Last Post: Freestyle

I cannot believe our semester is coming to an end already! I really enjoyed this class and will miss it a lot! I know I will continue to sub-consciously analyze media and the real meanings of everything that we watch. For this last post, I decided to write on a show that I was just recently introduced to, called Modern Family.  This show is on ABC and plays true to the title, it follows three families that really are the definition of modern. One (above, on the left) follows an older, financially stable man, with his money interested girlfriend and her son. The middle family, a husband, wife, and their three children appear average from the picture, but among a teenager who cannot stop texting and the couple trying to keep romance alive, they demonstrate modern conflicts. The family on the right consists of two gay partners, and their newly adopted child. I find it interested that only 1 of the show's 3 families are indeed married, which seems strange at first, but then when thinking of statistics that is the most realistic. I love the diversity of the show among the 3 couples also, that way many people have a reason to watch it. I cant wait to watch more of it and I hope others will give it a chance also! 

ROYAL WEDDING! ROYAL WEDDING! ROYAL WEDDING!

As if I didnt make my title to this post obnoxious enough, I just wanted to remind everyone that the royal wedding is tomorrow.

Coverage starts at 6:00am on the Royal Channel, so I am also reminding everyone to set their alarm clocks so they do not miss a minute of the madness!

I am personally a fan of Kate Middleton and Prince William. But, media coverage has really gone to new levels with this wedding! We must not mind it though, I cant count off the number of events I know just happening in Annapolis tomorrow, to celebrate the royal wedding.

Hey why not, anyone can use an excuse to have a dress up party!



Toast! To the Royal Newlyweds. (Tomorrow) ;)

Charlie's Angels: Introduction Tells All

I remember our professor saying that many media critics will spend alot of time analyzing the beginning of movies and show. They read alot into how each character is introduced, because it gives a first impression to the audience. As many of you probably have noticed, a person's first impression mean's alot!

I enjoyed watching the first half of Charlies Angels in class to analyze how each character was introduced in the movie.



So as we talked about in class, "Charlie" introduces all three women in the beginning, starting of with a somewhat "Once upon a time.." manner. The women are beautiful, and two of them are seen sexually, one in a bathing suit and the other in extremely short shorts. He explains how he "saved" them and they all look so happy to be a part of his... team?

But what I found most interesting is how Charlie really isn't introduced at all. He just begins to talk, the audience is really just supposed to assume that he is Charlie and he is important. We never even get to put a face to Charlie, we just see an attractive women bring him a drink while he is poolside, once again furthering his importance.

I would personally like to see a movie where a women is important enough she doesnt have to be seen, because after all, physical appearance seems to be all too important to us these days!

Girls Intelligence Agency

I could not believe the topic that came up in class about the Girls Intelligence Agency (GIA). This is a website that reaches out to girls to discover products that will be most successful. They host sleepovers, do shopping trips, even do "in room hangouts" to better get inside these girls heads.

They are most known for their "sleepover in a box", where they send a box full of products to a host of a sleepover. All of the girls then try on or out all of these products. The host is then to report back to the GIA about the products that were the most and least popular. The "report" to the top right shows the expect results from the "word of mouth" after a sleepover. Obviously it is an incredibly intelligent idea, who wouldnt want to have a bunch of free stuff at a sleepover? Or to be taken on shopping trips just for the fun of it?

What these girls dont understand is what is going on behind the frilly pink products and the fun gifts. These companies are holding opportunities they know young girls will buy into, and then using them to make their own companies rich. Children are not meant to be marketed to. At this rate, no child will understand any concept of "saving", or "appreciating what one has" if they are constantly all being held to such high standards with such rediculous marketing.

Kendra: From Playmate to Mommy

After our "porn" lesson I thought it would be appropriate to do a blog on Kendra Baskett, formerly known as Kendra Wilkinson. Kendra's fame began as a playboy playmate. She entered the playboy mansion at only 18 years old, and was one of the "Girls Next Door". Famous for a quite obnoxious laugh, she was the "sporty" girl next door. 

Kendra met Hank Baskett, with whom she moved out of the playboy mansion with and got married. To the surprise of many, she was soon pregnant with Hank Jr. She even got her own show, "Kendra", which followed the lives of her, her husband, and son. 

The fact that this women is famous and has her own show simply because of being a part of the playboy mansion is its self incredible. It just goes to show what a big business the playboy industry is, giving understanding to the insane statistic from last class, that the porn industry makes more money then the NFL, NBA, and MLA put together. 

The media has been incredibly harsh on Kendra on not being able to loose all the baby weight from Hank Jr. Some media can be good, but not all, as im sure Kendra now knows!

Kendra post baby

From Sex to Teen Mom

I enjoyed talking about and watching a clip from Sex and the City last class. I had only watched a few different clips from episodes before and really didnt know much about it. Between the reading and our discussion I feel like I have alot better understanding of the show.

It's interesting to think about how Sex and the City was a breakthrough for its time period. The fact that HBO was skeptical about airing the show is quite ironic seeing that it was a huge success. At the time, however, it was unheard of to have a show following just a small number of women.

Now, it seems like America cannot get enough of this type of television! Whether its Say Yes to the Dress, Desperate Housewives, Bad Girls Club, and now Teen Mom, women's lives are the highlight of what many turn their TV on to watch. And to think, provocative-seeming to have a show featuring grown women engage in unmarried sex, and now theres a show for women who haven't even graduated highschool and have a child.

I've inserted clips from these favorite shows of mine.

What started it all...

My addiction...

Tying into the "Big American Wedding" for women ...

Most recent show just following women...



American Weddings

I thought it was very interesting talking about the American Wedding today in class. I realized that even throughout my childhood, I was subconsciously affected by such advertising. The perfect dress to make the bride look like a "princess", the perfect hair to make all the bridesmaids look fantastic, the perfect flower arrangements to make an elegant set up, the perfect party favors so everyone can remember the best day of the couples lives. 


A clip from a show I really enjoy watching, "Say Yes to The Dress", illustrates most people spend over $1000 on a dress, some even up to $20,000. 

A new show, "Bridal Plasty" shows how some even go to the extent of getting plastic surgery before their big day. 

It all is so over the top- what is the real reason for all this? To try to convince others your truly happy? Most likely many are but I find it hard to believe the best thing a brand new couple to do is spend all their money on a wedding. It most likely will result in starting off their "new lives" in debt, making it hard to truly start a family.