If the MTV music awards weren't enough proof, the Superbowl has finally settled the issue. Pornography is mainstream. Even for geeks, to complement Slashdot and Google, our culture now provides Fleshbot and Booble. I can go to Blockbuster in suburban, rock-ribbed Bible Belt Birmingham and rent a documentary about Ron Jeremy.
Our Pop-stars, especially Britney, Christina, Madonna, and now Justin and Janet, provide a facsimile of Porn-Stardom. They're the Pop-core, they present the message of porn, the exploitation and objectification, but within the framework of the mass audience.
And even though the FCC is raising a big stink, there isn't really anything that they can ultimately do about Janet's "exposure." "Exposure" because what really counts as nakedness anyway? She could of been wearing a bikini that only sported enough fabric to cover the nipple. Really, it was CBS's handling of the event, with the quick cut, that made it sensational, that, and the fact that it happened at an event watched by millions of families, man, woman, and child.
But ultimately our culture permits the sexual message of Janet and Justin's action, voyuerism, exhibitionism, senstational sexuality. Paris Hilton practically went from comic "B" lister to rising star on the merits of a well timed sex tape.
Ultimately when parents complain about our sexual mores being flaunted in front of their children, they ignore the fact that these are our pop-stars, this is what we've payed them to do.
Matt, I've gotta say, I think those were the two best paragraphs you've ever written (that I've read anyway).
Posted by: JosiahQ at February 5, 2004 8:22 AMJosiah, I'm flattered, really
Posted by: matt at February 5, 2004 4:09 PMMatt, It is interesting, too, that the MTV/CBS crowd thinks that portraying a white man ripping off the clothes of a black woman is entertainment. In addition to its "porn" aspect, it is a sick image no matter how you look at it.
Posted by: SK at February 8, 2004 6:36 PMAnd, unfortunately because it happened to be a great football game, Superbowl XXXVIII will always be known as the "Janet Jackson Superbowl."
Posted by: SK at February 8, 2004 6:39 PM