Assignment 5-1

Assignment 5-1: Weekly Analysis
David Frantom
HUMN 341-F3 Popular Culture
Professor Schottenstein
March 20, 2008

Where are all the Heroes?
This evening, I was going to make sure that I got this assignment completed. I have been thinking about what popular culture icon to analysis on my blog. I did a hero last week, and wanted to find something or someone else in that category. I was having some difficulty choosing one.
I read a blog for another assignment this week (DeRosa, 2008). In the posting, he got me thinking about the abundance of celebrities in our culture, but the markedly lack of heroes that are prominent in our society. So for this blog posting, I don’t have a specific icon, but that is what I want to analyze.
Where are the heroes in our culture? Our newscasts, print media and internet sites are devoted to the celebrity. How many days did the media cover Paris Hilton going to jail? Or the tortured drama that is Britney Spears’ life? Lindsey Lohan is going back to rehab? That is our front story for tonight!
Anymore, we have to look deep to find the hero. Our culture does not allow for a larger than life hero. We would almost feel compelled to tear that image down out of our culture. Instead, we have the little hero in American society. What about the single mother who picks up a second job to help put their child through college? How about the adults who are approaching retirement age, but take into their home an elderly parent who can no longer care for themselves on their own? The small child who gives a piece of their sandwich to a stray dog, so that it won’t go hungry?
Maybe we don’t have to look deep, but just open our eyes to what is going on all around us. There are heroic acts going on all around us and our culture is benefitting from their sacrifice.

References
DeRosa, C. (2008, March 15). Assignment 5-1: Weekly written analysis. Message posted to a crack at pop culture message board. http://chadspopculture.blogspot.com

Assignment 1-3, Journal Analysis

Antiques Roadshow Analysis
There have been a huge amount of interest in the PBS show “Antiques Roadshow”, since it’s premier eleven years ago. It is hope that, by analyzing the journal article selected, I will be able to explore some of the possible reasons for the appeal of this television program.

Attraction: History and Provenance
Everyone loves a good story. Along with the story, everyone loves a visual item to relate to the story. Remember “Show and Tell” in elementary and pre-school? One part of the appeal of the “Antiques Roadshow” is that there tend to be stories behind the objects. How did the person acquire the item? What is the history behind the item? What historical event might the object been associated with?
An object tends to be more valuable if one can tie a story or a history behind the item. A Civil War bullet might carry a monetary value of a dollar or so. A bullet recovered from the Gettysburg battlefield? The value in our minds, and also translates into the amount we will pay for the item, increases. Binding the object to a real life event is one of the draws of this program.

Attraction: Spectacular Finds
People love the stories of lost treasures found or hidden treasures revealed. It is a part of our culture. Think back to childhood. Did we all not look for buried treasures, and think that different objects that we found must be extremely valuable? That pulls still tugs at us, even through adulthood. Many people are just drawn to the stories about people who had extremely valuable items right under their very noses, without them being aware of what kind of price tag it would carry, if on the market.

Attraction: Sentimental vs. Monetary Value
Often, the case is that the monetary value is not what is important to the person with the object. There is such sentimental value attached to the object that no price would be enough to part with it. “Antiques Roadshow” plays off of this, by attaching a monetary value on the item. This would make it a potential commodity but the person will tell the story about how much the object meant to them, or reveal more of how it is a family heirloom that they wish to pass down to their descendants.
Success Formula
The producers and appraisers on the “Antiques Roadshow” realize that they must draw out a story surrounding the object, and then balance between the monetary and sentimental values. A person comes up with a perceived monetary value on the object and, if it does not meet their expectations, the appraiser is quick to push the sentimental value of the object. A person find a real treasure at a flea market or an antique auction, and the appraiser is quick to compliment the person on their good tastes and a person’s sense on finding a great deal. The audience can relate to this, and enjoy the praise lavished upon the person who has suddenly found himself with quite a valuable object.

Summary
Although this journal article was quite lengthy, I was drawn to it. Not only because I found some interesting points in it while researching for an article to use, but the subject also was drawing me to it. I am a fan of “Antique Roadshow”, along with being a fan of history and any type of treasure finding show. This did reveal to me part of the psychological basis for the success of this show.


References
Clouse, A. (2008). Narratives of Value and the Antiques Roadshow: “A Game of Recognitions”. The Journal of Popular Culture, 41(1). Retrieved February 23, 2008, from http://journals.ohiolink.edu/ejc/article.cgi?issn=00223840&issue=v41:0001&article=3 novatargov1

Assignment 4-1

A 19 year old woman received the Silver Star for action in Afghanistan. Army Specialist Monica Lin Brown was awarded the medal for using her body to shield five wounded comrades as she pulled them to safety. This, after a roadside bomb blasted a convoy of Humvees, with exploding ammunition going off all around out of the burning vehicles.
This shows that heroes are not only in books and films. They also exist around us, in real life. That should give us encouragement. She said that she was operating on "automatic" and just doing what was necessary to save the injured soldiers. She seemed to be quite modest about this, and acted like it was not something out of the ordinary.

I am proud that someone like this has chosen to serve our country.



New York Daily News (March 10, 2008). Retrieved on March 13, 2008, from http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2008/03/10/2008-03-10_female_medic_gets_historic_silver_star.html?ref=rss

Week 3

Weekly Blog 3
HUMN 341-F3
David Frantom
Professor D. Schottenstein


I was going to change off of the ongoing topic on my blog of Barak Obama. That is, until I realized that this week was concerning rituals and stereotypes. With one of the latest things to come out of this Democrat primary contest, how could I change now?

There was an ad that was run by the Clinton campaign (2008) on their website www.hillaryclinton.com shortly before the March 4th primaries. It showed Barak Obama darker than he is in life. Why? Why would someone do this? I believe it to be stereotyping.

I believe it to play on the fears of many white voters, to bring up racial issues in the sub conscience. I am sorry I cannot imbed this video on the blog. It can be found at
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/video/145.aspx . I am also enclosing a side by side comparison of video stills, showing Barak at the debate, and one of the “darker looking” stills in the Hillary Clinton ad (Limbaugh, 2008).

This is not new. I am also showing a photo of a Time magazine cover, showing a picture of O.J. Simpson much darker than he is in life (Limbaugh, 2008). Why? To bring up the fears of white folk of a black man, so I believe.

I was going to go to something else but, you can see, this was too good not to comment upon: An example of a negative stereotype, used for an attempt to have a positive effect for her campaign. I have to say, “Shame on you, Hillary.”


Hillaryclinton.com. (2008). Retrieved March 6, 2008, http://www.hillaryclinton.com/video/145.aspx

Limbaugh, R. (2008, March 6). “Huge See, I Told You So.” Retrieved March 6, 2008, from http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_030508/content/01125106.guest.html

Assignment 2-2: Icon Analysis

The three icons I have chosen are Goofy, Rush Limbaugh, and the Cincinnati Bengals.

I chose Goofy because he is one of my favorite cartoon characters. I even have a nameplate by my computer monitor that says, "Goofy." It was given to me by a supervisor when I was promoted to an office position. Rush Limbaugh was chosen because of the influence he has had on the political landscape of America the last 20 years or so. Love him or hate him, he has had an effect. The last icon I chose was the Cincinnati Bengals. I have been a fan of the Bengals since I was a little boy. You can tell I am a sucker for underdogs.

These all have had influences in my life. Goofy, for the sheer entertainment value. Rush Limbaugh, for constantly making me examine my own thoughts. The Cincinnati Bengals, for teaching me to keep on hoping!

Assignment 2-1 Weekly Blog Addition

Earlier this week, Barak Obama engaged in his last presidential debate before the primary elections in Ohio and Texas on March 4, 2008. I watched the debate with interest, not only because I am from Ohio, but I am also watching history unfold before my eyes. Did Barak do well enough in the debate to possibly allow him to get enough votes to overtake Hillary?

Barak is much more polished as a campaign speaker. He tends to be slower and more hesitant with his words in a debate setting. His message, however, stays on track and he is very calm in his demeanor. In contract, Hillary was getting somewhat emotional at times. This is not a bad thing. It shows the contrast between the two debaters, and Barak appear to be the one who would be more calm and collected under stress.

According to the latest polls, the two candidates are in a tie in Texas and Hillary holds a small lead over Barak in Ohio. We will see how well each candidate does, and whether the televised debate might have had any influence.

Assignment 1-4, Weekly Analysis

I needed to find a current pop culture topic for my ongoing, weekly analysis on my blog. I thought over different topics that are currently in our pop culture. The most current that I could think of, that I do somewhat follow, is the presidential candidacy of Barak Obama.

I realize that politics do not always translate into popular culture, but Barak is able to draw people by the thousands to his rallies. He is able to bring people who are not political into the political process. His message of change and hope for America, although rather vague at times, has resonated with a large segment of the American population.

His politics are not in line for what I believe is the best course for America, in both the short term and long term views. I cannot dismiss, however, the charisma of the man and of his message. This first post is not strong on analysis. It is more of setting up the foundation for the weekly analysis that is to come. I am sure that this will also be set against his opponent for the Democratic presidential nomination – Hillary Clinton. Even though she is an artifact of popular culture herself and she will be mentioned, this analysis will be Barak’s.