Supplemental Post #1: Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley

While going over the readings and learning of the near religious ways in which the Elvis fan community has regarded the icon (ie. the deep spiritual connections of those impersonating him, the idea of keeping him alive post-death, the memory of him as being one that was pious and loving, who was born to become a king and a savior), I couldn't help but draw connections between the king of rock and roll and the recently departed Michael Jackson, the king of pop. Michael is famous for having his own contingency of fanatic followers. There are a plethora of Michael Jackson impersonators abound, and a million people made pilgrimage to Neverland when he passed away.

When I did a quick search for Michael Jackson impersonators, a HUGE number of links came up. On one impersonator blog, the connection between Elvis and Michael were explicitly made:

"‘You either have rhythm or you don’t. And when you have it, you’ve got it all over.’ These words have been uttered by none other than the king of rock ‘n’ roll Elvis Presley. And although the king himself is no more, these words hold true today more than ever. They put into perspective the efforts of thousands of Michael Jackson Impersonators who are engaged in keeping his legacy alive in the form of the Michael Jackson tribute shows."

Their respective careers also have almost eerie similarities. Both had dark private lives, both exhibited somewhat un-mainstream physical transformations throughout their lengthy careers, both walked the line between black and white cultures, and both shocked the world with unexpected death (whose fans' strongly believe was not a fault of their own). Though Jackson's death was quite recent, his image has already transformed into something much more idealized, especially in this eyes of his truly devoted fans. How will his legacy pan out?


The Michael Jackson Impersonator Show


Million people expect to mourn Jackson at Neverland

Elvis Presley and "White Trash" - CORE POST 2

We all know Elvis Presley as “The King of Rock and Roll.” I feel like everybody, no matter how little or much you like his music and films, respects Elvis in some capacity, even if just for reasons including how insanely popular he became in the 1950s and for decades after. He is and always will be “The King.”

But how did this young kid from the south become this nation-wide (even global) icon? Why him? In "The King of White Trash: Elvis Presley and the Aesthetics of Excess" (Sweeney), it is suggested that Elvis was able to achieve the success that he did because of what where he came from and what he represented. Though I don’t necessarily agree with all of the negativity that Sweeney speaks of when talking about what I would consider lower class middle America, he calls the “White Trash” population an “excessive body.” This is something that seems so obvious because it simply makes so much sense when you sit down and think about it.

What Sweeney calls the “White Trash” population consumes so much in America, not because they spend more but because they make up such a massive portion of the total population. Think about Wal-Mart. When we think of this kind of store, we think of the poor, trash, etc. But the fact of the matter is Wal-Mart is one of the biggest corporations in America because of who it appeals to. If your CD or other kind of product is at Wal-Mart, someone is going to buy it. And people who shop at Wal-Mart are loyal to Wal-Mart. If they need to buy something, that is where they go. The same goes for Elvis, whom Sweeney calls “the saint of white trash.” People were loyal to him, and if he released a song or a movie, people bought it or went to go see it. No matter how negatively we might look at Elvis, his star power proved the consumerism power of “White Trash.”

What’s interesting about Elvis’ star text is that he was very much the same both in his films and in person (or at least from what we thought we knew about him as a person). He was someone to whom the larger population of people his age could relate, and this definitely had to do with where he came from and how he was raised. In King Creole, for example, Elvis’ character Danny wants to be a good kid, but things just keep coming his way to get him in trouble. He isn’t trying to be a bad person; he is just a confused kid trying to grow up. He was relatable, and his rags to riches story both in his films and in his life were something that appealed to the majority of Americans. Elvis just seemed to have come around at the right time, and his charisma won America over.

Questions:
1. Would Elvis have been as successful if he weren’t from the south?
2. What would have happened if Elvis had experimented more with roles and styles; did Americans need the consistency?
3. Today, a lot of the rags to riches stars are rappers. In what ways can we compare them to Elvis?

Post #3: Elvis, the King of White Trash, On and Off Screen

According to Gael Sweeney, “White Trash culture” is “an aesthetic of the flashy, the inappropriate, the garish” and those part of the culture “take pride in their outsider status…degeneracy, and criminality.” What fascinates me about this marginal culture, though, is the idea that this aesthetic develops “naturally” – that society generally believes that these tastes and aesthetics come from some quality inherent in those part of the White Trash culture. This sense of innate white trash sensibility, then, can translate directly into the preserved persona of Elvis Presley – by deconstructing his star persona, it’s very clear why he is a worshipped figurehead for the White Trash culture.

As Sweeney says, “Elvis Presley is an icon of White Trash Culture: a figure of terror and the grotesque to the urban, mostly Northern, arbiters of “good taste” and a spectacle of excess and release for his Southern white fans.” His personal life is indicative of such symbolization: he grew up in the deep south, and rose to success through unconventional means of over-sexual/expressive hip-gyrating and borrowing from traditionally “black” music. The later, “Vegas Elvis” took his outrageous displays to a new level: “the obese Elvis of the seventies…[stimulated] fantasies of the grotesque, hysterical gorging, indulging in food, dink and dugs, and of living a life larger than ordinary human beings.”

I argue, however, that Elvis’ off-screen, star persona is not the only way he embodies the White Trash ideal. His roles in films – the characters that he embodies – also validate the white trash culture, and serve as validations for his iconography as the king of White Trash. This is particularly discernable in King Creole. Throughout the movie, he is portrayed as having an essential character of marginalization; audiences are made to believe that he is much more natural as a (what can be considered “White Trash”) performer in the sinful city of New Orleans than as a middle-class working man. He flunks out of senior year twice, and against the dreams of middle class success of his father, he drops out of school to pursue singing in nightclubs. Throughout the movie, this choice to abandon his education is portrayed as something positive – he wasn’t MADE for education, he was made for singing the blues and gyrating his hips to a fanatic audience. Moreover, even though he tries to court the all-American girl, Nellie, he ultimately falls in love with the tortured call woman, Ronnie. Despite his attempts at leading the life that mainstream American expects of him, he realizes that he just isn’t naturally cut out for it – he is meant for White Trash America.

Questions:

1. Elvis has always been a figure of “White Trash Culture,” a marginalized segment of society. However, mainstream culture is beginning to embrace him as part of “official history” – the Smithsonian even planned an Elvis impersonator exhibit. Will the common memory of Elvis within “White Trash Culture” shift to maintain their alternative identity? Or does this signal a merging of mainstream and marginal culture?

2. Certain stars have maintained great fame after their death – John Wayne, Marilyn Monroe, etc. What differentiates the stardom Elvis has garnered post-mortem from these icons?

3. Are there contemporary stars that embody the same ideals that Elvis did during his time?

White trash still holds a pocketbook.

In "The King of White Trash: Elvis Presley and the Aesthetics of Excess", Sweeney presents the white trash culture as a bleek, repressed, yet vast peoples. "The construction of White Trash in popular culture is of total consumer and non-producer: White Trash is separated from the working class by their lack of connection with work or production, hence "lazy" and "shiftless" as common descriptive adjectives (compare to stereotypes of Blacks.)" Elvis is interesting because he is prototypical of White Trash: "poor white, country boy, hillbilly, redneck..." etc. Sweeny's presentation of this culture is interesting in that he never seems to run out of negative adjectives and references.

What I'd like to examine, however, is the latter half of the essay. Though White Trash can be described as "an excessive body", Sweeny states several times that consumption is a huge aspect to White Trash. White Trash consume more than other stereotypical class group in America (think about the success of Nascar...). If America is built on capitalism (and related, consumption) then building up a prototypical White Trash star may very well result in a high response from American consumers. Elvis exemplifies this as one of the most iconic figures of twentieth-century pop culture. According to Wikipedia, Aloha from Hawaii was viewed by more than 1.2 billion people worldwide. He released over thirty number-one singles, twenty number one albums. His fans consumed anything that he released and they are life-long fans. Their dedication is long-term (Sweeny compares it to that of religion) and his empire is STILL highly profitable.

So, as much as we can apply negative adjectives to the lowest-denominator of working class America, we need to understand their effect on American capitalism. With that said, wouldn't any media company dream of producing a star like Elvis Presley? Would Elvis Presley be successful today? What is the difference between a White Trash star and the White Trash audience - and how do they work together?

"White Trash" Iconic Image

Elvis’s rebellious persona in King Creole was not much different from that of the one he portrayed in real life. At the time of his rise in the 50’s every move he made was critically examined and appalled parents of youthful teenagers. He was criticized for adapting many of the black styles of dress, music and mannerism at time when blacks were not treated with much respect. I find it interesting to see how someone who came from a neighborhood linked to white trash and poor blacks, at a time when it was socially unacceptable, transformed his image to an icon. He is still referenced as the “saint of white trash” (Sweeney) from his scandalous decision to wear a purple jumpsuit when he met with Nixon, but this did not stop him from obtaining his iconic image, it helped him. His rebellious image was so controversial that when he first performed on television viewers were unable to see below his hips because of his scandalous movements. Everything he seemed to do went against the social norms of the time. This may have been because he came from a neighborhood that was not common to white people at the time so he did not have any white social norms to follow.

While I was watching him in King Creole I couldn’t help but think of James Dean in A Rebel Without a Cause and how both of their characters showed the struggle within themselves as an American male. They both provided sexuality in masculinity that made girls go wild and guys aspire to be. They both changed the ideological of manhood they were looked at with a sexually by women and idolized by men (Lott). Their characters pushed them to rebel against the traditional American boy, of following the image of their fathers. It seemed to me that both of the characters in their movies were nothing new to them as it reflected their real life image as heartthrobs that parents all over feared their teenagers would model.

1. What would an artist have to do today to obtain an iconic image like Elvis?
2. Are there any stars or celebrities today paving the same iconic image today?
3. What other stars at the time were on the same rebellious path as Elvis?

From Elvis to Eminem: The White Trash Aesthetic (post 2)

By almost all accounts, Elvis Presley was more than a mere mortal. According to legions of fans, he is a near-God, a Saint, or at the very least, the King. Though it is hard to distinguish Elvis as much more than a pop idol in King Creole, as his career progressed, so did his sheer mythological quality. As Gael Sweeney describes in his essay on Elvis, the legacy of the performer has become enmeshed with religion, from his early comments like, “I don’t mind being controversial. Even Jesus wasn’t loved in his day,” to the communion-esque process of Elvis impersonation. This famous practice was enough to attract the attention of Eric Lott, a writer who delved into the process, purpose, and implications of Elvis impersonation in “All the King’s Men.” Though Lott too draws on the almost spiritual experience of Elvis Impersonators, he focuses more on Elvis as being a symbol of working class masculinity.

While early Elvis, the sort that is embodied in King Creole, surely does represent virility, rebellion, and masculinity, the later Elvis, enrobed in white bejeweled jumpsuits and laden with extra pounds and a clear drug habit, came to be canonized as a white trash icon. Every aspect of him, from his extreme weight, which brazenly disobeyed normative body ideals, to his purveyance of tacky looks, locations, and lifestyle, enshrined him as the King of the underclass. But even before his reign as the White Trash King, Elvis was censored and reviled. First, it was for his body and the raw sexual power that he wielded over teenage girls, then perhaps, as Sweeny suggests, for his overturning of the Puritanical American ideal of success. While success is expected to come through education, hard work, and some level of prudence, Elvis’ fame defied this process, and placed a legitimate member of the lower class at the pinnacle of fame in America.

This distrust of so-called white trash is not limited to the King. It has occurred even in political leaders like Bill Clinton. As a society, we seem to have a familiarity, yet distrust of “white trash,” a prejudice that may stem from what Sweeney describes as their vicinity to African Americans and black culture. Elvis himself was often described as having a “black” aesthetic. And the blurring of racial and class divisions has continued to be a controversial yet successful enterprise. Most notably, Eminem opened up the primarily African American world of rap to white America, and was incredibly successful. Thus, while the label of white trash may seem to be a handicap, for a few select performers, most notably Elvis, the stereotype has been a blessing rather than a curse, leading him to be immortalized on in so many black velvet portraits and belt buckles.

1. If we as Americans are so afraid of this racial and class blurring, how do idols like Elvis, and more recently Eminem become such popular figures?
2. As a clear representative of white trash, how was Eminem able to achieve so much success, while a clearly accomplished man like Bill Clinton found the label so challenging?
3. Is the label of white trash really just an outgrowth of racism directed at African Americans?

"The Figure of Elvis"

“Like baseball and the Statue of Liberty, the figure of Elvis guards the way into America.” (Lott, 192) Spigel disucesses how Elvis has been immortalized as an icon and many people have continued to make a great profit off of his persona. So why so many years later is he still so popular? “We’ve had every type of Elvis there is in the world… There are heavily bearded Elvises, four-year-old Elvises, and Elvis duos; Italian Elvises, Greek Elvises, Jewish Elvises, a Lady Elvis, even a Black Elvis.” (194) What is this fascination with Elvis? An entertainer explains that people love Elvis because he made people happy. (Lott, 220) Sweeney discuses Elvis’ place among the “white trash” community and was seen as an icon in different political realms. He appealed to a myriad of different audiences. There is an interesting commentary made on how minorities disliked Elvis because of racism. The Public Enemy Rap claims how they hate Elvis and John Wayne were racists and conveys the issues minorities have with these figures. (Lott, 193) These two men represent the white “American dream’ but fail to represent anyone else. The problem is that they are seen as the image of American male, and that image should not just represent white men. In the current society, Elvis impersonators represent the standard blue collar working man, they trade in their everyday life to impersonate “The King.” (Lott, 193) Society has progressed and we now have modern heroes in films who are not just white, Will Smith is a great example of this type of hero. Elvis’ role in King Creole perfectly represents Elvis’ typical character where he goes from rags to riches and is the most loved character in the film regardless of what he does.

What is one of the attributes that Elvis embodied that made him so popular?

How do you feel about the idea that Elvis represents only the white average male and misrepresents a realistic American male of that time?

Who is another modern day hero who can bring in large audiences simply by their name that might not have been popular during Elvis’ era?

The Impact of Elvis in Contemporary America: The Clash of His Identity (Post #3)

When we think of Elvis Presley, we think of terms like “The King,” rock-n-roll, Memphis and stardom. Elvis has become a symbol of American society throughout the world. He is a star that has crossed borders; regardless of where you are, people know who Elvis is, like it is mentioned in Lynn Spigel’s article, “Communicating With the Dead: Elvis as a Medium,” in which she says that at the conference in which impersonators came together, there was a Mexican Elvis known as “El Vez.” Furthermore, Spiegel mentions that Elvis is what we consider to be a Popular memory, “In his afterlife, Elvis has become the West’s greatest superstar, an emblem of eternal fame.”

Although Elvis is revered in our culture, there are many elements about his persona that caused much controversy during the peak of his career. For instance, when Elvis first appeared in the Ed Sullivan show, due to censorship they could only frame his upper body since his hip gyrations were too controversial. Also, his flashy and extravagant jumpsuits were not what people would consider ‘classy.’ Gael Sweeney goes on to classify Elvis as White Trash in “The King of White Trash Culture,” in which “Elvis, with a true White Trash sensibility, saw no incongruity in meeting Nixon dressed in a purple crushed-velvet jumpsuit and matching fingertip-length cape, a huge gold-plated belt buckle, various gold chains and medallions, tinted shades, and a bejeweled walking stick” (258). Although this type of apparel classifies Elvis as White Trash, accompanied with his infamous hip gyrations, there are other qualities that do redeem and maybe even debunk this negative image of Elvis.

Although Sweeney’s argument is to classify Elvis as White Trash, Spiegel argues this as well, but also presents a counterexample, and represents Elvis as a good person, one that Americans now idolize. Spiegel says things like: “He showed a great love for his fans,” “He’s quite a religious man,” and “Remember, he was a very religious man and truly loved God himself.” This very traditional image of Elvis is what might have saved his “White Trash” image and made him acceptable in society. This image is viewed in the film King Creole, in where he saves Ronnie at the bar when a man is physically abusing her and he chooses to sing at the King Creole although it is a less popular bar, it is morally and ethically cleaner than the one he previously worked in. Although his character is morally saved at the end, throughout the narrative his character vacillates in and out of morality subjectively. For example, he makes the wrong decisions for the right reasons. He helps the hoodlums steal from the store because he needed money for his family.

From these examples then, it is evident that Elvis’ good and moral qualities are the ones that are important now. No one judges him for his hip gyrations or clothing style anymore, but people do remember his devotion to his fans and his religious mentality. This may be why many people revere him and impersonate him; he exemplifies qualities that America has always looked up to. These impersonators are trying to achieve these qualities through the identity of Elvis. All in all, although deeply analyzing Elvis as a star, there are two identities to look at, but the one that makes him the star and social ideal today is the one of a religious and fan-devoted man.

In this video we see the then controversial hip gyrations.

In this video we can see the 'good' side of Elvis.

Questions:

1. If it weren’t widely known that Elvis was actually a religious person, would he still have the popularity that he does now?

2. Do you think that Americans actually know the ‘negative’ identity of Elvis and suppress it on purpose?

3. What do you think are some of the internal reasons why people choose to imitate Elvis and attend events like the Elvis Presley Impersonators International Association Conference?

Ian Farwell (Core Post #3) - "ELVIS and the PELVIS"

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE READINGS:
I must say, after reading the three assigned articles on Elvis, I surprised to learn about the extent of the Elvis Craze. I always knew that he was super famous and had a cult like following, but I never really understood the historical context and just how wide spread it really was.

In the reading, all three authors seem to touch on similar aspects of what Elvis represents. Much of the interest seems to have been motivated by detailed analysis of the impersonator. Also, many other areas were discussed. Specifically, how Elvis came to be know has a religious figure, sex symbol, working class hero, and cultural symbol. Elvis and his similarity with traditionally African American moves and style was also a hot topic in the readings.

Elvis was certainly and interesting figure. I really appreciated the whole piece on Nixon, Elvis, and the DEA relationship against bands like the Beatles. Fascinating stuff. Also some of the comparisons between Bill Clinton, Jesus, and other "White Trash" notions were interesting.

As far as the impersonators go, it was also interesting to look at Russ Howe, and also at the first black and female Elvis impersonators. One interesting point about Elvis and his "Black Style" was made by one of the authors. The recognitions of his black style with a "blackless" face indicates that the music is more cultural than racial. Its not "black music", but influenced by the "black culture". Similarly, crossing-referencing another one of our readings, the first Black Elvis was met with disdain and anger by many. Interesting how a man like elvis who was accused of stealing "Black Style" would later be held to such a high standard that a black impersonator could not reclaim what was at least thought by some to originally stolen. In other words, many agree that Elvis was clearly influenced by traditional African American styles of the time, yet ironically the black Elvis impersonator is shunned half a century later.

The White trash ideas of our reading were very interesting. Especially, the whole piece on Bill Clinton. But, more seriously, "white trash" (as mentioned) does seem to represent a contradiction. The dominating class (White) is reduced to second class citizenry in poor white trash neighborhoods. Again this gets at the idea illustrated in my last paragraph. Did Elvis really steal Black Music? Or was Elvis himself a product of the similar low SES neighborhoods like many traditionally black neighborhoods. It begs the question of whether stereotypical black culture is a product of skin color or cultural oppression? What was Elvis saying with his hips? In American capitalist culture, the dollar speaks louder than race. He who hold the capital hold the power. All things being equal would a white oppressed culture have eventually established funk, or is it truly something inherently different or more creative within the genetic code of those with darker skin? In other words, did Elvis have "soul" or did he steal "style"?

Questions:
1) Did Elvis have "soul" or did he steal "style"?
2) What's the difference between Jesus and Elvis?
3) Did Elvis really represent religious morality or did he just want to reclaim #1 from the Beatles?

From Rags to Riches - Supplemental Post 2

Living in America, everyone is in search of the American Dream. Everyone is in the pursuit of a better life and making their dreams come true. That is why most of us are here in school, we want to move ahead through education.

The idea of the American Dream is very subjective. Everyone wants something different, and that something for Gabourey Sidibe was being a prominent actress. This name has risen in Hollywood in the last months, as she starred the very emotional picture Precious. Before this film, Gabourey was not known, she was not a household name. Even to this day, a lot of people do not know her real name; people recognize her as Precious. Over the past few weeks, Gabourey's dream of being a prominent actress has begun to materialize through the awards that she's been awarded and nominated for. A few hours ago she was awarded a Spirit Award, and not long ago she was recognized at the NCAAP Awards. This upcoming Sunday, she is in the running for what many consider to be the ultimate acting award, the Oscar.

People Magazine just published an article in which they say that Gabourey went from $2 a day to a Spirit Award. Gabourey mentions that her mom would give her $2 a day for her to go to school, and now she is up on stages giving acceptance speeches after a magnificent performance. Although Gabourey made it, is the idea of the American Dream not a myth, but a reality? Is it possible for everyone to reach their goals like Gabourey did, or was this mere luck?

People Article

http://www.peoplestylewatch.com/people/stylewatch/package/article/0,,20332881_20349131,00.html

John Wayne's Softer Side

Our remix video (Matt Brownstein and Matt Ruggieri) incorporates video footage from John Wayne's films, interviews and award shows as well as still images and audio. We used all of the footage that we could find of Wayne's "softer side." When he puts down the gun and takes off the cowboy hat. He dances, sings, cries and talks about his children. We bet that you haven't seen this side of Wayne's contradictory persona...

Michael and Liz's Midterm: Cary Grant

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9zLY7nXs0k

last one

this one too

ties in nicely to the john wayne option

other examples of remix projects that are really effective

Midterm Christian Bale

90's Nostalgia (Supplemental Post #2)

(skip to 2:49 if you want to see the cast perform the theme song)

When I saw Jimmy Fallon reunite the cast of the 90's teen NBC show California Dreams last night, I was so excited because I used to love this show and it brought back so many memories of rushing home after school to see this show and Saved By The Bell. It also got me thinking what is it about nostalgia in terms of celebrity culture that keeps the mainstream as a whole interested. I feel like certainly in the last four or five years, Hollywood has made a conscious effort to bring back shows or movies from the past and update them for a new audience and with the comfort that the original fans will see the money. Hollywood essentially knows they can't miss if they have an already built-in audience. Remakes and updates and sequels like Alice in Wonderland, Die Hard 4, Fame, Friday the 13th, Halloween, Taking of Pelham 123, Knight Rider, The Bionic Woman, BeWitched, etc. all run rampant. Updates of The Smurfs, Dallas, Conan the Barbarian, and Ghostbusters are also on tap to produced soon. There is something about recent films and television shows and the casts reuniting, or bring the concept back that gets people all fired up. I guess it is because we are used to the familiar, but in that same token, are we losing all original thoughts and ideas for new film and television properties?

Remix Midterm Project - Cary Grant

Christian Bale and (Anti)Stardom

By Eva Lu and Judy Meepos

John Wayne vs. Will Smith - MIDTERM

By Danielle Golden and Nikki Laureola

Remix Midterm Project - Julia Roberts

Project by Jacqueline Enloe, Jenna Kjos and Marvin Arias

Domonic's Midterm: Bette Davis

Elvis, the later years

Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii (1973)

 

Elvis Presley That's The Way It Is (1970) - Part 2

 

Heath Ledger Midterm Remix Project - Andre Morgan & Ian Farwell

The Southern White Negro (Reading Post #2)

After watching King Creole and reading about Elvis Presley’s star persona, fame and life, it is extremely apparent just how similar the character he plays on screen and the person he is in life are. Not only do they both come from the south, but also they are both skyrocket to unprecedented fame for their singing, good looks and hip maneuvers. However, it was never brought to my attention before that Elvis not only in his personal life but also through the character he played may be seen as the white trash king or to put it more simply, white trash. He was not only called “The King” in real life, this typically refers to him being the king of rock and roll but in the article “King of White Trash Culture” the author uses this title to refer to the white class culture. The film on the other hand is titled King Creole, which is the name of the bar that Presley’s character sings at. However, this title can have double meaning as well. Presley’s character Danny creates business for this bar but before it was the least profitable bar on the street in New Orleans. This then can be seen as the king of white trash or at least the king of the underdogs.

This idea of being “King” regardless of what he was king of, has stayed consistent throughout generations. As the article “All the King’s Men” pointed out, there are many Elvis impersonators from varies walks of life. This not only shows the impact Elvis had on the entire country and history but also ties back to his white trash roots. These impersonators as the article states are not always flattering and become somewhat obsessed. Both articles emphasize the obsession white trash culture has with Presley. This obsession can be seen in the film as well. Danny is not only wanted by two different, relatively unsuccessful women but he is also desired by two semi-unsuccessful bar owners. No person in the film ever has any desire to leave New Orleans or to become bigger than the biggest bar in New Orleans. They all seem to be comfortable in the south (which is seen as the hometown for white trash) and any desires for betterment are never expressed.

Elvis Presley is one of the most famous and influential artists of all time, however, it was surprising to me to find out that his persona and even the characters he played on screen displayed “white trash culture” and a black identity that was camouflaged by his white exterior.

Some questions to consider:

Had Elvis been from the north would he have been as successful?

Why was he so successful when he portrayed black characteristics during a time with such high racial tensions?

Do you think that most people in the 1950’s picked up on the idea that Elvis represented a white-Negro? Or were they fans because he brought something new to the music industry?

How does the image of Elvis as white trash in the 1950’s differ from the image we have today of white trash?

Blonde Bombshell (Supplemental Post #4)

In response to Emily's question that was posed last week about if Monroe would have been as successful if she had been a brunette, I respond with a simple no. As we discussed in class, the blonde hair color suggests that she could be nothing other than white and since America is so xenophobic, having her hair color be a brown, or black or even red could signify other ethnic groups. If she was questioned as to being another ethnic group, her persona and star image would have had much more of a difficult time assimilating into mainstream media and even into main stream American culture.

Also blonde hair, because of Monroe and other icons associated with that same hair coloring has become known as the sex symbol, the bombshell and also the ditzy attitude. Even though there are many sex symbols with brown, black and red hair, the idea of the iconic blonde has been present throughout history with the emergence of Monroe. Blonde is associated with lightheartedness, fun, entertaining and sexy. The mere fact that the color of blonde is light, in stark contrast to browns or blacks that are dark and harsher contributes to Monroe's success. Had she been a brunette she would not have had the same characteristics that were associated with her persona like the ditzy and the fun loving. For example, in the film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Monroe's friend in the film is brunette and thus more sophisticated and smarter than Monroe. This is not to say that Monroe is not intelligent, it is the fact that her persona gave the audience something new and different from what was typical.

Bright blonde hair color stands out. Marilyn Monroe stood out for, among other things, her hair color. It not only solidified the idea that she was white, but it also emphasized her fun loving attitude and carelessness that was something new for the audience. The blonde blended with her white skin in order to create a wonderful ambiguous look that is very different the brown or black haired look. I believe that had Monroe not been a blonde her career would have suffered and along with that the idea of sex symbols across history would have been drastically different.

Emily and Carly's Midterm Project

Julia Roberts: From Prostitute to Mom; Forever America's Sweetheart

Marilyn Monroe: Sex Icon of the 50s (and beyond) - CORE POST 1

It would be impossible to fully discuss all that Dyer mentions in this week’s readings, but I will say that I was fascinated with how he takes ideas like objectification and narcissism and combines them with a bit of 1950s history and social context such as the typical family structures of the time to show the impact icons like Marilyn Monroe (and even Grace Kelly) had on the ideas of sexuality of the time.

The sexual revolution in the United States, though we tend to think happened in the 1960s, actually began in the 1950s—and the star power of Marilyn Monroe played a significant part in the evolution of sexuality from taboo to normalcy. Prior to this, while sexual desires were recognized as a fact of life, American society sought to contain sexuality within the confines of marriage. The strict ethical and moral codes of the 1950s very much created a paradox because we were a society wanting to restrain sexuality but also a society which was beginning to become obsessed with sexuality. For example, despite the outrage over the Kinsey reports in the 1950s (mentioned by Dyer in Heavenly Bodies), when the reports were published they experienced great success in bookstores. Similarly, Hugh Hefner’s Playboy was seen as quite controversial, but enough of society must have enjoyed it or Playboy would not have grown into the empire it is today.

Society, which tried to stop sexuality as much as it was obsessed with it, needed a star, and Marilyn Monroe with her smoldering sensuality but child-like innocence more than fit the bill. She is an icon of the time because she represented the popular cultures precise feelings about sexuality. It’s also interesting to think about how Monroe came to be such an icon. At this time, the movie studios were still very much into manufacturing stars. They needed someone who was sensual but also innocent to fulfill this role needed as a result of the push/pull popular society had with sexuality. Perhaps Monroe’s stardom was created by the industry to fill this role, her sensuality and charm seems so genuine and natural that I don’t think this was entirely manufactured.

In Heavenly Bodies Dyer calls Monroe a victim as a sex object. I’m not sure how I feel about this statement. On one hand, I can see how Monroe could have been typecast as nothing more than an object of sexual desire. But as a previous blogger as noted, someone like Megan Fox today might fill that similar role. However, there was something about Monroe that allowed her to command a scene and drew audiences in, whereas I feel like Fox is more of a “hot girl” filler than a leading lady. It is true that in all of her films, Monroe is the object of the “male gaze” (theory of Laura Maulvey) but in these films Monroe is the or one of the leading characters—the movie aren’t really about the men. Also, is it fair to call her a victim? Is this onscreen and offscreen persona what she wanted? There’s so little known about her, which may as well lead to her mystery and of course, our fascination with her.

Discussion Questions:

The way society looked at sexuality in the 1950s and the way society looked at sexuality today are quite different. How have peoples' attitudes about sex changed over the past five-six decades? Are these changes beneficial or detrimental?

We all know Marilyn Monroe was the ultimate sex icon of the 1950s. How did Marilyn Monroe embody the combined desires for sexuality and innocence in American society? Is there someone like her today?

Do you think Marilyn Monroe would have been the same caliber of icon had she existed in another time period? Was her star power enough to work a few decades earlier, for example?

The Feminine Ideal (Reading Response 2)

Every generation has its own standard for the perfect woman – its own set of qualities considered ideal for the time period and its own representation of those qualities.
For the 1950’s, Marilyn Monroe is the shining example of such a representation. The long-standing association between Monroe and all that is womanhood is due in large part to the conscious maintenance of her image, as discussed in the Harris readings. Everything from her choice in roles to her interview persona to studio-produced marketing materials depicting her was intended to plant the seed of sexual desire in her audience.

As Dyer points out, many of Monroe’s characters were on the superficial side – both in terms of their materialist personalities and in their lack of character development. Such two-dimensionalism only helped to solidify Monroe’s persona as a sexual object. Moreover, the directors of her films would often go to great lengths to play up her sexuality, despite how evident it already was – giving her soft lighting, breathy musical numbers and even a bouncy trombone theme to underscore the movement of her hips, as in Some Like It Hot. Monroe made for the perfect object of the male gaze, further compounded by her projected desire for said objectification.

In Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Monroe’s character of Lorelai is an unapologetic gold-digger – unabashedly using her sexuality to lure the gaze of rich men for the purpose of obtaining material possessions. But though her actions may be morally questionable, when put into historical context, they take on a completely new meaning for the society of the time period. In an era striving to project a wholesome image, a figure like Marilyn Monroe served to channel the sexuality of a repressed generation while simultaneously upholding the patriarchal system. Her overt sexuality was in direct contrast to the moral superiority assigned to home-making, child-rearing women of the 1950’s, causing her to bear the burden of objectification for all the women of her time. In the meantime, her characterization as superficial or greedy reinforced the notion of the reliant or dependent female, unconsciously reproducing hegemonic patriarchy. These claims are made especially poignant given the intentional nature of the public image built around her. It was against Monroe's portrayal of the immoral nuances of the "feminine ideal" that stars like Grace Kelly could create their own images of dignity and decency.

Following the tragedy of her death, however, her once purely sexual star text took a turn. Posthumous investigations revealed contradictions in her carefully mapped persona, echoing the famous 1949 quote “Live fast. Die young. Leave a good-looking corpse,” and changing future generations’ view of the 1950’s "idealistic" lifestyle. Monroe’s death sparked the sexualization and glamorization of the breakdown, while simultaneously propagating the gaze-centered damsel phenomenon. Her fate, just like the manufactured image she upheld, displayed her as at once an outlet for the secret desires of her audience and a symbol of the patriarchal system she lived in.



1. What effect, if any, did the circumstances surrounding Monroe’s death have on her legacy of sexuality?
2. What keeps modern stars, like Megan Fox, from achieving the same status of universal appeal still held by Monroe?
3. What is the significance of the title Gentlemen Prefer Blondes?

My Midterm Project-Cary Grant

I know this is a bit a head of time, but here it is....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53JM0S69gn4



Enjoy!