'FAMILY GUY'/'THE SIMPSON'S'

In class on Thursday we watched a few YouTube videos on this show called Wife Swaps. Our professor gave a few aspects that were correlated to this show. In different episodes, it showed gender roles; men were the dominant and women had rules, but no one followed. Another aspect was the class (working, middle, upper); with the working class they seem to be looked at as not neat, clutter, dirty, lazy, and out of shape; middle class was looked at as being average in many ways (comfortable with life, happy); and the upper class was scene as being snotty, bougie, beautiful, materialistic, clean, and in shape. Genre was explained from the notes as elements that make it factual and informative:  its factual because what's being viewed is how these people are really living and we see there true attitudes towards one another. And stereotypes was examined by seeing drama, hearing racial stereotypes, and viewing stereotypical characteristics. A couple of shows that I normally watch that deals with these different aspects in life are Family Guy and The Simpson's. In both of these sitcoms, gender roles was seen as the male being the average American middle-class working man who rules the home, but still have a soft spot for obeying his wife. They really don't show how they look after there children; something like a dead-beat dad, but lives in the home with his family. The women are seen as the stay at home mom with rules and goals for her family, but at times, no one seems to follow and goes on there on path in life; even the babies. As stated before, they are the middle-class American who really don't frown upon the working-class citizens, but always want to live like the upper-class citizens because they have money, power, and respect. The type of genre used in these reality cartoon sitcoms would be informative and not factual because its more of a cartoon then real life, but gives information about life situations. Now, these shows are always showing drama among members in family, but more with outside individuals like friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc. Racial stereotyping plays a huge part in these shows because since these are cartoons, the producers may feel that they can get away with racial criticism. The characters are very stereotypical because you see a family with three kids and a dog, the husband is out of shape, the wife is in shape, the middle child (usually a girl) is always smart, the oldest child (normally a boy) is someone who not knowledgeable about things, and the baby is someone who always gets into things or makes away to get lose so the family can search for them.            

FAMILY MATTERS

In yesterday class, we took the time out to watch a few wedding shows that's aired on the televised network TLC; we discussed Marketing, Heteronormativity, Consumerism, Traditional Family Values, and Adherence to Generic Elements. Marketing was described as extraordinary marketing strategies to plan and pay for the wedding. Heteronormativity spoke on how gays are not really promoted in some areas of these shows or what role homosexuals did play, but mainly how men and women are traditionally normal and anything else was out the norm; as in gays or lesbians. Consumerism was explained as fulfilling consumer needs and wants from the bride or groom standpoint, and also both sides of the family. Traditional Family Values gave you the understanding that families are more hands-on when planning and dress picking for a wedding. The last discussion dealt with Adherence to Generic Elements which was the reinforcement of norms and the effects of reality television that gave exposure. Today, I'll be talking about a few of the above terms we discussed in class yesterday and correlate it to the show Family Matters, but first to give you a brief overview of the show. It was an American sitcom about a middle-class African-American family living in Chicago, Illinois, which ran on national television for nine full seasons. The series was a spin-off of Perfect Strangers and revolves around the Winslow family. Midway through the first season, the show introduced the Winslow's' nerdy neighbor Steve Urkel (played by Jaleel White), who quickly became its breakout character and eventually a main character. Family Matters aired from September 22, 1989 to September 19, 1997 on ABC, and on CBS from September 19, 1997 to July 17, 1998. With 215 episodes, Family Matters is the second-longest-running U.S. sitcom with a predominantly African-American cast, second only to The Jefferson's. This family sitcom incorporated Heteronomativity, Tradtional Family Values, and Adherence to Generic Elements by them having a mother and father who were together and happily married, even stuck together when trial and tribulations came along. Everyone in the family even friends were heterosexuals and never showed interest in the same sex. The children were well manor even the kids they brought into their home that were raised by the parents and grandmother so these kids could be put on a better track in there lives. Lastly, it effected the viewers of the show by showing how the average American family do go through issues and situations, but gave you the sense that there is a right way of handling problems in our everyday life; not just with relatives.   
     

Why Do Women Still Earn Less Money Than Men?

In today's lecture we discussed the disproportion of gender roles in society. We discussed how women are portrayed cooking and baking for family and friends, whereas men cook and bake for a business purpose or goal. Another issue pertaining to the gender roles issue is that women are still payed less than men. In the article I found titled, Why Do Women Still Earn Less Than Men? from the TIME.com, gave a passage which discussed why men make more when having a job or career then a women. And then gave some statistics on why women choose to take time off work to take care of womanly issues. In my opinion, women shouldn't be penalized for giving birth or raising a family due to taking time off from there career or job just because this is something they have take care of. In the article, it stated that women working in the United States still earn seventy-seven cents to every dollar that a man earns. This number was even less for Latino and African American women. Men tend to be doctors, business executives, lawyers, and scientist,while women tend to work in the education and nursing field. I believe women shouldn't receive less pay when they have the same educational backgrounds as men tend to have. They also meet the same job qualifications as men do, so with saying that, there should be equal pay with both genders.  

   

The show 'The Game' vs. the show 'The Cosby's'

In today's class, we talked a lot about Modernist vs. Post-Modernist. Modernist was explained as being a uniform reality, all women are oppressed, nature and nurture develop identities, and seek change. My definition on Modernist is modern thought, character, or practice in this present time and era. Post-Modernist was explained as many realities to each of us, oppression depends on context, socialization is the source of identities, and it seeks understanding. The term Post-Modernist is a movement away from the viewpoint of modernism or finding the understanding of new characteristics. In the show The Game, it gives the viewers or watchers a televised way of what new changes has come about in this modern time; especially in the world we're living in today. It shows the cost of how to live, the brand new cars, the up-to-date houses, the different fads of dressing, the hairstyles, how technology is used on a daily, how individuals deal with there problems, situations, and issues with a career, co-workers, relatives, friends, or lover, and the way relationships are being handled now days; in many different, hurtful ways. Now, on the family original The Cosby Show, it gave us (the viewer or watcher) a proven example of how post-modernist was used. It showed you how relationships with family, friends, lovers, co-workers, associates, and strangers were actually taken into consideration. The types of clothing that was being worn; there may have been a certain style of dressing, but that wasn't a big deal. It was all about where was your mind at, meaning, the knowledge you carried. The types of technology they had were the rotary phones, the big floor model television sets, and the old record player. I see now how modernized we are as people today, for the simple fact, that we have to keep up with time or it will pass you by.         

OLD SPICE: HEART OF A CHAMPION STARRING NFL SUPERPERSON RAY LEWIS

When reviewing the rhetorical tactics of the notes, and comparing it with three Old Spice commercials starring Ray Lewis (professional NFL player from the Baltimore Ravens); a few of these points came about as I watch these commercials over and over again.  Vividness means to have full of life; vigorous; lively; striking, but from the notes it say personalize the message.  This took place in the first commercial  when Ray Lewis was hyping his defense or team up before going out on the field for the game, but his motivation speak was on Old Spice deodorant and how electrifying you will be when wearing it.  When acknowledging guilt, this happened in all the commercials because it gave the viewer the knowledge of knowing if they go out and get this deodorant, they too will know none of this will ever happen when applying this deodorant to themselves.  So, it gave false advertisement in a way, but pumped it up so people will go out and purchase it because of the name.  With being off redemption via mortification is accepting the blame and changing your own behavior.  In the last commercial, as Ray Lewis was running down the field, he stopped and was talking to a bear about why people want to be like him and be around because of the deodorant.  In all actuality, the creators of the commercial would take the blame for knowing that a bear can't actually talk to you, due to some deodorant, and the viewer would want to change there behavior for the simple fact that if a celebrity tells you to do something doesn't mean its true or the right option.  It's just a way to promote and sale a product.  Deny scapegoating (deny guilt) and develop ethos (ethics), didn't take place in these three commercials as I was viewing them.  Overall, the commercials were somewhat silly and didn't make sense for the most part, but these were the only three points that applied to the commercials.           

NEW OLD SPICE COMMERCIALS

One commercial that always seems to come on lately and has caught my attention is the Old Spice commercial with the guy who's talking about how good the body wash really is, but the slogan say, "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like".  Now, its a series of these commercials also.  In this commercial, he changes scenes over and over again, giving the thought of no matter what your man does all day, he will always smell fresh around the clock.  Now, there is a second one with the actor, Terry Cruz, which is hilarious and it is the Old Spice / Flex with him having his muscles talking to him and becoming over pumped with using this body wash.  And there's a series of commercials with him in it too.  The identification of this commercial with using a persuasive and rhetorical tactic is letting the viewer know now (mainly for the ladies) that your man can smell as fresh as they are, no matter what circumstance your man may be in; you will smell so great all day long.  But breaking it down a little more, I would say, in the first series of commercials the first guy made it seem as if he wanted the ladies go get a bottle of Old Spice body wash, so there man can look, feel, and especially smell like the guy in the commercial.  He was also gave the sense that if your man had this body wash, he will do something that the lady might love.  Now, from watching Terry Cruz Old Spice commercials, it was mainly giving the viewer (mostly male) the encouragement to go out and buy a bottle of this particular body wash because it protected  against all kinds of odors. Then it crossed over to him showing what odors it fights off.  Turning the scene into him as a giant fighting off these odor as if he was in an old Power Ranger/Godzilla type of setting. It was truly hilarious.