I hurt my arm golfing, I’m sunburnt, and I’m in a bar.
I love South Carolina.
We’re a good state in small doses. Try some shrimp and grits while you’re here. You’ll love them, I promise.
I think a lot about random shit. There ya go.
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Oh hai.
Can I tell you about Amway?
So this damn clown still scares me. Yep.
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View high resolution
mock-up of a princess vs princess page
shoujo style spontaneous flowers GO
(via themonicabird)
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(Source: criticalfilmstudies)
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(Source: samljackson, via severin)
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"While students can get credit for working, volunteerism and the pursuit of extra classes seems to be preferred, at least according to the suggestions in these columns. A student working a minimum wage job in an attempt to save for college or bring in extra income for the family isn’t viewed as favourably as the student who spends a summer volunteering at a camp for disadvantaged children. There is, in the grounding of volunteer work over other forms of work, also a certain element of patronisation; you should help those less fortunate than you, and in so doing, develop credit you can use to apply for college. Meanwhile, the ‘less fortunate’ who may be helping their own families and communities don’t get credit for it."
How Helpful! College Advice for Rich Kids! – this ain’t livin’ (via notemily)
(via themonicabird)
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My homegirl Jess (Jubilee) just put me on to this and within seven seconds I was IMing her in ALL CAPS. Not that that’s all that out of the ordinary but I was, specifically, IMing her “HOLY SHIT THIS IS THE BEST THING I HAVE EVER HEARD” not just because it’s got house diva vocals (my forever weakness) by Elisabeth Troy, but because the junglist production is THE ILLEST and it’s done by a woman, B. Traits (the cute white lady with the Erin Featherston ca. 2004 hair), which is still rarrrreeeeeeeeeeee outchea. THOSE CHORDS! SHOUT TO B. TRAITS AND ELISABETH TROY, and also entrez-vous, dnb!!
Wowee.
WAIT I DIDNT REBLOG THIS YET?? WHAT
I saved my reblog for the morning because I knew it was gonna make my day better. I was right!
this made my saturday. also, does anyone have a copy of it?
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The Third Shift: sahutchinson replied to your quote: There has been a lot of talk, this... →
sahutchinson replied to your quote: There has been a lot of talk, this week about Lena…What I want to know is how and why is it going back instead of progressing forward?
I would probably cite stratification and a growing number of programming outlets. I’m also going to…
I have a lot of thoughts but don’t think I can fully explain them clearly. I’ll go in a list…
1. Wouldn’t shows like Cosby, ADW, LS, Girlfriends (never watched it but I’ve yet to meet a black female other than me who didn’t watch and like it) tell networks that there is a market out there for a show with/by/about minorities that do last for more than one season, and thus can sell ad space (I have no idea how selling ads work with television so maybe ignore that part). As much as we loathe the Tyler Perry stuff, one of the truths about it is that it makes money. It makes a shit ton of money. And that’s why it keeps getting made. Do networks not think that a show that’s not showing a stereotypical view of blacks (or hispanics, or asians, or any other POC) won’t get viewers? Or as many viewers? And thus won’t make money for the network? There was even less networks and money in the 80s. So why was it cool to take a risk then but not now?
2. The more networks fighting for less money thing intrigues me. So if there was more money going around, does that mean some network executive would be willing to take a chance on a television show that isn’t so white-washed? How much money does it take? Wouldn’t having more money just reaffirm their belief that only white casts sell?
3. executives are honing in for a decreasing segment o the same old white 25-49 demographic by appealing to its memories, nostalgia, and purchasing power. And this goes back to my Tyler Perry thing. It makes a shit ton of money. So it’s not only 25-49 white males that have purchasing power. To me it seems like a smart and easy choice to appeal to those who don’t fit into that demographic with things that would appeal to them. Girls does that. But so would countless other shows that are more racially diverse than Girls.
4. I don’t begrudge Lena Dunham and her show. Like Jenna Wortham said, it normally would be the type of show I would watch (if I still had HBO that is). Congrats to her. But as much as she talks about doing this herself, having that name must have help, even a little. Even if it was just so much as she didn’t have to worry about money so she got to fully commit herself to her art. So my question is this-what can the next 25 yo POC do to have the same opportunities as Dunham? How can that next person get the same opportunities? Because as much as Dunham is lauded, she can’t be the only one.
I fear this is too long. But what the hell.
1. I’d have to know and remember what kind of advertising sold during those WB/UPN shows. It’s hard to give an answer to this other than “these are white men making the decisions and giving chances to people who are exactly like them.” Because it’s both true and it isn’t. Institutional discrimination is never that simple. But let me put the advertising thing this way: one of the few things that has struck me recently (and maybe I’m naive for only noticing in the the past couple years or so) is an entirely alternative advertising universe for black audiences. This may not be a shock to many and it wasn’t a complete shock to me because I’ve watched Spanish-language TV. But it is striking to see an ad for Frosted Flakes with a black father and daughter playing basketball and the only time I see it is during an NBA telecast. Again, I can’t authoritatively say. But as far as Tyler Perry goes: just because he pulls in lots of cash likely means jack to these people. Perry, for the most part, operates outside of Hollywood’s axis — and as far as television probably goes, I don’t see ads much of House of Payne on TBS now. His currency may work in a theater context, but TV is different.
2 & 3. The money thing: the audiences 20 years ago were just flat-out larger because of comparatively limited entertainment options (no streaming on the Web, obv.), and that translated to more revenue held in three or four broadcast networks — so while the money was less, the individual network take of it was bigger.
With that in mind, a programmer has more leeway to take a risk on an unknown television commodity in a prime-time slot and let it build an audience if he or she knows one show will not cost him or her that paycheck. Fox was still building its brand. You could give LS five seasons because you had nowhere to go but up. ADW had the Lisa Bonet/Cosby thing going for it at first. The increased competition from HBO, Showtime, AMC, FX, TNT, TBS in creating original programming created epistemic closure as more programmers looked to lock down demographics their networks and advertisers viewed as most desirable — 25-49, and mostly white. There’s no other reason to know why Last Man Standing, Man Up!, and whatever that sitcom with Kevin Dillon that lasted maybe a few weeks was — it was looking for the demographic that stereotypically has the most purchasing power and discretionary income. Programming for 50+ percent is much easier and reaps more financial reward than targeting to 13% or 20%. The racial demographics of the country are what they are.
4. What can a 25-year old POC do to be recognized? Do your thing, be good at it, make as many connections as possible, and don’t rely on anyone else to help you. If you get a hand, take it, but don’t wait for it. We need to have our own money and our own benefactors.
This rambled for way too long, I think.
Just two points…
Now that I think about it, the only time I’ve seen that Frosted Flakes commercial was during the NCAA tournament. (I don’t watch the NBA until let’s say the conference championship games.) I’m naive in so many ways in regards to the workings of television but I knew that much, the advertising to specific audiences.
Even if you get the benefactors, the talent, the everything you need to start a show (or film a movie) I get the feeling there’s always going to be something/someone that stops it. And I guess that goes right back to TNC point-the people in power.
Theme: Linear by Peter Vidani
