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Wednesday, January 11, 2006
My Recent Random Thoughts on Pop CultureHoward Stern
The first time I listened to the Howard Stern show on the radio, it was because I thought he was Alan Alda. I stopped on whatever station was playing it at the time because I liked the sound of Alan Alda's voice. I listened for about an hour, thinking, "Wow, Alan Alda is way more saucy and opinionated that I would have guessed." Then, the next day, when I found Alan Alda talking on the radio again and listened for another hour, I finally realized that it was Howard Stern. So I listened on and off for a while. He was interesting.
The most memorable thing he ever did was pretend not to know what a minor chord was. They asked some guy to play a Van Halen song, and the guy said, "I don't like to play the minor ones - those bring me down." And I knew he meant minor chords, and I knew Howard knew, too, but he said, "What do you mean, minor? That's a big hit." And I could tell he pretended to be ignorant so his listeners who were ignorant didn't have to feel stupid.
But then, one day, he talked about something stupid that was done by a politician who happened to be Latino. And he played the Mexican Hat Dance in the background. That was too gratuitous and lame for me, so I quit listening that day. I have to say, though, that his satellite radio programming sounds very interesting. I wish I had my own radio show(s), even though my voice, some people say, is annoying. My boyfriend has a beautiful speaking voice. I wish he had his own show, too. Or that he could cohost with me.
Eva Longoria
Everywhere I look, I see this woman's face. I'm a little bit tired of it. I have nothing against her personally, but it doesn't cease to amaze me how, lately, the "majority" culture in America is spellbound by average-looking Latinas. Eva Longoria is pretty - as pretty as my cousins and half the Latinas working at the grocery store. She's not the most beautiful woman in the world, though. If we had more Latinas on TV, people would know that. Hell, look at Univision. Beautiful Latinas are rather common. So... can we have one who isn't Eva Longoria share the magazine ads with her now and then?
"Brangelina" and whatever they're calling Nick and Jessica now
It amuses me when people call into the radio stations and foam at the mouth over whatever is going on with these celebrity couples. First of all, I don't think we can really know, no matter how many gossip columns we read, what's really going on with celebrities' relationships. Second, I think people who feel so strongly about them must be projecting their own experiences and traumas. Third, what's up with people blaming Angelina and not Brad? What is this, 1952? Fourth, I think Angelina is pretty. But Jennifer Anniston was really good in Good Girl. But Jessica Simpson annoys my kids. That's all.
Project Runway
Santino is rude and poorly groomed. Nick is okay, but not as sweet as people want to believe, considering the way Santino so easily peer-pressures him into being bitchy. Many of the models look like men. Marla should've been kicked off before Guadalupe. Diana's voice is not annoying - I wish people would stop saying that.
Here in Houston, Chloe Dao's boutique has a big sign on it advertising her participation on the show, but she won't tell anyone whether or not she won. But I suspect she didn't. But I wonder if she went to Fashion Week.
I liked Daniel Franco (not having seen Season One, though). He is the love child of David Arquette and Keanu Reeves, and his hairstyle is very similar to my boyfriend's. Heidi is very pretty to me since I started watching this show. Even though Santino is a hater, I can admit that his designs are pretty. However, he doesn't design to flatter women's bodies, so I'm not sure he deserves to win.
New people, think before you speak.
I rarely mention celebrities on this blog, but when I do, someone who's never read my blog before will log on to the comments just to argue with me about my own opinion. (Examples: the John Mayer episode and the Nickelback debacle.)
People, if your only mission in life is to go around hating on John Mayer, defending Nickelback, slandering Christina Aguilera, or whatever... I'm not saying that's a bad mission. I'm just saying it would probably be better served on a forum where celebrities are the main topic. You know? I mean, share your opinion, by all means, but don't get all worked up about it. I am a mother of preteens. It's not worth trying to convince me that my pop culture opinions should be the same as yours.
Labels: pop culture
9:25 AM #Comments:
Hmm, what if we comment on your observations on pop culture to say we AGREE with your observations?You are spot on about project runway. I think Chloe probably gets into gets in instead of her. Right now I'm still hoping Nick wins, even though he totally ISN'T as sweet as I wish he was, and he IS kind of starting to remind me of this guy I knew in school who was really mean to me. I won't be bugged if Chloe or Daniel V wins. I will be pissed if Santino wins.
# posted by
tacoferrel : 11:01 AM
Something's wrong with my post. It should say, I think Chloe gets in to Fashion week UNLESS Daniel V. gets in instead of her.
# posted by
tacoferrel : 11:04 AM
Agreeing with me is always permissable, of course. I had a sentence in there about people coming to my site only because they Googled a celebrity's name, but in my rambly way, I lost it and lost the sense it helped me make.
It almost seems like there has to be an upset. They can't just have Santino and Nick be first and second place (or vice versa), with Chloe or Daniel V the obvious third-place choice. They have to be editing us into some twists and turns, right? Otherwise it's not a reality show - it's a real talent contest. And we can't have that, can we?
So far I like Daniel V okay, although his style is quite understated. I was totally down with Chloe til I saw her Nikki Hilton dress, which looked cheap and ill fitted. The person whose clothes I'd actually buy? Daniel F's. I love the tailored look.
Andrae might surprise us. His denim cheong sam breakdown could've been a red herring. Kara's Barbie outfit *sucked*, but her socialite gown made me think she might be hiding some talent, too.
I could seriously talk about this show all day. Do you sew at all, tacoferrell?
# posted by
Gwen : 11:52 AM
Heh. No. I don't sew at all, and my own "style" as a size 16 petite working mom is whatever fits and is black. My closet is full of Merona and Target Mizrahi, by necessity, not choice. And I'm pretty anti-fashion industry and it's insipid weightism. Which I guess is what makes my OBSESSION with PR all the stranger. I read the TWoP recaps, listen to Tim Gunn's podcast, and totally fantasize about what I would have done for each of the challenges. It's like some kind of mania. I see a co-worker's outfit and then I automatically think, if I were wearing that outfit on the day of the "Clothes Off Your Back Challenge," what would I do with it to turn it into an outfit for a model? Crazy. Actually, I think it is just that I have a really creative side that is deeply frustrated by my boring day job and general lack of free time to pursue my craftiness, so I'm living vicariously.
But back to the show: I can definitely see Andrae or Kara being the dark horse who makes it into fashion week. Daniel V is kind of boring, but technically I think he knows what he's doing. I loved Chloe until the Nicky Hilton dress too. Okay, call me naive, but I DO think that at least Season One was based on talent (and Wendy Pepper getting really lucky with the two times she got immunity right when it counted). Kara Saun was SO the front runner going into fashion week, but when you look at her line compared to Jay's, Jay's was definitely better, and he won. If I start to feel like the outcome is getting too manipulated I will get turned off and stop watching.
# posted by
tacoferrel : 5:25 PM
Gwen, I agree with everything except your (admittedly lukewarm) endorsement of Howard Stern. Because I think he's gross and the way he and his female sidekick treat the women who go on his show like a side of meat is appalling. Even if they do know what they're signing up for and are sort of lame and gross themselves.
I just discovered Project Runway and I'm very into it. I think Daniel V is my favorite right now, and I like Kara, but I'm not sure why.
# posted by
kate : 8:21 AM
I am completely with you about Eva Longoria. To me she's just average looking, and most of the women on Telemundo are much more gorgeous than she is. Huh.
# posted by
tina : 3:42 PM
Taco: I've gotten that way about shows before. I know how you feel. It's like you need escapism so bad, then something touches your fancy and you escape into it to an extreme level.
I used to sew quite a bit, but I don't even try to imagine what I'd do in those challenges. I had a vague idea for the Day/Night, but the show just moves too fast for me to think. So, if I were a contestant, I would totally get auf'ed.
Kate: I agree with you that the show treats women badly. It's like he secretly hates the women whose boobs he pretends to want to see. Or else, not so secretly. But one of his radio shows sounded really creative... (oh, it's almost time to get out of here, so I'll cut that ramble short.)
Tina: You and I probably have similar taste in women. Who are the three most beautiful in the world, in your opinion?
# posted by
Gwen : 4:39 PM
I hope Santino's tantrums get him ousted sooner rather than later. I was taken with him at first, but now I feel all of his designs have the same silhouette (excessive trim at top, weird extra width at hips/hem). I would like to see Nick, Daniel V. and Chole in the final three.
Do you have a favorite model? I love Chole's model, Grace.
# posted by
Jenny : 3:25 PM
I agree Eva L. is average for a Latina. I see much better looking Latina fobs on the spanish soap station. Hell, I have prettier latina friends than her. But I have to admit, I really like Eva's body.
Sorry, but can't agree with ya on Angelina Jolie. I think she is a skank with a bubble face.
And I do blame Brad too. He's an idiot. I've lost all respect for him just as I have lost all respect for Tom Cruise.
I need to watch Project Runway!!
# posted by
MissCathee : 3:46 PM
Jenny: It'd be funny if they kicked Santino off right before Fashion Week. He'd go insane.
I think Nick's model (Tara?) has a very cute face. Even though Rebecca (Daniel's model is named that, right?) has the face of a soccer mom, to me, I love her body and the way she walks. She's a bad-ass. I know a lot of people share your Grace love, but her hair and sternum aren't working for me, personally. Those are the only three I've really taken notice of. Oh, and Cara the whiny prude.
Cathy: You totally need to watch it. Here's the web site, to start with:
http://www.bravotv.com/Project_Runway/
You should make Ann watch it, too.
Bubble-face - ha.
Yeah, Betty is totally prettier than Eva L. Shit - a lot of people are. Betty should be on TV, though, now that I think of it. You should tell her to audition for Telemundo news.
# posted by
Gwen : 3:52 PM
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