Assignment 1-4-6 Written Analysis 5

We were asked to choose a pop culture topic to analyze by applying various theories to it throughout the entirety of this course.  My chosen topic was the popularity of animated sitcoms, most specifically The Simpsons and Family Guy.  Though all of the theories we discussed during this course were applicable to these shows, there were some that applied more often and more thoroughly than others.  The remainder of this essay will discuss which theories I felt were the most appropriate to the shows, which ones interested me the most, and the impact the theories had on my view of the series’.

            Of all the various theories that were discussed in this course, the most applicable to Family Guy and The Simpsons was stereotypes.  Nearly every character on both shows is an example of a stereotype.  Some of them are more blatant, such as the nerdy Comic Book Guy on The Simpsons or the Hispanic maid on Family Guy.  Some stereotypes are inferred, but are not obvious.  For example, the main cast members themselves are described as stereotypical average families.  Peter and Homer are depicted as average blue-collar father figures (although they are seemingly everything but average if judged by their actions), and Lois and Marge are the stereotypical housewife figures.  Both Springfield and Quahog are depicted as average towns, but the amount of antics depicted on the show carried out in both towns indicates otherwise.  Family Guy often references stereotypes in its popular “cut-away” technique.  Both shows rely on stereotyping so much that I can’t imagine what they would be like without them.

            Another theory that is easily applied to Family Guy and The Simpsons is the theory of formula application.  Formulas are tried and true depictions that can be repeated and applied to other instances of the same media.  One popular sitcom formula that is extremely common on both shows is one in which a main character does something very foolish that ends up upsetting the main character’s family or friends greatly.  Once this happens the majority of the remainder of the episode is dedicated to the character trying to regain their trust by making it up to them somehow.  There are also formulas that are unique to the shows themselves. For years one of Bart’s favorite pastimes on The Simpsons was of Bart constantly calling Moe’s Tavern with a clever phone prank that would make Moe very upset.  In the earlier seasons of Family Guy Stewie Griffin was depicted constantly trying to kill his own mother.  The shows themselves have served as formulas for other shows.  Many animated sitcom writers have looked to The Simpsons for inspiration.  The creator of Family Guy, Seth MacFarlane took the formula he pioneered in Family Guy, and made two other shows: The Cleveland Show (a spinoff) and American Dad.  The ability for the shows’ creators to identify successful formulas and use them accordingly is likely one of the biggest keys to the shows’ popularity and longevity.

            I feel that out of all the theories we talked about throughout this course, formulas are the most interesting.  It is very interesting to see how ideas are reused over and over in different forms.  Sometimes the formulas are used in exactly the same way.  Sometimes different inventions are applied to the original formula, making a slightly different formula.  There are so many different kinds of formulas, such as character development, comic relief, plot twists, etc.  When inventions are applied to formulas, the number of unique possibilities is increased significantly.  Formulas can be applied to almost anything; TV shows, books, songs, movies, all use formulas. 

            After taking this class and learning how to analyze Popular Culture, I have a greater appreciation for the amount of thought and effort that often goes into popular media.  Many popular culture stories are derived from popular myths of the past, are laden with icons such as heroes.  Having spent the last few weeks analyzing my favorite examples of popular culture with all the theories we discussed, it will be hard to experience new popular media without doing the same thing to the new media.  It is nice to now be able to look at the deeper meaning to the media that I enjoy.  The story of the thought and effort that went into the production of the media can be quite interesting in and of itself.  I learned a lot about popular culture in this class, and I’m glad I got the opportunity to do so.

References

Brooks, J.L, Groening, M., & Simon, S. (Executive Producers). (1989). The Simpsons [Television series]. Hollywood: 20^th Century Fox.

Goodman, D.A., Callaghan, S., Sheridan, C., & MacFarlane, S. (Executive Producers). (1999). Family Guy [Television series]. Hollywood: 20^th Century Fox.

Assignment 1-4-5 Written Analysis 4

            All Sitcoms live and die by the formulas that define them.  The formula is generally a key portion to the ongoing plot of a series.  If the formulas are not popular with viewers, the show will likely not catch on.  Animated sitcoms are no different.  The ongoing popularity of The Simpsons and Family Guy are largely due to the successful formulas they implement on the shows.  The following is a description of some of the common formulas used on these popular animated sitcoms.

            Probably the most commonly used formula on Family Guy is the usage of “cut-aways”, as they are called on the show.  “Cut-aways” are pop cultural references that have little or nothing to do with the current scene being depicted.  They are set up by one of the main characters using a signaling phrase, such as “Like that time I”, “Just like…” or “Remember when we...”.  Once the signaling phrase has been said the scene cuts away to the reference they alluded to.  These “cut-aways” are usually a primary source of humor for an episode, generally containing a joke that has a small relation to the previous depicted scene.  Once the “cut-away” is over the show returns to the previous scene and continues on with the story.  The use of “cut-aways” in Family Guy is so prevalent that it has been mocked on other sitcoms, and even on the show itself.

            Another common formula used on The Simpsons is one in which Homer does something foolish.  There are several variations to this formula, but common renditions are ones in which Homer inadvertently ruins something or hurts someone and has to find a way to fix what he did.  The fix is generally very unusual or ridiculous, but almost always works.  This formula is also used a lot in Family Guy, as well as many other popular sitcoms.  A common rendition to the formula is one in which Homer temporarily takes a different job than his normal job at the nuclear power plant.  These temporary jobs are often ridiculous or unlikely to occur, such as becoming an astronaut, and are most often very short-lived.  The job is usually a source of humor due to its often demeaning nature, or for Homer’s inability to perform it.

            I think one of the keys to both shows’ continued success is in their ability to adapt the formulas they use with the current times.  Family Guy can (and often does) parody current events or reference contemporary pop culture in its “cut-aways”.  Homer and Peter both are frequently seen taking jobs or performing ridiculous stunts that can be tailored to the state society is currently in when the episode was created.  The ability to alter their formulas allows both shows to retain popularity and gain new fans as different aspects of popular culture continue to be referenced.

            Having analyzed formulas within television series for both this assignment, as well as this week’s class discussion, it is clear to me how important formulas are to television shows.  Writers heavily rely on formulas to help define the shows’ content, as well as how it will be conveyed.  Everyday people find comfort in formulas and often become fans of a particular formula style.  It would be hard for a television series to define itself if it could not standardize on how the story is being told episode to episode.  I can’t imagine what most of my favorite forms of entertainment would be like without heavy usage of formulas.

References

Brooks, J.L, Groening, M., & Simon, S. (Executive Producers). (1989). The Simpsons [Television series]. Hollywood: 20^th Century Fox.

Goodman, D.A., Callaghan, S., Sheridan, C., & MacFarlane, S. (Executive Producers). (1999). Family Guy [Television series]. Hollywood: 20^th Century Fox.

Assignment 1-4-4 Written Analysis 3

Assignment 1-4-4 Written Analysis 3

            Being topical shows, heroes and the cult of personality have been featured on both The Simpsons and Family Guy multiple times over the series’ production.  Depending on the context, the theories have been applied as parodies of the theories themselves or in a serious tone to prove a point. What follows is a couple examples of both theories as depicted on the shows.

            Homer Simpson and Peter Griffin are quite often depicted representing the cult of personality theory.  Both characters get very dramatic and often fanatical over random things.  The curious thing about this is how well and often they are able to convince their peers to go along with their shenanigans.  A recent episode of The Simpsons in which Homer stands up to the TSA is an example of this concept.  In this episode Homer’s defiance of the TSA’s over-bearing policies on a grounded flight was recorded by Bart and uploaded to YouTube.  The video went viral, and provided exposure for Homer, which allowed him to be picked up as host for a political talk show, similar to The Daily Show or The Colbert Report.  Homer’s often nonsensical political rambling appealed to many people, who began to listen to Homer’s rants word for word.  Peter Griffin similarly is able to influence a large amount of impressionable people when he gets them to join the congregation of his newly-created house or worship, The Church of “The Fonz”, a Church dedicated to worshipping Fonzie from Happy Days.  Though both of these examples were depicted for comedic effect on the shows, it clearly shows in both examples how powerful the influence the cult of personality can be on the average citizen of Springfield and Quahog.  As is in reality, Springfield and Quahog townspeople get caught up in the charisma and enthusiasm of Homer and Peter, often at the expense of common sense in reason.  When this is depicted on the shows, it is generally for comedic effect, but can also be interpreted as an allegory for its viewers for doing the same thing in real life.

            Heroes are also depicted in several forms on both The Simpsons and Family Guy.  “Radioactive Man” is a comic book hero that Bart Simpson is a fan of on the show.  A plethora of comic book heroes have been depicted in parody form on Family Guy, such as Spiderman, the Justice League, and Superman as well.  In a more serious depiction, the Griffins’ next door neighbor, Joe Swanson, is depicted as a heroic cop on the show.  Joe is paralyzed from the waist down due to a terrible fall he suffered after trying to apprehend “The Grinch” from stealing Christmas gifts from an orphanage.  Homer has portrayed heroes several times as well.  A notable example was depicted in an episode where he became chief of police.  Due to a rise in crime and the growing perception that Chief Wiggum is incompetent, Mayor Quimby fires Chief Wiggum and appoints Homer as chief of police.  Homer’s friends Lenny and Carl help Homer to clean up crime in the town.  They even manage to arrest (albeit temporarily) Fat Tony, the biggest criminal in the town.  Shortly after incarceration, Fat Tony escapes and threatens to kill Homer.  Homer confronts Fat Tony (and his newly assembled gang) alone, and tries to rid the town of him again.  Homer is hopelessly outnumbered but still stands up for the town.  He is eventually saved by a sharpshooter, who kills all the gangsters (which turned out to be Maggie, the infant).  Homer’s ability to clean up the town of criminals with help from his friends made him a hero, and his selfless confrontation of Fat Tony and his gang increased that portrayal more.

            Whether the intent was to provide comic relief to the viewer or whether it was to depict a serious side of main characters, the hero mythology is definitely present in Family Guy and The Simpsons.  Whether it’s a depiction of Bart’s occasional admiration for his father Homer, or a bunch of characters following Peter on his latest fanatical conquest, the hero concept and the cult of personality have both been popular plot lines for both shows.  These concepts are prevalent in many forms of media, fact and fiction, likely due to the fact they are easy to relate to.  Everybody has their own definition on what a hero is, so it’s not unusual to encounter media where someone is being labeled a hero to someone else.  As long as these theories remain popular to viewers I foresee both concepts being used in many more episodes in the future. 

References

Brooks, J.L, Groening, M., & Simon, S. (Executive Producers). (1989). The Simpsons [Television series]. Hollywood: 20^th Century Fox.

Goodman, D.A., Callaghan, S., Sheridan, C., & MacFarlane, S. (Executive Producers). (1999). Family Guy [Television series]. Hollywood: 20^th Century Fox.

Assignment 1-3-2 Journal Article Analysis

 

            Analysis of Return of the Lost Spaceman

            I chose to review Matthew H. Hersch’s article “Return of the Lost Spaceman: America’s Astronauts in Popular Culture, 1959-2006” because ever since I was a child I have been fascinated with all things regarding space.  Hersch’s article discusses the changes in recruiting policies and the public persona of NASA astronauts as the organization evolved and changed with the times.  Astronauts’ influence on popular culture of the time is also discussed.  The intent of this essay is to briefly summarize the article, as well as provide an analysis of what I believe Hersch was trying to convey, along with my feedback on his opinions.

Article summary and Hersch’s point

            Hersch breaks up his discussion on the public depiction of American astronauts into three different ages.  The first age, The Public Astronaut, is where the story of American space flight begins.  NASA announced their choice for the first seven astronauts at a press conference on April 9, 1959.  All of the candidates were male military test pilots (Hersch, p. 76).  Questions asked at the press conference painted the men as clean-cut upstanding Americans.  It was at this time that the press began forging the image of America’s hero astronauts into popular culture.  The public image created by the media of the first astronauts was often idealized.  The press would often suppress some of the darker aspects of the astronauts’ lives, such as accusations of alcoholism and adultery, violence, and unnecessary risk-taking (p. 77).

            The media’s idealistic image of the astronauts bled over into popular culture heavily.  Several television shows from the same era, such as I dream of Jeannie, Six Million Dollar Man, and The Twilight Zone featured astronaut characters that were modeled after the idealized astronaut lifestyle instead of mirroring the real lives of the first astronauts (p. 78).  The ideal astronaut myth, now fully established, helped to paint NASA as a successful organization that could “get things done” (p. 79).

            Hersch describes the second age of astronauts as beginning in 1965.  Now that we had established we had the ability to make it into space reliably the scientific community wanted NASA to focus more on scientific discovery.  In the same year NASA began to allow other candidates besides test pilots, such as scientists, to be astronauts.  Hersch declares this to be the era of “science pilots” (p. 81).   The “science pilot” astronauts were heavily scrutinized during their tenure as astronauts.  The test pilot astronauts saw them as a threat to their public image, the science community questioned their viability to scientific research, and even the public was critical of their abilities as astronauts.  The public perception of “science pilot” astronauts was likely heavily influenced by popular science fiction culture of the time, such as 2001: A Space Odyssey.  In the movie the sentient computer system HAL begins to kill the crew members.  The “science pilot” astronauts are no competition to HAL, but the traditional astronaut characters prove much more resilient.  One of these astronauts manages to gain control over the ship once more by deactivating HAL (p. 82). 

            The last of Hersch’s ages of American space flight is that of the space shuttle.  Just prior to the start of this age, the television show Star Trek influenced the public once again on what space flight could be.  The astronauts on the Enterprise were not just the ideal astronauts from the earliest days of NASA, but also of scientists, women, and civilians.  With the invention of the Space Shuttle, this same capability was extended to real life.  NASA’s new “space truck” could be piloted by two pilots, and could bring along additional passengers.  The additional passengers were not essential to operating the shuttle, so essentially anyone could come along for a ride (p. 84).  Though this era of space exploration initially was held with the same level respect as of the previous generations, the public interest began to fade.  Space flight seemed to be more commonplace, and not as exciting as it had been in the past.  NASA realized this, and tried to bolster interest in human space flight again by offering civilians, such as teachers rides in the shuttles.  Unfortunately, with the loss of the Challenger in 1986, the credibility of NASA was damaged, and greater scrutiny on the organization began (p. 85-86).  Hersch goes on to mention that NASA’s waning public interest was parodied on The Simpsons in the early 90s when the organization sends Homer into space in an attempt to garnish public interest.  The efforts were largely unsuccessful.  Around the same time, several movies began to look back at the earlier years of space flight with a sense of nostalgia.  Movies such as Apollo 13, Armageddon, and Space Cowboys depicted the earlier age of astronauts as heroes that had characteristics and a sense of ability that newer astronauts do not posess (p. 87).  Hersch seems to echo the lack of interest in the current breed of astronaut in his concluding statement: “As the United States, thirty years after Project Apollo’s end, prepares once again to send a small number of carefully selected, highly trained individuals to the Moon and possibly beyond, the question of who should fly in space looms larger than ever” (p. 88).

Personal interpretation

            I think that Hersch’s interpretation of how the media portrays the astronauts of the past and present to be pretty accurate.  Comparatively few people realize that the astronauts of the first generation were not as upstanding as they were portrayed to be.  I believe this to be largely due to the fact that people seemed to trust their government much more then as opposed to now.  At the same time, many people (even to this day) seem to openly trust what the media says regardless if the facts check out.  Living through the majority of the space shuttle era of NASA, and seeing it come to an end, I readily observed how many of my peers took it for granted.  This became especially apparent during the Columbia accident.  At the time it was hard for the public to grasp that we lost another shuttle so soon after the Challenger incident.  This new reminder of the risk of space flight only seemed to reinforce the reputation of earlier astronauts as heroes.  Hersch’s interpretation of how NASA influenced science fiction popular culture and vice versa was especially interesting to me. 

Conclusion

            By discussing the past and present of space flight, I believe Hersch’s article raises important points on the future of space flight.  As we continued to tame the final frontier people became less interested in the scientific aspect of space flight.  In addition to the astronauts themselves, the scientists it took to design the technology, etc., it took the buy-in of the American people to launch a man into space.  Without public interest in manned spaceflight, it will be hard to gain support and funding for future manned space programs.  With the retirement of the space shuttle last year, the United States no longer has their own means of getting humans into space.  I believe we are at a critical juncture in our career as a pioneer in space exploration.  If we as a nation accept a new challenge, such as to colonize the moon or to land a man on Mars, we may begin a second golden age of astronaut enthusiasm.  The new challenge should restore the sense of adventure that the public seemed to lose as we grew accustomed to space flight.  This would allow for a new generation of heroes to arise.  Possibly with the passage of time, the operators of the space shuttles and the “science pilots” will also be regarded as heroes.  After all, at this time very few people can say they have been in space.

           

References

Hersch, M. H. (2011). Return of the Lost Spaceman: America’s astronauts in popular culture, 1959-2006. Journal of Popular Culture, 44(1), 73-92. Retrieved from http://0-journals.ohiolink.edu.olinkserver.franklin.edu/ejc/pdf.cgi/HERSCH_MATTHEW_H.pdf?issn=00223840&issue=v44i0001&article=73_rotlsaaipc1

Assignment 1-4-3 Written Analysis 2

Assignment 1-4-3 Written Analysis 2

            As with nearly all television series, The Simpsons and Family Guy use a variety of entertainment methodologies to hold the interest of the viewer.  Referencing other aspects of pop culture is commonly employed, as are stereotypes.  Stereotypes are generally used to aid in explaining or describing an aspect of a show.  Rituals are also displayed as well, often to provide more depth and personality to characters.  The following discussion explains how these two concepts are used in Family Guy and The Simpsons.

            It has long been a tradition in the television industry to employ the use of stereotype or “stock” characters and locations.  This has been done for multiple reasons.  They are employed to save money on production (reusing costumes, animation cels, sets, etc.), used for comedic effect, or as a means of quickly explaining a person or thing.  Stereotypes can be applied to anything, and frequently are on both shows.  For example, the town of Springfield on The Simpsons is supposed to be a stereotypical town.  This is clearly evident by its name, as there is a Springfield in every state.  Quahog, Rhode Island, the fictional town in Family Guy is a stereotypical New England shore town.  Though several locations within the fictional towns are depicted on the shows, the idea of the town being a stereotype is so that the viewer can relate it to a place they are most familiar with.

            In addition to the towns themselves the show is rife with stereotypes.  Several characters within the shows are explicit or implicit stereotypes.  On The Simpsons you have Ned Flanders, the dedicated religious fanatic, Apu the stereotypical Indian character, Montgomery Burns, the mean-spirited rich person, and Barney, the town drunk as examples of explicit stereotypes, employed to explain more about the characters’ lives.  On Family Guy stereotypes are even more explicitly defined for comedic purposes, such as with “Asian Reporter Tricia Takanawa”.  Both shows also feature implicit stereotypes as well.  it is implied that Stewie Griffin is bisexual but it is never clearly defined.  Homer Simpson and Peter Griffin are considered implicitly stereotypical average men, while in actuality they live lives far beyond what most of us would consider average.  Homer and Peter are branded in this manner to help aid the viewer in relating with the situations they find themselves in.  Clearly, the stereotype is quite important to both shows.

            Rituals are often shown on Family Guy and The Simpsons as well.  Both Peter and Homer are commonly shown drinking at their local bars with their friends as often as they can.  Homer and Peter go to their bars to unwind with friends, to drown their sorrows, or even to plan their next adventure.  The Simpson family attends church on Sunday.  Bart and Lisa are frequently shown watching their favorite TV show, The Krusty the Clown Show.  Both are shown as being fans of the show, and both seem to care deeply about Krusty the Clown, despite Krusty’s often negative outlook on life and children.  Early on in Family Guy’s run, Stewie Griffin would frequently attempt to kill his mother, Lois.  Though it appeared to be quite important to Stewie, as of lately he seems to have moved on from his pursuit of his mother’s death.  These rituals demonstrate how stereotypes are used on both shows to provide more depth to the various characters. 

            After taking time to evaluate the stereotypes on The Simpsons and Family Guy I learned more about the reasons they are used on both shows.  Stereotypes are often discussed academically as being used for derogatory or offensive purposes.  I learned that this is not always the case.  Stereotypes allow the time that would be spent on character definition to be used to depict other events in the characters’ lives, such as what is happening to them at the present moment.  Even when stereotypes are being presented for derogatory purposes on the shows, they are being used to try to make viewers laugh, not to disparage people.  To add to the definition applied through the use of stereotypes, rituals are often depicted to add more depth to characters’ lives.  The intent can vary from trying to get the user to relate to the characters to simply showing emotional aspects of the characters that are not as apparent as they could be.  It was an eye opening exercise.

References

Brooks, J.L, Groening, M., & Simon, S. (Executive Producers). (1989). The Simpsons [Television series]. Hollywood: 20^th Century Fox.

Goodman, D.A., Callaghan, S., Sheridan, C., & MacFarlane, S. (Executive Producers). (1999). Family Guy [Television series]. Hollywood: 20^th Century Fox.

Assignment 1-4-2 Written Analysis 1

Assignment 1-4-2 Written Analysis 1

           The popularity of adult-oriented animated sitcoms, such as The Simpsons and Family Guy seems to be growing more and more as time goes by.  Fox Television’s current Sunday night lineup is dominated with animated television shows for a solid three hours.  The Simpsons, which has been on the air for over twenty years, is still seemingly still popular today.  One way that these animated sitcoms have been able to stay popular for so long is through their heavy usage of popular culture references.  By using pop culture references and parody, the amount of material the writers have to work with is almost infinite.  Throughout the production history of both The Simpsons and Family Guy, pop cultural icons and myths have both been represented.  The following discussion provides examples of these pop culture concepts.

            One of the most commonly used methods for referencing popular culture on animated sitcoms is through the usage of guest stars.  Guest stars can be present through animated (and often fictionalized) representations of themselves, or they could participate by lending their voice\likeness to a completely different character, with the understanding that the viewer\listener will understand the connection the writers are trying to make.  Both Family Guy and The Simpsons commonly employ guest stars, many of which are pop culture icons.   Countless icons have guest starred on The Simpsons, ranging from famous musicians like Paul McCartney or Elton John to actors like Mel Gibson and Ron Howard.  On Family Guy, Adam West, most famous for playing Batman on the 1960s television series of the same name, lends his voice and likeness to a highly fictionalized version of himself for his role as the Mayor of Quahog, Rhode Island, the fictional town where the series takes place.  Several other celebrities have also been parodied and satirized on both series.  In addition to representing pop culture icons through references, the shows themselves have become popular icons of animated television.  The Simpsons are arguably one of the most famous fictional families of all time.

            The Simpsons and Family Guy series also contain elements of myth.  Both shows’ central cast families, the Simpsons and the Griffins, are themselves representatives of various myths.  One of the most promininently represented myths is their supposed portrayal of being a stereotypically average American family.  The Simpsons and Griffins both live in modest homes, Homer and Peter work blue-collar jobs, Marge and Lois are stay-at-home mothers and wives, the kids go to the local public school, etc.  Beyond these “average” aspects of their lives, the similarity to real-life families begins to disappear.  Despite being proved grossly incompetent time after time, Homer manages to maintain his job at the local nuclear power plant, while still able to leave and come back at will while he pursues other “careers”, such as astronaut, actor, plow driver, etc.  Peter Griffin also seems to have the same “ability” on Family Guy.  Marge seems to be infinitely patient and supportive of Homer, and sticks by him on his pursuits more often than not.  The same could be said for Lois Griffin.  Other characters, such as Stewie the toddler and Brian the dog on Family Guy possess abnormal abilities, such as the ability to talk, which is perceived as normal by the cast.  The more things stray from reality the more frequent myths are represented.

            Through applying the concepts of myths and popular icons to Family Guy and The Simpsons it becomes clear how similar the shows are.  It could be that the creators of Family Guy have copied formulas from The Simpsons deliberately in hopes that the series will be as popular and successful.  Perhaps it is an indication that a tradition of television writing is to draw inspiration from previous shows.  After all, the not-so- average average family has been portrayed on television in tons of sitcoms.  Based on the popularity of both shows, these concepts seem to be enjoyed by viewers.  Perhaps the viewers envy or “look up to” Homer and Peter as examples of the average American that got a chance to live a dream they had, no matter how ridiculous or impossible it may be for this week’s episode.  After I realized the similarities of Family Guy and The Simpsons, I began to realize how common it really is for writers to draw inspiration, copy, or outright steal common formulas and ideas from other shows.  Often all that is needed to write a new television series is to change one or two details from an existing series.  A famous example of this would be how similar Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble of The Flintstones were to Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton of The Honeymooners. 

            Since there will likely never be a shortage of worthwhile pop culture to reference, it is not likely the writers of these shows will run out of material.  As long as the stories appeal to viewers and the production costs are at a reasonable level, Family Guy, The Simpsons, and several other animated shows that rely on pop culture should remain on the air for years to come.

References

Barbera, J, & Hanna, W. (Producers). (1960). The Flintstones [Television series]. Los Angeles: Hanna-Barbera Productions.

Brooks, J.L, Groening, M., & Simon, S. (Executive Producers). (1989). The Simpsons [Television series]. Hollywood: 20^th Century Fox.

Goodman, D.A., Callaghan, S., Sheridan, C., & MacFarlane, S. (Executive Producers). (1999). Family Guy [Television series]. Hollywood: 20^th Century Fox.

Hurdle, J., Philbin, J., & Poss, S. (Executive Producers). (1955). The Honeymooners [Television series]. New York: 20^th Columbia Broadcasting System.

Three Timeless Icons of Popular Culture

  

Three Timeless Icons of Popular Culture 

The following three figures are wonderful examples of icons that have become heavily engrained into American popular culture. 

Figure 1.  Ray-Ban.com. (n.d.). The Ray-Ban Wayfarer: Retrieved April 2, 2012 from http://www.ray-ban.com/usa/rb2140

Figure 1 is an image of a pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses.  This style of sunglasses rose to prominance in the 1950s and is still produced today.  The Wayfarer has been worn by musicians ("The Blues Brothers"), goverment officials, actors\actresses (Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson), and nearly everyone in between, and has become a classic fashion icon.   The Wayfarer design has been copied by countless other sunglasses manufacturers, and is probably the most commonly worn style of sunglasses in the world.


Figure 2.  Shure.com. (n.d.). Shure 55 Series "Elvis Mic": Retrieved April 2, 2012 from http://www.shure.com/americas/products/microphones/classic/55sh-Series-ii-iconic-unidyne-vocal-microphone

Figure 2 is an image of what I would guess is probably the most recognizable microphone ever invented, the Shure 55 series microphone.  This microphone and its various incarnations have been in use for over 50 years.  The microphone features a hardened, more rugged design, for use in high stress situations, such as public address.  These microphones were used heavily in the 1950s by rock and roll musicians.  In fact, this microphone is often referred to as the "Elvis Microphone" due to the fact that Elvis used one heavily early on in his career.  The microphone has been used countless times by other musicians, and is frequently featured in music videos and movies when musicians are featured.  As with many popular icons, the design of this microphone has been copied several times by other manufacturers.



Figure 3.  Fender.com. (n.d.). American Special Stratocaster Retrieved April 2, 2012 from http://www.fender.com/products/americanspecial/models.php?prodNo=0115602





My final icon for this post is the Fender Stratocaster electric guitar.  The Fender Stratocaster, like the Ray Ban Wayfarers mentioned earlier, has also been around since the 1950s and is still to this day one of the two most popular solid body electric guitars of all time (the other being the Epiphone Les Paul).  The Stratoscaster electric guitar is almost synonymous with Rock and Roll, and has been used for many other genres of music, from the blues to country.  Many famous musicians, including Eric Clapton and Jimmy Hendrix.  As with the sunglasses mentioned earlier, the Fender Stratocaster design has been copied countless times by many different manufacturers, all with varying levels of quality in manufacturing and sound production.

I chose these three icons of American popular culture because I am a huge fan of music, especially early rock & roll.  These icons are commonly used by the pioneers of rock and roll.  Musicians of the past have been idolized by newer musicians, and often used the same equipment or wore the same styles of clothing in order to emulate and\or memorialize their heroes.  This seems to beespecially common in the music field.  This is evident by the fact that though several other designs of guitar have been invented over the years, the Fender Stratocaster (and the Les Paul) is one of the most commonly used electric guitars of all time.  The same goes for the Shure 55 series microphone.  The Wayfarer sunglasses were not only worn by musicians but nearly anyone who was prominent in popular culture during their initial release.  It's very common to see these worn still to this day by anyone. 

All three icons represent to me the lasting effect of quality design and style.  The microphone , sunglasses, and guitar were all designed with a high level of both functional design and style.  The fact that the guitar and microphone were well built meant that they lasted awhile, and were favored amongst their intended audiences.  The reputation that Fender and Shure built on the quality of their products kept customers coming back for years.  The Wayfarer sunglasses  followed the same model for success.  The aesthetic image of the particular style of guitar and microphones mentioned are also a draw for those fascinated with nostalgia.    Similarly, the balance of style and quality helped to make the Wayfarer a timeless example of "cool" fashion. 

 

Pop Culture definition and Pulp Culture Artifact #1

Pop Culture Definition

In my own words, pulp culture is a catch-all definition for the influential mediums that make up the interests and aspects of our daily lives.   The mediums could be in any form, such as video, tactile, audio.  The examples of pulp culture become defined as such when a large group of people takes interest in them, whether it be positively or negatively.  Common examples of popular culture are movies, music, books, advertising, television shows, etc.

Understanding popular culture affects everybody differently.  It affects me in my business environment by influencing what software\hardware\etc. we buy.  For example, Microsoft's near total domination of the computer world in the 1990s led to almost universal adoption of the Microsoft Windows operating environments around the world.  This influences companies such as the one I work for as far as what software and hardware we have and will implement.  As the trends change, such as the heavy adoption of iPhones into business environments, no doubt will my company as a whole adapt to allow for the change in popular trends in the technology world.

 Pop Culture Artifact #1

Image courtesy of http://humdrum28.blogspot.com/2011/01/these-are-some-of-my-favorite-logos-in.html.  Star Trek, and all associated imagery Trademarks of CBS Studios, Inc. All rights reserved.

I chose the Starfleet Command Insignia to represent Star Trek, one of the most popular science fiction and television franchises in the whole world, as my first chosen pop culture artifact.

I have chosen Star Trek as my pop culture artifact because it is one of my favorite shows.  The show depicts an evolved humanity that has been able to overcome all war and poverty on Earth; a society where humans dedicate their lives to science, exploration and self-betterment.  The message the show conveys is inspiring to me, and to many others.

Star Trek has been making its mark on popular culture ever since the show first debuted in the late 1960s.  The influence the Star Trek universe has on our society is evident in many aspects of our lives.   Fictional devices such as the "Communicators" and "Tri-corders" from Star Trek likely inspired the inventors of the cell phones and iPads of our reality.  Many of the characters, such as "Spock", "Captain Kirk", and "Klingons", are well known characters of popular culture, even to those that may never have seen the show. Various quotes and phrases taken directly or inspired  from the franchise such as "Beam me up, Scotty" and "He's dead, Jim", are still commonly repeated today.

Star Trek has spanned six different series, eleven different movies, and countless books in its 40+ year history.  very few television shows have been able to stay relevant for that amount of time.  I believe this makes Star Trek an excellent example of popular culture.