but naming the Spitzer headlines from the NYC tabloids

NYPost: Ho No!

New York Daily News: Pay for Luv Guv

AM New York: “Client 9″

Metro New York: Eliot’s Sorry State 

I didn’t really feel compelled to post on this until I saw newspaper after newspaper dealing with it on my walk to work this morning. Then I signed online and saw a list of blogs with entries bemoaning the fact that his wife stood by him.  I, like a lot of bloggers, feel for her, but I don’t see the point in questioning her actions. I do think its interesting that the language regarding this news story thus far deals with words like ho and luv.  I sincerely doubt that this story will do much to bring the plight of sex workers to the media’s attention.  It will just be a continuation (like other similar stories, i.e. Clinton) of humiliating the women in the cheating man’s life.

I hate to report on celebrity death but this deserved a post:

Members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., are trying to find out where the 28-year-old actor’s funeral will be held and have already made signs to hold outside the Oscars that read “God Hates Fags and Fag Enablers,” “Heath in Hell” and “Mourn for Your Sins,” Shirley Phelps-Roper, daughter of the church’s controversial founder Pastor Fred Phelps, told ABCNEWS.com.  via

This article on the fox news homepage is priceless.
(Don’t ask why I was on foxnews. I just was.)

Sylvester Stallone made a positive statement about McCain.  The statement was enough for McCain to feel vindicated and threaten Huckabee’s Chuck Norris support:

Campaigning later in West Palm Beach, McCain told reporters, jokingly: “Look out Chuck Norris, Sylvester’s comin’ after you. He’s comin’ after you and he’s going to get you. You better run! Chuck, you can run but you can’t hide!”

Wow, this is excellent press as the latest Rambo movie is about to open.  I also like the way they are quick to turn Stallone’s comment into an actual endorsement.  Usually, one has to say “I unequivocally support or endorse black” to count as a true endorsement. Stallone’s statement seems wishy washy, and it coincidentally drums up press!

I like McCain a lot,” Stallone said in an interview that aired Thursday. “Things may change along the way…

Clearly, Chuck better hide!?!?!?

With the writer’s strike going on, I find myself perusing the “other” channels aka MTV, VH1, and all the learning/how to channels. While I watched an America’s Next Top Model marathon, I kept seeing ads for Scott Baio is 46 and pregnant, My Fair Brady, and Rock of Love Two. My husband was the one who commented “Why are all of these shows demeaning toward women?” That got me thinking.

One of the commercials for these programs shows Scott Baio, Chris Knight and Bret Michael’s watching the other television shows usually commenting on the women featured in the shows. It occurred to me, all of these shows have the exact same theme, washed up 70s or 80 child star/rock star/ teen heart throb who can’t deal with commitment. These shows basically poke fun at all of the men but despite their flaws, wanabe machismo, and standard chauvinism, they all still get to go home with the “hot babe” of their choice.

Ironically enough these shows is built around the premise that each of these men needs to grow up. Bret Michaels is doing it by trying to find his soulmate by having women compete with each other through sexed up activities like pole dancing. Scott Baio has to settle down with his ex playmate pregnant fiancee. And Chris Knight gets Adrienne Curry, the first ANTM winner, as his wife. In past episodes of My Fair Brady, Knight usually cuts Curry down in a verbal way by commenting on her behavior and intelligence level.

This is an interesting approach from VH1 that has usually considered itself the more mature of the music networks (when they actually played music videos.) But now it has reduced itself to a mere freak show of hasbeens and reality TV stars. Obviously, it has been this way for awhile but its odd that three of its newest shows feature the same sexist storyline. Man wins hot girl(s) despite their own downfalls, hot girl compromises for guy once he refuses or fails to compromise for her…the end.

Its bad when I Love New York looks like feminist programming, but I won’t ever go that far!

The NYTimes had a spot on article about masculinity in today’s times. It featured Chuck Norris (how he infused Huckabee’s campaign), Sylvester Stallone, and Hulk Hogan, three solid male protectors from the 1980s.

Indeed, at a time when the country is faced with a new tangle of problems, the return of the ’80s action hero suggests that some Americans, particularly men, are looking to revel in the vestigial pleasures of older times and seemingly simpler ways. (Witness the popularity of the best-selling “Dangerous Book for Boys,” a celebration of the traditional rugged joys of boyhood.)

The premise of the article is that men who are uneasy about new, complicated issues like the economy and the war are turning to older heroic, mythic figures from their childhood and youth. This is a compelling contrast to the media perpetuated notion that women are acting out unexpectedly in this election by choosing a male candidate (Obama) in Iowa over the female favorite (Clinton). Of course, this notion changed after New Hampshire primaries but still shows how in a time when change is the hott, new key word some of our population is trying to revert to an older, “simpler” time.

But Mr. Koops, speaking on Tuesday, New Hampshire primary day, said the appetite for these action figures represents more than a joke. Rather, it speaks to a sincere desire among some men — likely not Hillary Clinton supporters — to return to what he called “a comfort zone” symbolized by heroic characters of yore.

If I’m reading this correctly, Clinton voters represent those who are not seeking “a comfort zone.” At least not yet.

This article reminds me of a book last year Vietnam and Other Fantasies by Howard Bruce Franklin, a professor at Rutgers University Newark campus. Part of Franklin’s hypothesis was that the character of Rambo came about as a reaction to the Vietnam War and the anti American sentiment that followed it. President Reagan hailed the Rambo films as quite American and many men and other admirer’s followed suit and agreed, creating a phenomenon that carried well into the 1990s and into the twenty-first century. If shaky times are any sign of a desire to seek out old well-known historic figures worshiped, it is no wonder that shows like “Hogan Knows Best” are popular and celebrity endorsements via Chuck Norris carry significant weight. Ultimately, while women are gaining certain attention lately in the political arena, it is noteworthy to pay attention to how men, who were coming of age in the 1980s, are voting and reacting to this desire for change.

over the weekend.  The book was solid Krakauer and the movie adaptation was good if not a little long.  Both Krakauer in the book and Sean Penn, who directed the movie, approach both projects as though they have personal stake in it. Both seem to personally identify with Christopher McCandless, aka Alex Supertramp.  The story falls into the usual rugged individualism storyline and both writer and director seem defensive of their main subject/hero.

The book and movie also got me thinking about how the storyteller situates its relationship to the content and subject of the story and how important it is to make the connection clear or unknown altogether. For example, is it necessary to know that Krakauer spent several weeks in Alaskan wilderness and considers himself to be a headstrong youngster like McCandless?  Or is that too suggestive?  Sean Penn doesn’t necessarily insert himself into the film but if one knows anything about his personality, it is safe to see why he chose to make the film.  Rejecting the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, Penn chose to live in a simple trailer (that burnt down in the recent fires last fall) outside of Hollywood.  Long known for opposing conservative tradition, Penn has orchestrated sometimes outlandish demonstrations against current politics. His narrative is not too far off from McCandless’s own outsider tendencies.

I don’t have a concrete answer for how I feel about Krakauer and Penn’s involvement in both narratives.  Krakauer does state from the beginning of the book that he does try to maintain outsider status from the story but cannot help but disperse some of his own experience throughout. I don’t know Penn’s direct stance on this, but after watching the movie and reading the book it is easier to see how Penn was influenced by Krakauer’s stories.

It would be interesting to see what others though about this angle.

I saw I am Legend last weekend and really enjoyed it.  I was pleasantly surprised. Being the gender scholar that I am, I always looking for how gender is being represented. And I thought with the film being about the absence of humanity that well, gender stereotypes wouldn’t come into play as much as say with a film like Juno.  Well, the filmmaker’s sneaked one by the audience. (NOTE: the rest of this is written delicately as to not ruin ESSENTIAL  plot points.)

Will Smith’s character has one companion left with him as the end of the world/humanity spirals near and that is a dog. Yes “man’s” best friend.  The dog is given a semi gender neutral nick name (some may argue it is not so neutral but it is) and assumptions are made about the sex of the dog by audience members. Then in one pivotal scene Will Smith says the dog’s full name thus revealing the dog’s true sex and the audience reacts to that revelation in a way that is typical of when a doctor pronounces if the baby is a boy or girl.

Of course, I didn’t read the book so I don’t know who introduced this interesting development.

I don’t usually plug CNN but their special investigation on tonight about women in Afghanistan Lifting the Veil is very informative and unrelenting in its journalistic methodology. The contrasts the program makes between 2001 when the Taliban ended and six years later, today, are historically potent and relevant.
It is directed and narrated by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy who seems pretty cool!

I saw the movie Juno and have a post to write!

Some article’s on Juno’s portayal of abortion:

A’ not OK: Current U.S. films avoid abortion option offers a close look at the three big pregnancy films this year: Waitress, Knocked Up and Juno. This article provides an in depth look and timelines of how abortion has been shown in films like Dirty Dancing and beyond.

The L Magazine’s I saw Juno Last Night and it Made Me Really Mad is quick to get the real point of it all with this one line: “Um, how come she and her sorta-boyfriend didn’t just use a condom?” This post gets into the real nitty gritty details of the film’s relationship with abortion, safe sex (or lack there or), and all other relevant details.

Entertainment Weekly columnist Lisa Schwarzbaum wishes Juno spent a bit more time on question of to have or not to have the abortion.

The NYTimes claims that Juno and Knocked aren’t anti-abortion they just follow a young woman on a certain path that includes not having an abortion. (Emphasis mine.)

Hollywood’s Got a Case of Baby Fever has an excellent point: it is shocking that someone as articulate as Juno has almost nothing to say about the possibility of an abortion. This also shows a HUGE weakness in the overall plot, Juno’s reasoning not to have an abortion is rushed and does not provide a real explanation as to how she reached that decision.

There is also a slew of articles that claim Juno decided not to have the abortion because of a singular protester outside of the clinic in the film. Um, I didn’t walk away with that feeling at all after seeing the movie.

MY TWO CENTS: The role of the parents in this film was completely unrealistic. They’re upset with her for a minute and then they get over it. The stepmom briefly brings up abortion but then dismisses it when Juno does. The boyfriend doesn’t even broach the subject. What’s going on here? I think what this film offers is a decent look at the OTHER great option: adoption. BUT to have little to zero open and honest discussion of ALL of the options is irresponsible. If you’re going to take on the topic of an unplanned TEENAGE pregnancy like Diablo Cody did, you need to offer the full story. The full story is that people are not only having abortions BUT TALKING ABOUT IT. On the reverse, out of Waitress, Knocked Up, and Juno, this is the only film that even entertains that thought. It’s funny the 16 year old has a more thought out plan than the married woman and career woman in the other films. Ultimately, Juno was a cutesy movie in the vein of films like Garden State with pregnancy as the back drop to a romance story instead of a funeral.