trapped in the closet

Uh, is it me or is R. Kelly completely insane? Yes, the man is facing charges of child pornography, but his five-part song, "Trapped in the Closet," is proof of an unraveling mind. The song is just plain crazy, with R. Kelly acting and singing out all the parts (both male and female) in this five-song soap opera.

Or perhaps it's the mark of some post-modern genius?

- Jean Chen

The Importance of Being Viral

Advertisers know that us Generation X-Y-Z folks are way too smart to fall for celebrity endorsements or catchy jingles. Let us play with a subservient chicken or a cheerful digital stripper, though, and we're all yours!

For the un-infected, viral advertising refers to sneaky word-of-mouth marketing that unleashes a catchy website or video on the unsuspecting online public, and lets it spread through word of mouth. That bizzare-o website featuring a man in tacky chicken suit obeying your every typed command? Burger King ad. That pseudo-comedic video clip of a cat being decapitated by a car sunroof? (Ill-advisedly) a Ford ad.

Here's the latest article on viral promotion, spurred by a Gap website that lets you dress up--and then dress down--exhibitionist little Sim-like characters.

San Francisco Chronicle: A Different Way of Selling Clothes

My favorite viral marketing site is undoubtedly the Subservient Chicken. Sure, I know it's a vain attempt on Burger King's part to make me choke down their emetic burgers. But damn it, I love asking Subervient Chicken to Go-Go Dance! Get down!

A Friday in DC

Sitting in DC on a Friday afternoon in August, kinda missing my village idiot, wondering if the carnage will stop...

(image snatched from Michael Moore's site, I believe, on election day 2004: a composite of fallen soldiers to that date-- R.I.P.)

terrist

I don't know what's worse:

1. Fox News wrongly identifying a couple's home as belonging to Islamic radicals or

2. That someone graffitied their house and misspelled "terrorist."

"A couple whose home was wrongly identified on national television as belonging to an Islamic radical has faced harassment, and police are providing special protection.

After the report ran on Fox News on Aug. 7, people have shouted profanities at Randy and Ronnell Vorick and spray-painted "terrorist" (spelling it "terrist") on their property."

Click here for the article

- Jean Chen

Sean Penn's in Iran, and You're Not

Right then, I'm only chucking this up here because I don't wanna be the last person to write about it. Monday, actor Sean Penn starts reporting (again?) from inside Iran for the San Francisco Chronicle.

SFGATE: Sean Penn in Iran, Day One

Now, there's two knee-jerk reactions that us "media types" are supposed to have to something like this:

1) This is a travesty of reporting. Sean Penn is not trained in the secret ninja arts of the journalist.
2) While most other actors are busy fornicatin' and over-dosin', Sean Penn has visited Iran and undertaken the grueling hardship of temporarily foregoing cell phone service. Truly, a giant amongst men.

Here's my real reaction: Eh. Why the hell not? Sure, just 'cause Sean Penn makes slow-moving films about stuff that means stuff doesn't make him qualified to offer unevenly written "deep thoughts" on anything. But a unique, non-journalist perspective on Iran can't be a bad thing. Sean Penn can knock himself out.

Heck, if the nice lady down at the post office decided to visit Iran I'd read that too. Actually, if the Chronicle really wants to use celebrity to sell newspapers they oughta ship that Owen Wilson over to the Gaza Strip next week. I'm not sure if Owen knows Ariel Sharon from Ariel the Little Mermaid, but readership amongst 12-18 year-old girls and people named Giselle Velazquez would skyrocket.

Owen Wilson is HOT.
Send him somewhere dangerous too!

Nobody Died, So It's OK To Laugh...I Hope

The AP headline says it all—“Virginia Laptop Sale Turns Into Stampede.” Man, do I love non-fatal mayhem. Especially the kind that blossoms when a school sale of 1,000 cut-rate used iBooks turns into a riot of epic proportions...

"This is total, total chaos," said Latoya Jones, 19, who lost one of her flip-flops in the ordeal...

Right, I know it's not technically funny. Somebody could have been seriously hurt. But...but...but...I just can't stop giggling. And the reporter includes so many lovingly ludicrous details in her story, it's hard to believe that she wasn't trying smother her laughter over the woeful tale of a small town driven mad by $50 iBook fever.

Witnesses said...someone in a car tried to drive his way through the crowd.

People, I know those iBooks are hot, but attempting to drive your car through a crowd full of cops and school teachers = BAD IDEA. I can relate to these folks—I can barely afford to keep myself in gasoline, let alone buy a pricy laptop I’ll only end up sitting on. I'd probably join the people who were lining up at 4 a.m. -- but I'm not sure if I'd go as far as Mr. Jesse Sandler, who's not a guy you want to cut in line:

"Jesse Sandler said he was one of the people pushing forward, using a folding chair he had brought with him to beat back people who tried to cut in front of him.

"I took my chair here and I threw it over my shoulder and I went, 'Bam,'" the 20-year-old said nonchalantly, his eyes glued to the screen of his new iBook…

Bam indeed.

10 Percent of Doctors Agree....Money Talks!

Could your family doc go the way of Martha Stewart? 'Cording to this article in the latest New York Times, pharmaceutical investors are scrambling to be matched up with doctors for "consulting"--and 10 percent of America's 700,00 physicians have been happy to oblige.

Sounds alright--except that doctors might be divulging "insider information" to their investor buddies, which in turn leads to insider trading, which in turn leads to "Wall Street," the hit 1987 film about stock markets and shoulder pads.

New York Times: Doctor's Links With Investors Causes Concern

The Securities and Exchange Commission is currently looking into things. Take 'em down!

Banning American Indian Mascots

Finally:

"The NCAA banned the use of American Indian mascots by sports teams during its postseason tournaments, but will not prohibit them otherwise."

Click here for full article

Well, at least it's a start.

- Jean Chen

Space Shuttle

Ok, I'm just gonna say what everyone is thinking, "Who cares about the space shuttle?" For the past couple of weeks, it's been in headlines every single day, and quite frankly, I just don't care. Yes, I hope the crew returns safely, but I don't feel like I need to hear all about repairing a panel on the shuttle.

Whatever.

- Jean Chen

Bush Supports Intelligent Design

I can't believe I live in a country where the President supports teaching intelligent design in our public schools. I was a biology major in college and this is an outrage.

From the Washington Post:

"Although he said that curriculum decisions should be made by school districts rather than the federal government, Bush told Texas newspaper reporters in a group interview at the White House on Monday that he believes that intelligent design should be taught alongside evolution as competing theories.

"Both sides ought to be properly taught . . . so people can understand what the debate is about," he said, according to an official transcript of the session. Bush added: "Part of education is to expose people to different schools of thought. . . . You're asking me whether or not people ought to be exposed to different ideas, and the answer is yes.""

Click here for article

But let's get this straight: intelligent design is not a scientific theory!!

- Jean

Controversy Over--Cho Chang?!

Does the character of Cho Chang from the Harry Potter series rehash Asian stereotypes? Just read an interesting opinion piece from the Philippine News, courtesy of the Pacific New Servics. The opinion piece touches on controversy over casting the character, outrage over the name of the character, lack of varied portrayals of Asians in the media, etc...

Philippine News: Harry Potter Triggers Debate on the Asian Image in the Media

Jealous online teens write their thoughts in forums and ever-popular blogs...Some Asian teens complain that Leung is “ugly,” while non-Asian fans are “jealous” that Harry Potter is kissing an Asian (this is what happens in Harry Potter #5.)

I think this writer takes these sort of "message board" type posts too seriously. I honestly doubt that any Harry Potter fan cares about Cho's ethnicity. Of course lovesick fans are proclaiming that Leung is ugly; the actress will get to kiss Daniel Radcliffe, 16-year-old sweetheart of the rodeo and star of the film. Aishwarya Rai or Nicole Kidman could be playing Harry Potter's love interest and still get hisses of "that skank is naaaaaasty!"

Aside from that, I would completely and utterly agree that there are not nearly enough portrayals of Asians in the Western media. Actually, that's the one and only thing I would change about the Harry Potter books: more characters who just happen to be minorities. What I'm really not sure of is whether Cho Chang's character is a stereotype. She's generally nice, cries at the drop of a hat and is good at Quidditch. Any opinions?

PS: And if anybody has finished HBP and wants to hear my theories of why that "certain person" who murdered "another certain person" like totally didn't mean it and is STILL good/decent/disturbingly crush-worthy, just let me know!