I Wanna Do Bad Things With You, or maybe I'll just watch?

Need to put this out there so I can be done with it and get back to my Foucault reading, but I've been thinking about sex on TV, specifically in "quality" television. Many critics have noted on the fact that for some time now we have been graced with some well written and produced television programs. Though most critics tend to focus on premium cable offerings like The Sopranos, The Wire, Six Feet Under and Dexter, AMC has done well for itself with Mad Men and Breaking Bad. Even outside the purview of cable, Lost has garnered some praise. Of course there are more shows to name. A lot of the positive reaction from critics has to do with the fact that these programs are more cinematic, offering what other television genres can't, like the sitcom. Already we can see a hierarchy being formed with regular 'ol TV at the bottom, "quality" television aspiring toward the top, and cinema occupying the upper echelon, well maybe not recent films, because apparently more critics keep gasming over Mad Men than most of what's out now in theaters.

What is being lost and what is being gained though in a more "cinematic" television? Well lots of things are being lost, as many of these programs seem slightly resistant to the flow of a broadcast and seem much more suited to be watched on DVD in a weekend season marathon. Or if you are my brother you take 24 a step further and watch the season in real time, leaving Jack Bauer and you exhausted, more paranoid about your personal safety after all that sleep deprivation, yet surprisingly jacked up to go out and kick some more ass. Though I never got into 24 in the same way, I did scare my family when I could not stop watching X-Files and Alias, 12 seasons in only a mere 2 months.

But what I want to focus on here is what is being gained in this more cinematic television, namely, sex. HBO's The Wire, The Sopranos, Carnivale, Six Feet Under, Oz, Hung and True Blood have all been able to depict sex more explicitly than ever before, which is the same for acclaimed Showtime programs, Dexter, Queer as Folk, The L-Word, Weeds, and Californication. Though Mad Men is on basic cable, and cannot have as much nudity, it has still managed to be more explicit, like when Don's hand goes up Bobby's skirt to presumably finger her, or when a bell boy's hand goes down Sal's pants to presumably grab his penis. On all these shows there is an unabashed display of sex, that at times borders on the pornographic.
In some cases, the scenes are even erotic, and if it does seem pornographic, it does not go the way of hard core porn, relishing moments of penetration and "the money shot." Though perhaps it is more "soft core" since there is no penetration, there is less of the silly association that comes with that label, where it's a lot of caressing of breasts, and less acknowledgment of sex below the waist. Instead what we have here seems to be some kind of nod toward a "middle-brow" of pornography, that is most often gendered as feminine, as it emphasizes the erotic, much like Showtime's The Red Shoe Diaries. Still, there is something about a lot of the sex on these shows, namely Californication and Hung, that gestures toward the bawdy, as the acrobatics of the act are emphasized at times as opposed to the sensations.
Still, I'm less interested in a detailed analysis of the depiction of sex on these shows as I'm more interested in what that says about the label of "quality" television drama. Does it get this label because it breaks taboos we have about needing the television to be a space where sex is less explicit, because children could easily turn it on (no pun intended)? Or does this allude to some sort of marrying of the middle-brow with the avant-garde, experimental, or artistic underground that presumably has a more liberated notion of sex, as many of these shows also feature same sex couples? - How's that for "liberated" sex (!) Is the explicit depiction of sex an excercise in reality, a fuck you to censorship, a demystification of generic narratives and depictions of desire, and/or a moment to arouse and invest you in the drama? (Touching you REAL DEEP, so to say) What is "quality" about being titillated? And along those lines is there a high-brow way to be aroused? Phaidon books? Robert Maplethorpe?
I think what many of these sexually explicit television programs do is find a way to merge a 1950s "adult" film with "adult" film sensibilities of today. Barabara Klinger's Melodrama and Meaning: History, Culture, and the Films of Douglas Sirk, goes into incredible detail on how melodramas of the 1950s, such as Written on the Wind, were marketed to an adult audience, for offering the sensations, sensuality, scandal, and sex that was too tame for TV. The intention was to put the kids to bed, if you had them, and go see a guilty pleasure film that still had the facade of reputability, with successful and award-nominated actors, directors, and producers. It perhaps may titillate as some television soap operas do, but it was definitely more moderately-clothed suggestion than more raw sexuality, like skin flicks of the time.
Today, "quality" television does much of the same thing, offering what the rest of television can not offer, Adult television, with scandal-filled drama, explitives, and sex scenes to boot. The funniest thing about this then is realizing how indebted "quality" programming is to such "low-brow" genres such as the soap opera, pornography, and melodrama. In many ways then, quality television provides a breeding ground for the ultimate "body genre." Coined by Linda Williams, this term refers to the genres that elicit a bodily reaction, comedy : laughter :: melodrama : tears :: horror : trembling :: pornography :: cum. Many of these programs combine two of the four, and in many cases three of the four. Plus, if this vampire trend keeps taking off, more shows will aspire to be like one of my favorites, True Blood, that elicits all four. Perhaps the most telling insight into the mixture of narrative investment, frustration, arousal, delight, and anticipation that these "quality programs" offer comes from a good friend, who said, "I could be in a relationship again, or I could watch True Blood."

Sex can wait. QTV is worth it.

What a Fool Believes

Lots of old white dudes look alike to me. Yes, this might be messed up to say, but let me qualify this with providing some examples.

Identify:
You figured it out?

Answers (Top to Bottom): Bob Seger, Kris Kristofferson, Michael McDonald, Kenny Rogers

Now why you would care about any of these men is your own business, but I did grow up listening to soft and classic rock, c/o Appa's radio station, so I have a soft spot for the vocal stylings of these men. From workin' on my night moves to keep forgettin' when to hold em I do enjoy these songs, especially on long road trips. Oh yeah and as for Kris, never was that familiar with his music, though he was great on Colbert. Also, he was quite a hunk when he was in more movies - well if you go for that sort of thing.

About to Get MAD

Before I get into all the criticism, let me just say that I am incredibly excited about the third season premiere of Mad Men. Especially after working on an essay this summer about it, forcing me to re-watch the two seasons, I feel deeply invested in many of the characters, mostly the women, and randomly Ken Cosgrove ~ he just does it for me.

I am so excited, that when Melanie informed me that I could Mad Men myself, I spent a good part of my evening crafting an avatar. I found the typical problems in making my character. My skin tone was hard to find, since the one closest to mine made me look jaundiced. Also, there isn't that many different kinds of hairstyles and hair types represented, I guess I have to assume that everyone at the time was relaxing their hair, which is something I have to look into. Despite some complications, Camelot-era me turned out pretty swanky.
Still, though you get to pick your skin tone, the real 1960s me would most likely be one of the various and anonymous women of color bathroom attendants, waitresses, or domestics. This is not to say that there aren't legit characters who are people of color. Carla works for the Draper family but gets a few words through to Betty. Sheila White was super spunky as Kinsey's girlfriend, though the dude was more of a fetishist, along the same lines as Norman Mailer's "White Negro." Alan aptly pointed out when I told him to Go Mad Men Yourself! that he suspected his webcam would scan his picture, detect the melanin, and obviously make him like Hollis, the elevator operator.

Mad Men has managed with the lush visuals on the show as well as its incredibly seductive ad campaign and DVD packaging to make me and many others fall in love with the style of an era in such a way that we can, for a momentary Populuxe-gasm, distance it from the politics of the era: the racism and misogyny of the institutions as well as the culture.
Though the show definitely tries to illuminate the problems of the era, especially as sexism affects the roles of white women in the home and office, it is hard to tear one's eyes away from Joan's impeccably tailored purple fitted sheath dress, even if her fiancee does in fact rape her in the next scene on her boss's floor. This is not to say that aesthetically pleasing = problematic politics, but just to note how the show and the hype surrounding it, with how-to-get-the-look features, is trying to make this collective nostalgic fantasy of "the good 'ol days" more inclusive, well at least aesthetically in new media. You would be hard-pressed to see that many people brown and black people in main roles on the show, but hey, maybe this third season will prove me wrong.

So maybe my avatar isn't exactly what 1960s me would look like, as Don Draper probably could not be talking to me in the same bar, unless I was serving him. Maybe it's due-time to make a different kind of avatar generator something like this online program plus A People's History of American Empire.
Maybe not as Populuxe-gasmic, since my brother and my 1960s self could only really exist in 1965 afterthe immigration act as FOBs, but knowing us we would still work it.

Another great new media idea we thought of is somehow merging the worlds of GTA and Mad Men, where the frustration of alienated white company men becomes violently actualized a la a Michael Mann film.
They can up their vitality by drinking martinis and scotch. Like Vice City's misogyny they can still go around sexually harassing women if they so choose. You would have crazy missions like beating Roger up the stairs, landing five accounts in one day, keeping up four affairs, oh yeah and breaking into an underground pool hall to punch Jimmy Barrett. And of course, as you cruise around in that blue Cadillac you got, because you just made partner and you're the fucking man, you'll have your choice of era-appropriate music.

Ain't that a kick in the head?

Love You

RIP MJ



Holler at a Hoosier!

Back Home Again in Indiana

May was perhaps one of the craziest months ever, filled with lots and lots of emotions, good and bad, but celebrations for sure as well, let's just say I have EVEN MORE pictures to frame, but thankfully my best long-life friend, Cheshire gave me a head start on the frame game. Besides being psyched about decorating a new place in Chicago filled with my loved ones' gorgeous faces, this time at home has been good.

Here are some of the things that have been keeping me occupied:


Thanks, Jillian for the Scott O'Dell and to Jean and Bill for leading me to a new love, The Black Keys. This EP is amazing music for mini-road trips to see Midwest friends or for cooking up a storm at home with the fam.
Also, I'm totally on a SciFi nerd kick at the moment, frak that SyFy shit. Battlestar Galactica is an amazing series that I strongly recommend, and I can't wait to finish up Roswell and watch some more of the amazing Nathan Fillion in Firefly!

Something about adventures in space is really speaking to me at the moment while I'm in suburbia, after all it is the final frontier, and that's a good thing, right? Just use this satellite to guide your way.

I Don't Wanna Wait!

Remember this?!



For other great moments, head to I'm Feeling So Blahg. Bryce, Dana and I do some countdown magic!

I Feel Like I'm Taking Crazy Pills!

Fashion, as with many other commodities or just economics in general, is not purely trickle-down. I've been schooled on how fast fashion, stores like Forever 21, are taking cues from innovative designers like Anna Sui, and quickly and cheaply, through ample labor exploitation, ripping off her digs. Still, even the most innovative designers take their cues from street and/or folk styles. It's this back and forth process, right? Appropriation in some cases, but at the very least a dialogue/dialectic. Whatever you may want to call it I'm tired of reading stuff like "homeless chic," especially since in this case the article refers to Gucci being influenced by MGMT, fellow alums. Among bringing up all kinds of politics of taste and just obvious economic and privilege disparities, doesn't it also just scream this:

"Let me show you Derelicte. It is a fashion, a way of life inspired by the very homeless, the vagrants, the crack whores that make this wonderful city so unique." - Mugatu

See the title? Yep, 'nuff said.