just saw a poster (with the image to the right) for the show all over the mall by my Virginia hotel. The timing can’t be better for this “Juno-esque” marketed program hitting the ABC Family channel. It’s launch was a raging success. Media-Life Magazine detailed its success:

ABC Family’s “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” Tuesday 8 p.m. The series premiere averaged 2.8 million total viewers, making it the most-watched original series premiere in network history. It was also the highest-rated original series telecast in network history in households, adults 18-34, 18-49s and 12-34s.

Curious about the content of the show? Check out our own David R. Smith’s incitefull new Youth Culture Window article giving us a glimpse into the porthole of this “Secret Life…”

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