HEROES AND THE CULT OF CELEBRITY -ANALYSIS 1-4-4

Analysis:

Heroes and The Cult of Celebrity

        When I first looked at this assignment, I said to myself, “How in the world am I going to tie this assignment to my popular culture topic, Fad Diets?”  Then I thought fad diets are like celebrities and heroes.  The help people and inspire people too.  However, unlike heroism, fad diets are a more like celebrities, they want paid for their services.  There are nominal costs involved. 

  This paper will address the following items in the in this Heroes and The Cult of Celebrity

  assignment:

a.       What theories seem to apply to your popular culture topic?

b.      How do these theories describe, analyze or evaluate the topic you have selected?

c.       What insight do you gain from applying these theories to your popular culture topic?

          What theories seem to apply to your popular culture topic?

        Some of the theories that seem to apply are that the diets are life-saving; that they are viewed by the majority of the world; they care about all the attention that they get and that it matters what other famous people are on them.

               How do these theories describe, analyze or evaluate the topic you have selected?

        The theory that these fad diets are life-saving can be true.  There are people who have been on these diets like Nutri-System, Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig just to name a few, and have lost weight.  This weight loss has helped celebrities and common folk’s careers and overall health.  This is the hero side to the diets.  On the other hand, the celebrity side is the fact they have become so famous.  The popularity of the fad diets is just as famous as the celebrity promoting it.

           What insight do you gain from applying these theories to your popular culture topic?

       One of the insights that I have gained is that the diet can make the celebrity more famous.  If the celebrity’s status is diminishing, being the spokesperson for a popular diet program can boost their careers again.  They are being seen spotlighted on worldwide commercials and print ads.  It does hurt that they are more appealing to the either.  Look at Marie Osmond and Jennifer Hudson.  Nutri- System and Weight Watchers has boosted their careers and put them on top in the public eye.  I feel that they are now more marketable since their weight losses

Popular Culture Analysis

Pop Culture Analysis

Fad diets are misleading

        Over the years, fad diets have been advertised as the miracle diets for anyone who has ever had difficulty losing unwanted pounds.  The makers of these diets prey on those who are looking for quick fixes.  This paper will answer the following questions concerning these diets:

1.      What theories seem to apply to my selected popular culture topic?

2.      How do these theories describe, analyze or evaluate the topic that has been selected?

3.      What insights were gained from applying these theories to the popular culture selected?

What theories seem to apply to the selected popular culture topic?

       The concepts of popular belief about fad diets are that they work. It is a myth that all one has to do is follow the diet plan, and they will miraculously be skinny.

The makers of these diets count on us believing that these fad diet plans work. They dupe us into believing that we do not have to change one's eating habits or lifestyles. All they want us to believe is that the one they are selling works. Some even advertise that one can still eat everything and lose if one follows their plan. As long as we're deceived into thinking that there are no sacrifices, we will buy into it. No one wants to have to work hard to look good. The easier it is the better.

How do these theories describe, analyze or evaluate the topic that has been selected?

       It is a myth that we can continue poor eating habits and still lose weight as long as we follow the diet plan. If we continue to eat the wrong foods, the process will not be beneficial. It is all for naught, and the pounds will not drop off. One will only continue to gain. The intake of food has to be controlled on a daily basis.

It is a myth that we do not have to exercise to lose weight. Exercise is an extremely critical part of the weight loss process if we want to be successful. This is the only way to burn the calories which contributes to weight loss.

What insights were gained from applying these theories to the popular culture selected?

        As long as we believe the diets work, we will subscribe and pay for them. As long as we as a society yearn to be thin, we will pay. As long as we believe that thin is superior we will pay. As long as society views larger people as inferior and less attractive, these fad diets will benefit. They will try to sell us every get rich scheme that can be produced. As long as these companies include Hollywood in these get rich schemes, we will buy into it.

The insight that I have gained from applying these theories is that we must first love ourselves for who we are. We cannot allow society to dictate what is and is not beautiful. People must be willing to change because they want to, not because it is the fad in Hollywood. We must also realize that these stars do not have to follow these fad diets. They can easily afford cooks and personal trainers to maintain their weight. They can afford the best surgeries to get rid of the weight all at once. The stars also have people to help them to maintain these perfect bodies that the average American would give anything for. We need to love ourselves for who we are.

ICONS- ASSIGNMENT 2-1

        The three icons that I have chosen to elaborate on are, Michael Jackson, McDonalds, and Soul Train.

        On May 16, 1983 during the Mowtown 25 television special, “Yesterday, Today and Forever”, on NBC Michael Jackson debuted the iconic left-handed rhinestone glove.  This is where he performed the iconic “Moonwalk” moves too. (Julian’s Auctions, 2009).  This was during his first live performance of the hit single, “Billie Jean”.  This changed the force of music, and dance, and catapulted Michael Jackson to the stardom status that that is still is. (Julian’s Auctions, 2009).  The jeweled glove sold to someone in Hong Kong for $350,000.00 in 2009. 

       When I think of MJ, I think of someone who will always be imitated, but never be able         to be duplicated.     He was one of a kind, and I will always love and miss him.  I think of that little boy who never got to be the child that he longed to be.    I think of that person who was a perfectionist.  He was someone who loved to love, and he gave even more than that.  He was truly a giver, in fact, the biggest giver of charities.  He made it a point to remember some of them in will.   I smile, and in I my heart feel sad for him, his children, and his family.  He has truly gone too soon.   I grew up with him, so it was like I lost a close family member also.  

                                      

                  What the average person probably does not know is that in 1937 two brothers, Richard and Maurice (Dick and Mac) McDonald opened their first restaurant in Arcadia, CA and called it the Airdrome. (World’s First McDonalds).  In 1940 the brothers opened McDonalds Barbeque in San Bernadino, CA. (World’s First McDonalds).  Hamburger became their big money maker. (World’s First McDonalds).  In December 1948 the very first McDonalds restaurant opened and the main focus was speed, price and volume. (World’s First McDonalds).  They first franchised in 1954 and the first franchise restaurant was opened in Des Plaines, IL. (World’s First McDonalds).  In 1961, McDonalds sold out to Ray Kroc who franchised the restaurants for $2.7 million, but the brothers kept the San Bernardino location, and called it “Big M”, it closed in 1970. (World’s First McDonalds).  The restaurant managed to sell its 100 millionth burger in 1958. (World’s First McDonalds).  The Golden Arches became the logo in 1961, Ronald McDonald debuted in 1966, and the Big Mac was created in 1966. (World’s First McDonalds).

                    McDonalds is the restaurant that has the fries that my 7yr old absolutely loves.  He will not eat any others from any fast food restaurant.  This is the place that we could only go for special occasions when I was a child.  I loved it too.  I think it is probably one of the most familiar restaurants to the human race.   McDonalds is easily identifiable by its artifacts, the Golden Arches and Ronald McDonald.

     

                     The final icon I chose is Soul Train.  Soul Train debuted on air in Chicago in 1970 by Don Cornelius, who produced the first episode in 1969. (Soul Train: The First 25 Years).  “Sears and Roebuck gave him the funding to put the show on the air in exchange for the right to use the Soul Train name in promoting a line of record players that they were selling at the time.” (Soul Train: The First 25 Years).  The show finally picked up their biggest sponsor, the Johnson Company; their cosmetics lined included Ultra Sheen and Afro Sheen hair care products. (Soul Train: The First 25 Years).  Soul Train was erroneously considered to be a show for African Americans, but there have been many white artists to grace the stage. (Soul Train: The First 25 Years).  Don Cornelius has an iconic saying when closing the show, “Love, Peace, and Soul”.  This phrase is the biggest artifact of Soul Train and still remains symbolic of the show.

                   When I think of Soul Train, I think of the Afro.  Everyone on the show sported an Afro.  They were all lengths, textures and colors.  The high waist pants were the fad then too.  The dancers were great.  This is where we learned the latest dance crazes, and styles out in California and on the west coast.  The best and brightest, and upcoming artists were show cased.  The hottest new releases were performed by the artist.  This was up close and personal.  The audience could ask the questions that everyone wanted to know.   I loved it!

                       

POPULAR CULTURE

       Popular culture can dictate how we live, what we believe, and what is considered normal behavior.  It crosses all boundaries of our societies, and our human nature.  Nothing is off limits.  It can promote changes to the oldest rituals, traditions, and family values.  Pop culture can be addictive, dangerous and life threatening. 

      What it means to me is that I have to know who I am, and stick to what I believe so I do not get caught in the hype of it.  Everything pop culture is not for me, and I have to know what is, and what isn't.  I think mainly it is all for money.  If someone comes up with a good idea that sells, it will be promoted to become the norm because society buys into it.  I usually dare to be different, so I don't normally get caught up in its whirl wind.

       However, pop culture also exists in the business environment too.  Therefore, I better have a clear understanding of what is expected while I am here.  Pop culture will determine how certain things are done, and in order to be successful I will be forced to adhere to those standards.  I don't have to be of the world, but I have to be able to survive in it in order to be prosperous and successful.

       What I would consider to be a pop culture artifact is weight loss programs.  I chose this because there are probably thousands of them and the money made from them has been astronomical.  People spend billions of dollars every year on them.  It is a lucrative business amongst the popular culture.  Almost everyone who has ever wanted to lose weight at some point and time has probably been one or two or three or even more like me.  I have tried all kinds.  There are programs who advertise that you can still eat what you want and lose, there are programs that make you believe that you do not have to exercise either.  Neither of these facts are true for long. 

      The biggest reason for their success is because the popular culture has been brainwashed into believing that being skinny is being pretty, and the picture of health.  We see stars that have transformed into these new skinny people.  What the average person forgets is that these people have dietitians and personal trainers.  These are services that the average Joe cannot afford on a daily basis.  Don't be fooled, everyone who is skinny is not necessarily healthy either. 

       I just say, "Love you for you and you will get through because beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and only skin deep."