The 21st century in media has shown that it is not afraid to push the boundaries and take some risks in order to get its message across. Also, recently, gay characters have been featured more prominently in shows across a wide variety of genres, and they serve unique purposes for a show's plot or story line. There are many tropes featured for queer characters, and Stewie from Family Guy fits into the trope of ambiguously gay and the badass gay.
First of all, Seth McFarlane, the creator of the show who also provides most of the voices for the show, confessed in an interview confirming that, yes, Stewie is in fact gay. The thing with the show is that it is played subtly, and the idea that he is gay does not play a big role in the show as he always seems to be plotting his next "evil plan," or about as evil of a plan as a 1-year-old baby can make. This also fits him into the mold of being the badass gay as it has been depicted numerous times throughout Family Guy's run that Stewie is more than capable of taking care of himself and beating people up he feels have crossed him or failed to please him, especially Brian, who in one episode, is beaten up not once, but twice within a five minute time-span.
The idea of having a queer character on the show is not a bad idea because diversity is the name of the game when it comes to television shows, especially in this day and age, but the idea to have Stewie, a baby with a British accent and a slight lisp, interpreted in this way, it just seems as though it is a way for the writers of the show to play off of him for the sake of comedy due to his mannerisms. Despite this, Stewie is one of those characters on the show whom you look at and automatically recognize what show he is on, and he has become one of the most important and significant cartoon characters over the last twenty years since the show began in 1999.
Tuesday, April 30, 2019
If One Were The Other...
The beauty of television and media is that there are a lot of hypotheticals related to certain scenarios. One of these is the changing of a character's gender from male to female, and vice versa. For this blog, I will discuss a show's characters as if their genders were flipped, and then I will identify certain situations that might occur if the switch was real.
Let us imagine on a show like Family Guy if Brian, the family dog, was female and Meg, the Griffins' only daughter, was male. We all know that Brian is arguably the character that stands out the most in the show, and I feel as if he were actually female instead of male, he might appeal more to a female audience even if he were to keep all of his characteristics. The only difference is that he would have more boyfriends instead of girlfriends, and he may also be more inclined to share a deep bond with Lois while secretly harboring strong feelings for Peter.
Now, let us take a look at Meg. Meg is the only daughter of the family, but she is also the oldest. I feel if she were to be made a male, she would then become the oldest brother in an almost all-male household, and she could serve as inspiration for younger brothers Chris and Stewie. I feel like she would also have more attention from the family as well as significantly more luck in her social life unlike the scapegoating she endures as her usual self from everyone she encounters, especially from the family. Just like with Brian having more of an appeal to a female audience if he were made female, it is likely to say that Meg would have a broader appeal from a male audience, and the male perspective surrounding her/him would make for a pretty lengthy discussion on male gender roles.
This actually sounds like it would be a good idea for a Family Guy episode-one that takes place in an alternate dimension or something, with all of the notable characters the opposite gender with the exact opposite lives as their real-world counterparts. I am actually kind of surprised that this idea has not yet come to fruition. I mean, Rick and Morty did something like it, so why not Family Guy?
Let us imagine on a show like Family Guy if Brian, the family dog, was female and Meg, the Griffins' only daughter, was male. We all know that Brian is arguably the character that stands out the most in the show, and I feel as if he were actually female instead of male, he might appeal more to a female audience even if he were to keep all of his characteristics. The only difference is that he would have more boyfriends instead of girlfriends, and he may also be more inclined to share a deep bond with Lois while secretly harboring strong feelings for Peter.
Now, let us take a look at Meg. Meg is the only daughter of the family, but she is also the oldest. I feel if she were to be made a male, she would then become the oldest brother in an almost all-male household, and she could serve as inspiration for younger brothers Chris and Stewie. I feel like she would also have more attention from the family as well as significantly more luck in her social life unlike the scapegoating she endures as her usual self from everyone she encounters, especially from the family. Just like with Brian having more of an appeal to a female audience if he were made female, it is likely to say that Meg would have a broader appeal from a male audience, and the male perspective surrounding her/him would make for a pretty lengthy discussion on male gender roles.
This actually sounds like it would be a good idea for a Family Guy episode-one that takes place in an alternate dimension or something, with all of the notable characters the opposite gender with the exact opposite lives as their real-world counterparts. I am actually kind of surprised that this idea has not yet come to fruition. I mean, Rick and Morty did something like it, so why not Family Guy?
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
We All Wear Masks
There has been something that has recently come to my attention lately when it comes to so-called "standards" and "gender roles" or even "identities." It is not the fact that such terms exist; I mean, everybody finds a way to put a spin or a label on things. It is not even the fact that such terms even need to be there. It is the fact that people, regardless of whether they like it or not, are going to be judged by these labels as society seems fit. This type of behavior extends even into media.
One such trope found in the media is Eddie Redmayne's character in "The Danish Girl," a story about a man who transitions from male to female in a time when such activities were unknown and/or unheard of-the 1920s. One could say that it follows under the gender and sexuality trope of "wrong genetic sex" as the character in the movie is physically a man, but emotionally a woman as the film reveals. It could also fly under the gender dynamic of "dismissed gender" as his character certainly does not follow typical male behavioral patterns as he undergoes the stress of having an identity crisis with his gender.
Although not entirely played out as it is explained, one could make a case for the trope of "old friend, new gender" due to the shock and surprise that I am sure went through people's minds when learning about the transition as well as "lady looks like a dude" when people mistake Einar Wegener as a male when she has already made the switch. There is also the gender dynamic of "men don't cry" since it is safe for men to say to each other that crying is not allowed when going through difficult times.
In terms of whether it works or not and if it leaves a lasting impact on people, I would argue and say that while the film does succeed in bringing to the table a rather sensitive topic that is becoming more and more prevalent as people become continually more accepting about it, it could be said that the film probably captures transgender people in a negative light as Wegener in the film is socially ostracized due to him not following traditional gender norms related to men, but this is probably not what the movie was going for. Relating this to "The Mask We Live In," there are always those select group of people who will be quick to point out the flaws in people and deem them unsuitable to carry on as they wish in however masculine or feminine they identify themselves by, and this could be due to the fact that those people are just trying to hide behind a mask that is their own insecurities, and they do not know any other way to cope with a burden that they have.
It is rather sad that discussions like this still need to be addressed in 2019, but hopefully, with a little bit of luck, we can help smash these expectations of traditionalism to smithereens before it is too late. After all, no matter how successful or prosperous we are or get, at the end of the day, we all still wear masks.
One such trope found in the media is Eddie Redmayne's character in "The Danish Girl," a story about a man who transitions from male to female in a time when such activities were unknown and/or unheard of-the 1920s. One could say that it follows under the gender and sexuality trope of "wrong genetic sex" as the character in the movie is physically a man, but emotionally a woman as the film reveals. It could also fly under the gender dynamic of "dismissed gender" as his character certainly does not follow typical male behavioral patterns as he undergoes the stress of having an identity crisis with his gender.
Although not entirely played out as it is explained, one could make a case for the trope of "old friend, new gender" due to the shock and surprise that I am sure went through people's minds when learning about the transition as well as "lady looks like a dude" when people mistake Einar Wegener as a male when she has already made the switch. There is also the gender dynamic of "men don't cry" since it is safe for men to say to each other that crying is not allowed when going through difficult times.
In terms of whether it works or not and if it leaves a lasting impact on people, I would argue and say that while the film does succeed in bringing to the table a rather sensitive topic that is becoming more and more prevalent as people become continually more accepting about it, it could be said that the film probably captures transgender people in a negative light as Wegener in the film is socially ostracized due to him not following traditional gender norms related to men, but this is probably not what the movie was going for. Relating this to "The Mask We Live In," there are always those select group of people who will be quick to point out the flaws in people and deem them unsuitable to carry on as they wish in however masculine or feminine they identify themselves by, and this could be due to the fact that those people are just trying to hide behind a mask that is their own insecurities, and they do not know any other way to cope with a burden that they have.
It is rather sad that discussions like this still need to be addressed in 2019, but hopefully, with a little bit of luck, we can help smash these expectations of traditionalism to smithereens before it is too late. After all, no matter how successful or prosperous we are or get, at the end of the day, we all still wear masks.
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
A Test of...Whatever
All throughout media and television, the roles of females within the confinements of a square box known as a lens or television set has gradually shifted from those that were catering to the typical rules of the housewife at the time to becoming strong, independent women with their own type of character development while becoming just as big, if not bigger, of a presence than today's generation of males in the cinematic world. In today's generation where there are all of these so-called "tests" that people throw out just to see if it meets their standards, it is probably no surprise that The Bechdel Test has become somewhat of a prominent name in media. Basically, what the Bechdel Test is contains at least two women who have at least one conversation about something other than men or a man.
One female character that fits the description well is Jackie Burkhart, the spoiled, rich kid from "That 70's Show." For instance, there are plenty of scenes throughout the series where she and her best friend Donna Pinciotti have many private conversations about different things. A lot of them revolve around the boys that they date, but others are also a way for both of them to build character development throughout the series. The Bechdel Test works for Jackie because even though she is not held back by her own faults and insecurities, at the end of the day, she is still shown to be a shallow, spoiled teenage girl going through the same problems that all teenagers go through. She also demonstrates the "Mako Mori Test" by having a story for herself that does not revolve around any male characters. It is about her getting a job, and about her struggling to adjust to her having to do things for herself rather than the other way around.
Jackie also demonstrates some of the female tropes that have been examined and scrutinized in recent times. The first is the "Crazy." For a short time in the show, at the end of season 2 through the beginning of season 3, she develops an intense infatuation for bad boy Steven Hyde after she breaks up with Michael Kelso. Despite all of Hyde's pleas to leave him be, Jackie cannot help but continue to pursue him despite them lacking any sort of remotely common interests. A second trope is the "Wedding-Freak." Jackie tries to get Kelso to marry her by the end of the 4th season, and when he does not answer right away, she gets very demanding and threatens to leave the relationship. She also does the same thing with Hyde in season 7 when he does not give an immediate answer. The final one is the "Nagging Shrew." Though she might be too young to fit into this category, the role of Jackie's character is shown to constantly boss people around, even those close to her. This is especially prevalent in the first couple of seasons.
Jackie is a character who has a lot going for her, but she is also one of those characters who is flawed enough to the point that anybody can relate to her in one way or another.
One female character that fits the description well is Jackie Burkhart, the spoiled, rich kid from "That 70's Show." For instance, there are plenty of scenes throughout the series where she and her best friend Donna Pinciotti have many private conversations about different things. A lot of them revolve around the boys that they date, but others are also a way for both of them to build character development throughout the series. The Bechdel Test works for Jackie because even though she is not held back by her own faults and insecurities, at the end of the day, she is still shown to be a shallow, spoiled teenage girl going through the same problems that all teenagers go through. She also demonstrates the "Mako Mori Test" by having a story for herself that does not revolve around any male characters. It is about her getting a job, and about her struggling to adjust to her having to do things for herself rather than the other way around.
Jackie also demonstrates some of the female tropes that have been examined and scrutinized in recent times. The first is the "Crazy." For a short time in the show, at the end of season 2 through the beginning of season 3, she develops an intense infatuation for bad boy Steven Hyde after she breaks up with Michael Kelso. Despite all of Hyde's pleas to leave him be, Jackie cannot help but continue to pursue him despite them lacking any sort of remotely common interests. A second trope is the "Wedding-Freak." Jackie tries to get Kelso to marry her by the end of the 4th season, and when he does not answer right away, she gets very demanding and threatens to leave the relationship. She also does the same thing with Hyde in season 7 when he does not give an immediate answer. The final one is the "Nagging Shrew." Though she might be too young to fit into this category, the role of Jackie's character is shown to constantly boss people around, even those close to her. This is especially prevalent in the first couple of seasons.
Jackie is a character who has a lot going for her, but she is also one of those characters who is flawed enough to the point that anybody can relate to her in one way or another.
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
A Female Trope Come True
Television has always fascinated, entertained, and captivated audiences in ways which continue to be scrutinized even to this day. Since the days when female stars rose to power and began acting in ways that were against the status quo, it saw the rise of a female trope known to some people as "manic pixie dream girl." This is the type of character where the females are strong-willed, and actually have character development on their side instead of appearing all bland and boring. For this blog, one female character from one of the most famous sitcoms of all time will be examined.
Elaine Benes, the head-strong, career-driven, independent woman played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus (arguably, her most famous role to date) in the hit 90's sitcom, Seinfeld, shows how females can actually be a big part of the story and show without using any of the cliches involving those women that are unable to function without having to rely on their partner for things. Elaine has a job, dates men on her own terms, tends to give good advice, and is, above everything else, arguably the smartest and most logical of the 4 central characters.
While not initially a part of the show's pilot, she appeared in the very next episode after her and Jerry break up, and while in the old days, while there might have been the quest to try to win back the man she lost, Elaine realizes that both she and Jerry are meant to be friends, and they are seen hanging out together in almost every episode. She also dates a wide variety of men, probably more often than any of the other main characters combined, throughout the show's run.
Elaine's character is also different as she has a stable job, a publisher at Pendant Publishing, something that was frowned upon for women back in the days of 50's and 60's shows. The thing about Elaine's character is that although she is not the most prominent main character on the show, a number of story lines still revolve around her rather than seeing her just merely sitting on the sidelines and reacting to stuff as they occur. This also ties in to her fierce independence, and along with the likes of women such as Katharine Hepburn, shows that women can be financially independent and successful while still maintaining their feminine image.
With all of her accolades, it is also important to point out that Elaine is not ugly, quite the opposite, in fact, as many of the side characters have expressed a desire to try to woo and win her over. One of them is Jerry's rival, Newman. We all know who Newman is: overweight, bespectacled, goofy, greedy, and works as a delivery post man. However, the roles are switched as he and other men lust after Elaine like a ripe apple off of a tree. This most likely explains why Elaine is such a serial dater in the series.
Elaine is just one example of female leads in T.V. shows that break the societal norms of gender roles that is often portrayed in the media. She is definitely one of those characters that can be described as, in Nathan Rabin's words, as a "manic pixie dream girl."
Elaine Benes, the head-strong, career-driven, independent woman played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus (arguably, her most famous role to date) in the hit 90's sitcom, Seinfeld, shows how females can actually be a big part of the story and show without using any of the cliches involving those women that are unable to function without having to rely on their partner for things. Elaine has a job, dates men on her own terms, tends to give good advice, and is, above everything else, arguably the smartest and most logical of the 4 central characters.
While not initially a part of the show's pilot, she appeared in the very next episode after her and Jerry break up, and while in the old days, while there might have been the quest to try to win back the man she lost, Elaine realizes that both she and Jerry are meant to be friends, and they are seen hanging out together in almost every episode. She also dates a wide variety of men, probably more often than any of the other main characters combined, throughout the show's run.
Elaine's character is also different as she has a stable job, a publisher at Pendant Publishing, something that was frowned upon for women back in the days of 50's and 60's shows. The thing about Elaine's character is that although she is not the most prominent main character on the show, a number of story lines still revolve around her rather than seeing her just merely sitting on the sidelines and reacting to stuff as they occur. This also ties in to her fierce independence, and along with the likes of women such as Katharine Hepburn, shows that women can be financially independent and successful while still maintaining their feminine image.
With all of her accolades, it is also important to point out that Elaine is not ugly, quite the opposite, in fact, as many of the side characters have expressed a desire to try to woo and win her over. One of them is Jerry's rival, Newman. We all know who Newman is: overweight, bespectacled, goofy, greedy, and works as a delivery post man. However, the roles are switched as he and other men lust after Elaine like a ripe apple off of a tree. This most likely explains why Elaine is such a serial dater in the series.
Elaine is just one example of female leads in T.V. shows that break the societal norms of gender roles that is often portrayed in the media. She is definitely one of those characters that can be described as, in Nathan Rabin's words, as a "manic pixie dream girl."
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Scenes From The Class Struggle In Springfield: An American Dream Come True?
An episode of The Simpsons from season 7 entitled "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield" does its best to inform the viewers of the American dream as well as the dangers behind it. The dangers associated with the American dream include conspicuous consumption and tokenism, and the episode has a good mixture of both. Here are some of the particulars.
To start off with tokenism, the rich women at the country club see Marge in her Coco Chanel suit and make an effort to add her to the club and its lifestyle under the assumption that Marge is already a part of the highest class of social values. The women have no idea that the suit was found at a vintage store and slashed for 90 percent of the original price because to them, they would not think of anybody buying an article of clothing like that at a major discount. This is considered tokenism because Marge and the rest of the family comes from an underrepresented group in society (the lower middle class), and the lifestyle to the Simpson family is uncomfortable to them as they are not familiar with the values of the rich, but make an effort, even if it is a minuscule amount, to fit in before ultimately deciding that their original way of life was much better.
In terms of conspicuous consumption, it also goes back to the Coco Chanel suit that Marge purchases at the beginning of the episode as Marge likes the suit and wants to buy it, but she is unsure if she should for fear that it would make her stand out in an unpleasant way when it comes to middle class values and aesthetics. Under the encouragement from Lisa, Marge purchases the suit, and seems happy to do so, but it is with the suit that sets the entire episode's course of events.
The episode delivers a Marxist critique in about as traditional of a way as one would assume from studying Marxism. The rich, though skeptical to even be associated with Marge due to her coming from an inferior background, try to recruit her to become "one of them" in a way. Marge, unknowingly, also changes herself in terms of behavior in order to meet the standards that the rich expect from her only to realize how bad she has become after overhearing her family talk about how bad they are for believing in what they believe. The episode ends with the rich basically continuing to go about their own way while the Simpson family has a family meal at Krusty Burger, about as low as one can get for a middle class family, as said by the restaurant's janitor.
The episode does a good job of pointing out the Marxist critique of how the episode portrays a service to the rich while playing off the middle class as being less than them. A good example of this is when Montgomery Burns, Homer's boss, and "golfer" is caught cheating, yet has no consequences for his actions. Same thing with the rich women at the end as all they get is just some disappointment that Marge did not want to become a member of the elite.
To start off with tokenism, the rich women at the country club see Marge in her Coco Chanel suit and make an effort to add her to the club and its lifestyle under the assumption that Marge is already a part of the highest class of social values. The women have no idea that the suit was found at a vintage store and slashed for 90 percent of the original price because to them, they would not think of anybody buying an article of clothing like that at a major discount. This is considered tokenism because Marge and the rest of the family comes from an underrepresented group in society (the lower middle class), and the lifestyle to the Simpson family is uncomfortable to them as they are not familiar with the values of the rich, but make an effort, even if it is a minuscule amount, to fit in before ultimately deciding that their original way of life was much better.
In terms of conspicuous consumption, it also goes back to the Coco Chanel suit that Marge purchases at the beginning of the episode as Marge likes the suit and wants to buy it, but she is unsure if she should for fear that it would make her stand out in an unpleasant way when it comes to middle class values and aesthetics. Under the encouragement from Lisa, Marge purchases the suit, and seems happy to do so, but it is with the suit that sets the entire episode's course of events.
The episode delivers a Marxist critique in about as traditional of a way as one would assume from studying Marxism. The rich, though skeptical to even be associated with Marge due to her coming from an inferior background, try to recruit her to become "one of them" in a way. Marge, unknowingly, also changes herself in terms of behavior in order to meet the standards that the rich expect from her only to realize how bad she has become after overhearing her family talk about how bad they are for believing in what they believe. The episode ends with the rich basically continuing to go about their own way while the Simpson family has a family meal at Krusty Burger, about as low as one can get for a middle class family, as said by the restaurant's janitor.
The episode does a good job of pointing out the Marxist critique of how the episode portrays a service to the rich while playing off the middle class as being less than them. A good example of this is when Montgomery Burns, Homer's boss, and "golfer" is caught cheating, yet has no consequences for his actions. Same thing with the rich women at the end as all they get is just some disappointment that Marge did not want to become a member of the elite.
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Patrick Star's Job
Patrick Star's Job
Patrick Star, the beloved but idiotic pink starfish from the hit TV show, SpongeBob SquarePants, represents the proletariat people, or working class, pretty accurately in the times of Karl Marx. For this, I will be examining the episode, "The Fry Cook Games" to show how Patrick, despite his stupidity, actually lands a job pretty easily.
To begin with, the episode starts out with SpongeBob ready to compete in the annual Fry Cook Games which should really just be called "a chance for people with jobs to rub it in to the unemployed." SpongeBob is later visited by his friend Patrick who, despite his laziness, is excited when he hears the word, "games," and asks to join in the fun. SpongeBob, supposedly representing the bourgeoisie, patronizingly tells him that he has to be a fry cook to join. Patrick doesn't believe that it can be that hard to become one only to be dismissed by SpongeBob, saying fry cooks are "an elite core." Uh, SpongeBob, you're a fry cook, not a CEO.
Later on, it's revealed that Patrick is able to get a job at the Chum Bucket. I'm kind of surprised that Patrick wasn't rejected for being over-qualified. Let's run down his list of skills: drooling, eating, sleeping, doing absolutely nothing, and sticking to the bottom of his rock. The reason why this situation suits a Marxist style of life is that people like SpongeBob, who represents the bourgeoisie, obviously have the skills and the passion to go about this job. People like Patrick, who represents the proletarian class, don't possess such skills, but he was able to get the job anyhow due to him wanting a job.
Patrick's skills play no role in him getting the job, but rather by him simply going in and receiving one. It fits in well with Marxism because in a Marxist society, nobody in any situation, including people in a higher class than others, are not allowed to outshine those that might be considered inferior in a capitalist society. In a communist society, as portrayed by Karl Marx in his 1848 book "The Communist Manifesto," he stressed the importance of equal ground for all in terms of pay, work experience, and shared interests. It can be safe to assume that in this episode Patrick does have the same interest as SpongeBob in the sense that he wants to become a fry cook, and it can also be implied that he's getting the same pay as SpongeBob as well as having the same job position as his best friend. It is also because of Patrick having a job as a Chum Bucket fry cook that he is able to participate in the fry cook games. The fry cook games seem to represent a secret society that is only accessible to those that match its criteria; SpongeBob and later Patrick thanks to Marxism are able to be a part of this society.
There are plenty of other examples I could've gone into in regards to Marxism in SpongeBob, but I look at this as a good example of how SpongeBob is not the only top dog when it comes to fry cooking or having an invitation to the games.
Patrick Star, the beloved but idiotic pink starfish from the hit TV show, SpongeBob SquarePants, represents the proletariat people, or working class, pretty accurately in the times of Karl Marx. For this, I will be examining the episode, "The Fry Cook Games" to show how Patrick, despite his stupidity, actually lands a job pretty easily.
To begin with, the episode starts out with SpongeBob ready to compete in the annual Fry Cook Games which should really just be called "a chance for people with jobs to rub it in to the unemployed." SpongeBob is later visited by his friend Patrick who, despite his laziness, is excited when he hears the word, "games," and asks to join in the fun. SpongeBob, supposedly representing the bourgeoisie, patronizingly tells him that he has to be a fry cook to join. Patrick doesn't believe that it can be that hard to become one only to be dismissed by SpongeBob, saying fry cooks are "an elite core." Uh, SpongeBob, you're a fry cook, not a CEO.
Later on, it's revealed that Patrick is able to get a job at the Chum Bucket. I'm kind of surprised that Patrick wasn't rejected for being over-qualified. Let's run down his list of skills: drooling, eating, sleeping, doing absolutely nothing, and sticking to the bottom of his rock. The reason why this situation suits a Marxist style of life is that people like SpongeBob, who represents the bourgeoisie, obviously have the skills and the passion to go about this job. People like Patrick, who represents the proletarian class, don't possess such skills, but he was able to get the job anyhow due to him wanting a job.
Patrick's skills play no role in him getting the job, but rather by him simply going in and receiving one. It fits in well with Marxism because in a Marxist society, nobody in any situation, including people in a higher class than others, are not allowed to outshine those that might be considered inferior in a capitalist society. In a communist society, as portrayed by Karl Marx in his 1848 book "The Communist Manifesto," he stressed the importance of equal ground for all in terms of pay, work experience, and shared interests. It can be safe to assume that in this episode Patrick does have the same interest as SpongeBob in the sense that he wants to become a fry cook, and it can also be implied that he's getting the same pay as SpongeBob as well as having the same job position as his best friend. It is also because of Patrick having a job as a Chum Bucket fry cook that he is able to participate in the fry cook games. The fry cook games seem to represent a secret society that is only accessible to those that match its criteria; SpongeBob and later Patrick thanks to Marxism are able to be a part of this society.
There are plenty of other examples I could've gone into in regards to Marxism in SpongeBob, but I look at this as a good example of how SpongeBob is not the only top dog when it comes to fry cooking or having an invitation to the games.
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