Kelly and sexuality becoming more accepted in our society

                                                              KELLY

          When i was a senior in high school in 2008 all the students i knew had heard of the comedian Kelly Liam. Kelly started the character kelly as a joke, but actually became a musical artist in the process. kelly Liam is a male comedian who dresses up like a female teenager who makes really silly songs that revolve around her show fetish and crazy family. Many people started buying kelly cds, shirts, and singing his  most popular song " Shoes" as they walked down the halls to class. I remember listening to all of Kelly's songs and becoming more open minded to different types of  musical  artists. Kelly's songs never failed to give me a good laugh during a hectic day at my boring highschool. What i noticed when i was reading the section on drag queens in the Popular culture text book by Guins and Cruz i choose to do my blog on the drag king called King Tuff n Ruff, but i wanted to talk about my favorite drag, kelly, in relation to how the openness of sexuality is becoming more acceptant in our society. On page 424 of the Popular culture text book by Guins and Cruz,  A woman named Lynn Breedlove is being  interviewed and states that ' There are different stages in revolution. The first stage is identity. That means you all have to get together very narrowly and limit yourself to hanging out with people who are exactly like you. Once youre secure in who you are, and who your friends are, then you can start reaching out and building alliances. Once you have alliances you have power, Because there's numbers' ( 424, Cruz and Guins) Many people have realized this truth and have become more open to individuals being who they are and accepting individuals who are drag kings, queens, homosexuals or anything else.

                One of kelly's songs that shows the growing acceptance of others in our society iss called " let me borrow that top" In the video, her aunt somes over with her girl friend and starts talking about how they are intimate with each other and then Kelly becomes distracted when she sees her next door neighbor who has just went shopping ans purchsed a shirt that she wanted to have. The video represents the growing acceptance of homosexuality and drag in our society along with the subcultures that are created by Kelly fans. Here is a link to view the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPDl2g8Upvk Kelly also became and still is a huge commodity. Many people have been drawn to her hilarious music videos and skits as well as her apparel and CDs that she sells. Once Kelly Liam started to gain more fame as being the teenager/singer Kelly, she started to appear in different locations to host concerts and give autographs.

                                                                      
                 Why are individuals in our society drawn to Kelly? Is it because she gives us a taste of what is contrary to the typical musical artist? I believe that it is because more individuals are becoming more open to the differences of others and appreciating their differences. Also because as i quoted from Popular Culture earlier individuals that learn to accept themselves and who they are can being to accept others for who they are.
                                                              

Nicki Manaj and Star Trek Rerun, reread, rewritten:Fan writing as textual poaching

Nicki Manaj

                   According to the book called popular culture by Cruz and Guins." The popularity of Star Trek has motivated a wide range of cultural productions, creative reworkings of program materials from children's backyard play to adult interaction games from needlework to elaborate costumes...The ability to transform personal reaction into social reaction, spectorial culture into participatory culture, is one of the central charcteristics of fandom. One becomes a ' Fan' not by being a regular viewer of a particular program but by translating that viewing into some kind of cultural activity by sharing feelings and thoughts about the program content,by joining a 'community' of other fans who share common interests."( 251, Cruz, and Guins) The blending of fans of a particular show, musical artist, movie, or another person or thing in the media is quite common today. One of the most popular female rappers in the hip hop indusrty, Nicki manaj, is an artist who is continuosly, talked and raved about by fans on many internet fan base groups on networking sites such as Myspace.com and Facebook.com. Nicki Manaj is a hip hop artist from New York that i consider to be truly bizarre because she is everything contrary to the typical female hip hop artist. The way she dresses, raps, and the themes in her music videos are all very different and creates questions such as " How did she come up with this music video? What was she thinking?" in most viewers. She also causes a personal and social reaction in hetr fans by her music. Some are influenced by her costumes and decide to dress like her, some are inspired by her rap lyrics and decide to enhance their rap lyrics to be a bit like her lyrics, and others are inspired to not be afraid of being different. One of my favorite songs from Nicki called  Itty Bitty Piggy.This song was when Nicki was obtaining more fame and was less bizarre than she is now but the song is better than all of her other songs. Here is a clip of her music video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSZ02vUJsgQ

                In relation to Star Trek, many fans create their alternative endings to the movie. There are many alternative endings for star trek posted on youtube.com.Some fans also blend together to appreciate the movie in networking sites as well. "Some fans are drawn gradually from intimate interactions with others who live near them toward participation in a broader network of fans who attend regional, national, and even international science fiction conventions...for some women, trapped in low-paying jobs or within the socially isolated sphere of the housewife, participation within an (inter)national network of fans grants a degree of dignity and respect otherwise lacking.For others, fandom offers a training ground for the development of professional skills and an outlet for creative impulses constrained by their everyday work lives" (252, Cruz and Guins) Star Trek fans are creating subcultures just by being fans of the movie they all enjoy. In addition to joining networking sites for fans of the movie, a lot of fans create Star Trek  toys, gadgets, and apparel. The fans of Star Trek not only create a subculture by being fans of the movie, but they also create a sub culture of people who buy  Star Trek products. The purchases of these products also lead to the production of poducts becoming fads.

            There are also many fans that have created a subculture that dresses up like Nicki Manaj. Products that are signified with Nicki Manaj such as lime green wigs, bangs, and mismatching polish on manicures have recently  been sported by many teen girls. I was on the Marta bus recently on my way home and noticed two girls who had their hair in bands, un matching finger nail polish, and bright colored tops. Some fans have even gone to the extent to creatiing a music mimicing Nicki Manaj and changing a song that she created in order to have the song in  a duet form with the singer and songwriter called Rhianna. Here is a clip that a fan made that obviously loves mimicing Nicki Manaj as well Rhianna.:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k5JOvOMlMQ

             Why are so many fans drawn to rewritting? Mimicing? and joining groups on facebook and myspace in which they can all talk about either the movie or singer they like? Are they drawn to creating subcultures? I think that subcultures are created unintentionally. The mingling of people who are fans of Star Trek and Nicki Manaj which formed into a subculture happened solely by individuals wanting to expand on something they like and enjoy.

                                                                           

King Tuff-N-Stuff in relation to Drag Kings: masculinity and perfomance

  
                                                       KING TUFF-N-STUFF

              Have you ever heard of the muscial asrtist called King Tuff-N-Stuff? She performs music in the genre of blues. She has perfomed in places sucfh as New York and California. What makes her quite different from many other artists in the media today is that she is a drag king. In the book called  Popular culture by Guins and Cruz, A drag king " is a female (usually) who dresses up in recognizably male costume and performs theatrically in that costume" ( 429, Guins and Cruz). Today drag kings are becoming more popular and are becoming a big part of pop culture in our society. Now there are shows that are being marketed that promote the performances of drag kings and queens. "In the 1990s, drag king culture [became] something of a subcultural phenomenon. Queer clubs in most major American cities feature drag king acts: for example, there is a regular weekly drag club in New York called Club Casanova whose motto is ' the club where everyone is treated like a king! There is also a monthly club in London called club Geezer and a quarterly club in San Francisco called club confidential...although drag kings seem to have become a major part of urban queer scenes, there are no indications that drag king culture is necessarily about to hit the mainstream anytime soon" ( 430, Guins and Cruz). Even though Drag kings have not become a major part of mainstream culture, the performances of drag kings have still become a part of culture in our society and are slowly increasing in growth. Recently there was a drag king and queen show at Georgia state university that many students attended and enjoyed. Drag king and queen performances attract the attention of Homosexual as well as heterosexual audiences.

          Drag performances question stereotypes that preside in our society. Questions arise in response to drag performances such as what qualities are supposed to be held by a man or a woman? What is necessarily masculine and feminine? Are men and women solely confined to follow societal views of what is considered masculine and feminine? ” In TV sitcoms such as Seinfeld, for example, men apply comic pressure to the assumed naturalness of maleness and a truly mess, fragile, and delegitimized masculinity emerges.  In one particularly memorable seinfeld episode highlighting abject male inadequacy, for example, George confesses to Jerry: 'I always feel like lesbians look at me and say, ' that's the reason I'm not into men!' Such woody Allenesque proclamations expose momentarily the instability of mainstream fictions of fortified male masculinities." ( 431, Guins and Cruz). Not only do television shows suggest that men and women should have certain qualities or adhere to certain characteristics, but the commercials between the television shows suggest the same those ideas as well. For example, commercials for Brawny paper towels and Mr. clean mopping solution suggests that men are masculine and strong by the male images they use to represent the product. The commercials are also targeted to women and suggest that if you buy those products you will get be able to get you house clean by using a tough and strong product. In relation to King Tuff- N- Stuff, she also wants her audience to see her as a tough and masculine drag king. In her songs called ' 3 hour man" and “jump into action" ahe shows that she wants her audience to view her persona as being masculine and far from the stereotypes held for a woman. Her most popular song and only musical video for the time being are called “3 hour man". Here is a link to her music video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_RaRGdbKQ8.

          Overall, the media in our society may suggest that men and women are confined to certain characteristics, but many individuals who are creating subcultures and blending into other subcultures are letting society know that men and women aren't confined to upholding certain characteristics such as a man being masculine and a woman being feminine. Thankfully, our society is becoming more accepting and open minded towards other views about how women and men should behave.

Subculture and popular performace in relation to Bjork

                         Subculture and popular performace in relation to Bjork

        According to the text entitled Popular culture by Raiford Guins and Omayra Zaragoza Cruz, subcultures can respond to situations/events that they are not completley satisfied with. For example, " The post industrial landscape of newyork city and the depletion of social services in the 1970's, coupled with structural inequalitiesexperienced by African American and Hispanic communities within urban environs created context of dwindling low-income housing, a trickle of meaningless jobs for young inner-city residents, hip hop style is black urban renewal; In breif Rose establishes a relationship between culture and traditionally economic/material bases renewal"( 351, Guins and Cruz) This quotaion explains how the hiop hop clothing style was produced from the economic difficulties experienced by the African American and Hispanic communities. The hip hop clothing style was looked at as a way of renewal. The clothing style then developed a subculture of people who soley wore hip hop clothing. A subculture is a culture that has been created from another culture.The hip hop clothing style has also blended with the punk rock clothing style and has created another subculture.Hip hop and rock have been blended musically and since it has been blended together in music it created a new musical Genre. For example, when the musical groups called Aerosmith and Run DMC created the song "Walk this way" it created a new musical Genre of Rock and Rap combined.

                        



      The musical artist called  Bjork created a subculture by blending the musical styles of dance and rock together. Her music contains dance beats along with typical rock chords and they create a unique sound when played collectively. Bjork was born on november 21 1965 in iceland. She began her career in music when she was only 11 years old. Throughout her life she blended the forms of music that were in the genres of rock, electronic, jazz, classical, folk, and African beats.When she became familar with those genres she  combined all of those generes she created a subculture of her own. I consider Bjork to be a bizarre musical artist because of the combinations of musical genres which are displayed in her music and also the way she dresses, perfoms, and conducts her music videos.Many people compare her sense of style to Lady GAGA, but i find her style to be a bit less foward and extreme then Lady GAGA's sense of style. Bjork's style contains originality and thought. It is not a replication of Lady GAGA's in any shape or form eventhough her musical style is compared to her's quite frequently.The  music videos she creates consists of bizarre themes and are far from " normal". some of her most famous songs are called " Army of me" and " All is full of love"  They are also the most bizarre videos. Here is a link to the video called Army of me :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyEJxzQM24Q&feature=related

Merchants of cool and Lady GAGA

                                                                     LADY GAGA

               What is cool?  How do we actually define what is cool in our society when the youth of our society has so many definitions of what is cool and what isn't cool? According to the documentary called " the merchants of cool" the youth determine a lot of what is marketed in our society and what is in the media today. What i wonder about is how the singer and songwriter  Lady GAGA became a part of pop culture and how many teenage girls view her songs and her extremely forward and bizarre appearance as cool. She has been spotted hanging herself at a VMA performance, covered in a meat wardrobe, and walking around singing with blood stained clothing. She continuously keeps her fans off guard with her frequently changing appearance and her music which is also a tad  bit away from the norm. What also makes  Lady GAGA  bizarre is that she makes political and religious statements. Recently she has been trying to promote ending the don't ask don't tell policy and has been advocating worshiping satin. Even though she is continuously doing something bizarre at her performances and in her music videos, she also has values and beliefs that she decides to stand up for.

If teens in America didn't find Lady GAGA somewhat appealing she wouldn't be as popular as she is. She also wouldn't be rich and famous if it wasn't for the youth of our society gravitating to her and continuously purchasing her CD'S and various items that she produces. In the documentary, " Merchants of cool" a representative from the soda company called sprite explained that they were profiting because of teenagers and because of hip hop that helped endorse their product. Since most teenagers like hip hop and hip hop artists were endorsing sprite the sales in sprite increased.  The documentary also explained how companies pay teenagers to tell them what things in the media that they find appealing and the things that they find unappealing. The studies they do on the teenagers helps build what our society deems as cool. Since youth in our society has proclaimed Lady GAGA to be cool, she is accepted in our society despite the fact that she is a proclaimed devil worshiper and continuously reveals that she isn't 100% sane in her  musical performances, musical lyrics and appearance.

The documentary showed that all of the fads, musical styles, clothing, and even food that exist because the teens of today contol what is considered cool and uncool in our society.The subcultures in our society all put an effort into creating the mix of things that preside in our society and culture today. In the documentary, the students that stood out were the srudents that were the students that were choosen to be interviewed and asked their opinion on what things they consder to be cool.

Even though lady GAGA is a bit off key and extremely contrary to what the majority of society says is the norm, she makes great music. I enjoy listening to some of her songs called Alejandro, Bad romance, and poker face. She continuously brings an interesting twist to her music. Here are some links to one  her music videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bESGLojNYSo

Subculture and Marilyn Manson

                                         Subculture and Marilyn Manson

" Oh my GOD! look at the piercings on his body?" " look at his clothes...all black! HE"S A GOTH!" " Hes  a satin worshiper!" " He may be weird, but he makes good music!"...These are the comments that ive always heard in high school about singer and songwriter Marilyn Manson. His real name is Brian Hugh Warner and he began his musical carrer in 1989. His persona is contrary to everything that our mainstream society considers normal. From the way he dresses to the lyrics of his songs he represents a break away from the majority and is therefore part of a subculture. A subculture is a group of people that contain a culture that is different from the main culture in a society. Many other people dress the way he does in  our society and can relate to his music and the way he carries himself. According to the book entitled Popular culture By Raifored Guins and Omayra Zaragoza Cruz, Dick Hebdige states that " Subcultures are generally condemed, in mary Douglas' words( 1967) as ' contrary to holiness' and levi-strauss has noted how, in certain primitive myths, the mispronounciation of words and the misuse of language are classified along with incest as horrendous aberrations capable of ' unleashing storm and tempest' ( levi-strauss, 1969). Similarly spectacular subcultures express forbidden contents ( consciousness of class, consciousness of difference) in forbidden forms ( transgressions of sartorial and behavioral codes, law breaking, etc) They are profane articulations and they are often and significantly defined as ' unnatural'. The terms in the tabloids press to describe those youngsters who, in their conduct or clothing, proclaim sucbultural membership ( 'freaks', 'animals..who find courage, like rats, in hunting in packs) would seem to suggesr that the most primitive anxieties concerning the sacred distinction between nature and cutlture can be summoned up by the emergence of such a group. " ( 356) Based on the facts in popular culture, it is safe to say that our society doesnt like when people question what is considered normal and are contrary to what society deems as normal, but then again who is to say that dressing in all  black isnt the norm? Is it so wrong to have body piercings? or sing about suicide? what is normal? Why are the people who aren't like the majority considered freaks and animals like the tabloids proclaim?

Subcultures make up our society and if there weren't subcultures everyone would be the same and our society wouldn't be diverse and filled with unique individuals.Marilyn manson is a great additon to our society and contributes greatly to the subculture that he has created. He is a great musical artists and he isnt afriad toexpress himself in his representation and his music. Some of the songs that i like that he has created are entitled personal jesus, sweet dreams, and beautiful people. Here is a link to some of his music videos enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ypkv0HeUvTc&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rl6fyhZ0G5E

Bucket head in contrast to Disney's corporate action

                                  Bucket head in contrast to Disney's corporate action

As stated in Popular culture by Guins and Cruz, Disney, an American film company, continuously works hard to project their films from piracy. Disney “filed 28 suits against more than 1,322 defendants. One of the largest actions was in 1991 when Disney filed against 123 California companies and 99 Oregon companies for unauthorized use of characters in various types of merchandise.” ( 184, Guins and Cruz) In the music industry, musical artists could file suits against copy right violators of their music as well. For example, if Bucket head, an extremely unique, non stereotypical, and bizarre musical artist (that continues to wear a fried chicken bucket on his head during his performances), finds out that another musician has decided to use Bucket head’s song that he created without his permission on his or her next CD he could sue for copyright violation.

In contrast to most musicians, Disney is a bit extreme with their copy right values.  “Disney sued the academy of motion pictures arts and sciences when performers dressed as snow white characters were used in the academy rewards presentation without Disney’s permission” (185,Guins and Cruz) I don’t think that Bucket head would sue if a bunch of people started conducting their performances with buckets from the nearest fried chicken fast food restaurant on their heads. Bucket head is a musician from the mid-70s and who made it his goal to inform others of how badly treated chickens are on chicken farms and how he experienced living on a chicken farm. He has a great goal in mind, but he still comes off as being a bit bizarre since he is different from the majority of other musical artists and because his persona is unordinary. One of his most popular most popular songs  is called Night train.Im sure bucket head would love for others to spread the word of how chickens are treated and breed in prepration for slaughter and selling.Disney on the other hand would not want other people dressing up as some of their characters to promote something without their permission. Even the US postage service that provides stamps couldnt have "free use" over Disney's characters just to celebrate American animation. Why wouldnt Disney want free advertisment from fans and the us postal service? What exactly are they trying to protect? Their image? Their characters from misuse?

Disney might be a bit over protective with their claims on their characters that they have created, but they have every right to be and Bucket head who may or may not be overprotective with the copyrights of his songs and persona has every right to be as well. here is a clip form one of Bucket heads perfomances:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-woe3SCAaA