Don't go there.
I do *not* think of myself as a prudish person, but lately some of music, television, and movies has gotten so crass/offensive that I'm actually disturbed by it. These are NEW LEVELS of disgust.
Some specific examples include:
South Park. Normally I really like it, but now there's usually at least one moment per show that makes me really disgusted, such as animated defecation. I guess the idea is that it's so disgusting that it's funny. There might be a small portion of 3rd grader in me that thinks that is cool, but it's maybe 2%. Tops. Besides, South Park is for Mature Audiences, and I think by the time you're 17, the "what's grosser than gross?" jokes of grammer school have become...just gross.
Eminem's song "Shake That." I heard it in a club recently and got my groove on, but I couldn't quite make out the lyrics. Later I downloaded it and listened. WOW. That is really, really dirty. Normally I encounter that level of dirty in novelty shock acts (e.g. 2 Live Crew), but this seems mainstream. D/L the explicit version of the song if you are looking for a nasty (in a good way) beat and equally nasty (in a bad way) lyrics. I guess that's why parents kind of flip over this guy--he's got talent, and he's just nasty/wrong in some ways. I'm sure, out there in cyberspace, there are multiple anti-Eminem blogs being typed right now..."save our youth..."
Jackass 2 The Movie. An MTV film. I have NO DESIRE to see semi-professional stunt men deliberately drink horse ejaculate or put a leech on an eyeball. Wrestle and anaconda? Yes. Ride a rocket ship and almost get killed when it explodes? Yes. The other stuff? NONONO...NO.
http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/jackass2/
Saw III. I am disturbed by the PREVIEW and won't even hotlink it. Enough said.
All that being said, in reference to Bird's earlier blog about MTV: are we talking 1980's/1990's MTV, or today's MTV? Because I think (and I know I'm sounding old again) that things have really CHANGED.
You kids, get off my lawn.
posted by Mike @ 9:00 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Actually, I always thought you had a prude streak a mile long, Mother Cabrini. This just confirms it.
One of my favorite Speiser quotes is, "They don't have respect for anyone or anything," in reference to spoiled, entitled UCLA students in BMWs. Perhaps, this could also be applied to the Jackass boys, Eminem, et al.
It's a great debate. I remember Charles Barkley saying, "I am not a role model." Is that really just or fair? Maybe you don't WANT to be a role model. But Role Model is not a job with an application. Role Modelhood is often bestowed. The choice is not yours. It is a responsiblity to be accepted.
In other words, maybe the US should institute firing squads and rid this country of people without respect for anyone or anything.
And another thing... just kidding.
No, no, I like the way you think...let’s shoot everyone. (no).
I imagine that Charles Barkley's statement that he was not a role model made him appear as that much more of a cool "lone wolf" and more appealing to emulate. He might have had a very different following if his famous rants were replaced with pleas to our nation’s youths to eat their vegetables.
I really like the disclaimer for the Jackass movie:
"The stunts in this movie were performed by professionals, so neither you nor your dumb little buddies should attempt anything from this movie.”
Role models or not, this stuff is a little past my tolerance level. Some of the stuff just makes me nauseous.
Mike
Glad I have never seen South Park, MTV or Jackass. What I have seen of Eminem has not impressed me.
I don't think the word "prude" is operative in your observations. The media has sanctified the "anything goes" mentality and the way people treat each other today is proof of the success of their goal. The bar is set so low, that the bar is not even visible anymore.
Aunt Mb
LOL. I thought Anthony wrote this... no wonder you guys got along so well. Come on-- "You kids, get off my lawn!"? He was born to holler that from a front porch somewhere!
You know what got to me the most in the first Jackass movie? Of all the crazy, dangerous, and disgusting crap they did, it was the paper cuts that was hardest to watch. (remember, they were giving one of the guys paper cuts in the skin between his fingers?) I swear to you, I almost passed out.
I recently skimmed an article about one of the major networks cancelling the Miss America pageant (the oldest one, with the big scholarship attached). According to the article, the producers had refused to 'sex up' what they believe is a wholesome show, or add any base or gratuitous elements in order to compete with what's on TV these days. It lost viewership and the network dumped it.
The best part of the article? One commentator likened modern entertainment to the old gladiator battles at the Colliseum... only these days, he says, we're cheering for the lion.
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