Dear Readers I Need Your Help I Need Some Advice On How To Help My Friend?
Hello everyone, I need some advice. A few months ago I wrote about a friend of mine a South Asian gay man he is having difficulty with his parents due to being gay. I live in the greater Toronto area and so does my friend. Does anyone know of any support group for young South Asian gay men?
I will conduct some research today but I just figured I should ask the readers of my blog about this issue. In the last few weeks my friend has told me the pressure is increasing and he is becoming depressed. What can I do? I listen to my friend but I admit I am ignorant about all the issues he is dealing with. My friend tells me his parents constantly ask him about getting married he is also the only male child. I am worried and concerned about my friend.
I suggested to my friend a group in Toronto but I am not sure he is willing to attend. My friend tells me that his alcoholic father, overbearing sister, and reluctant mother aren’t helping him at all. My friend feels unloved by his family and I am becoming very concerned. In Ontario counseling is free and covered by OHIP. Also, I think my friend should see a gay positive therapist. What can I do? I will keep on looking for information.
Does anyone have any advice please provide your perspective. My friend said he was missing me since I was in Jamaica last week and the early part of this week. What do I do? Any advice?
Just returned From My Grandfather’s Funeral
If you have been wondering why I haven’t been updating the blog I was out of the country for the past week. My grandfather died on January 10th 2008 of Prostate Cancer. I was in Jamaica for the funeral last week. I just returned to Canada early this morning a bit past midnight. I am so tired right now emotionally, physically, and psychologically.
I have only visited Jamaica three times and this is the first time I was in the country since I was only nine years old back in 1986. Everything has changed. Jamaica is a different place now you have to be careful there. My family warned me that Jamaicans can spot foreigners a mile away just by the way I dress and my accent. I don’t pretend to speak with a Jamaican accent because I just don’t have one. Some other young Canadian relatives of mine try really hard to sound like they have an authentic Jamaican accents but they just try too hard. Jamaicans can tell if someone is a fraud or not.
It was a very emotional week of highs and lows. I will admit I didn’t really know my grandfather but he was loved unconditionally by the family. The funeral was in the town of Lucea Jamaica last week Saturday. I don’t know how to explain it but if you have ever been to the black church you will just feel the energy, the soul, and the spirit. I am not a very religious person but I was so touched and moved by the funeral service.
The part of the funeral I found most powerful was when my father and his siblings all spoke about how much they miss and loved my grandfather. The one part of the funeral I was upset about was when the pastor asked for cash donations to the church. I was like is this out of some movie? Is this for real? The funeral service costs money the church in Lucea already has money. I just felt this was so disgraceful! The church asking for money at a funeral! Give me a break!
When my father informed me that my grandfather died I was shocked even though he was eighty three years old and ill. After the funeral service my grandfather’s body was brought back to his old house in the town of Richmond. Richmond is a town in the Parish of Hanover close to Montego Bay. I was crying when I saw my grandfather’s body placed in the tomb next to my grandmother. Some people think Jamaicans are weird because my grandfather’s body was not placed in a cemetery. My family has a plot of land in the town of Richmond in Jamaica and he was buried right next to my grandmother in the backyard. I think the reasons Jamaicans bury our dead in the backyard is due to the fact we believe there is a closer connection to the family this way. Maybe North American culture frowns on this but this is the way we run things.
2008 Australian Open Contenders And Pretenders
I know I am late but I decided to make a list about the contenders and pretenders for the 2008 Australian Open. Since I live in the Eastern time zone in the greater Toronto area the Australian Open actually starts tonight. There is a sixteen hour time difference between Toronto and Melbourne Australia.
Justine Henin the world number one on the WTA tour has not lost a match since Wimbledon last year. Justine Henin is the favorite to win the women’s event. Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova are the two players on Justine’s side of the draw that can beat her. Lindsay Davenport has an outside shot if she can beat Sharapova in the second round.
However, Justine is an amazing player she is on an incredible twenty eight match winning streak. Justine won the Sydney title even though Svetlana Kuznetsova choked a 3-0 lead in the final set. Justine has Maria Sharapova in her quarter. Sharapova for once has a tough draw. If Sharapova and Lindsay Davenport win their first round matches they could meet in a tough second round match. Davenport is 18-1 since coming back to the WTA tour in September 2007. Davenport has beaten world number three Jelena Jankovic to win the Bali event. Davenport also won Quebec City last November 2007 and the WTA Auckland event last week.
However, Maria Sharapova is one of the elite. Sharapova may be marketable for the WTA but her results last year were not impressive. Sharapova was dismissed by Serena, Venus, and Ana Ivanovic in the first three slams of 2007 in lopsided scores. Sharapova’s game in my mind is just not developed enough. Maria needs more variety in her game she has the determination but what about adding more dimensions to her attacking style? Maria needs to play doubles more learn to volley, slice, drop shot, use the court. Davenport reminds me of Sharapova she’s a clean ball striker but the quicker players can beat her because she simply isn’t fast enough. Davenport hits a hard heavy ball but she doesn’t come to net much, she doesn’t volley, she doesn’t hit drop shots or lobs.
Everyone knows Davenport can beat most of the players on the WTA. I wasn’t surprised when Davenport hammered the competition. The problem for Lindsay Davenport is she can’t seem to beat the best players in the grand slams events in the big matches. Davenport has the big serve and powerful ground-strokes but in the grand slams she doesn’t have the nerve.
Can Davenport beat Sharapova if they do meet in the second round? The answer is yes but only if Sharapova is somehow off her game. If Sharapova is not serving well then Davenport has a chance. Sharapova is eleven years younger then Davenport and she moves better then her. The pressure is actually on Maria Sharapova here she has 700 points to defend and her pride. Sharapova has 4-1 edge against Davenport. The match could be close. I simply cannot predict the winner of this match. Although, I do believe both of them could lose to Justine Henin in the quarterfinals. Justine looks so strong right now.
Serena and Venus Williams actually are on opposite sides of the draw. Serena is in the top half. Serena is lucky because she is not in Justine Henin’s quarter. Serena and Henin can meet in the semifinals. Serena could meet rising Serbian star Jelena Jankovic’s quarterfinals. Jankovic is ranked number three but I am not impressed with her. Jankovic needs to set up to the plate and prove she is worthy of the world number three ranking. Jankovic talks a lot about being a contender but she has not proven to me that she is one of the elite. Jankovic must win a slam to become one of the elite. Of course Jankovic has the talent the question is does she have the nerve? Jankovic has failed to reach a grand slam final and she has failed to beat the elite women in the grand slams.
Serena was impressive last week when she won the mixed doubles event the Hopman Cup in Perth Australia with Mardy Fish last week. Serena is very fit and is confident. We can never count Serena out as she proved last year when she destroyed Sharapova to win the Australian Open. Serena is my second pick behind Justine Henin to win the women’s title. Serena is a great champion and I expect to see her in the late rounds of the event. Serena and Justine Henin are the best players on the WTA. I believe both Serena and Justine are the real contenders for the women’s title.
Venus Williams is always a question mark? As usual the media underestimate Venus. Venus has been ignored once again. Venus is a quiet star I think this is why I love her so much. I love Venus but I am also realistic because girlfriend can be inconsistent. Everyone knows when Venus is on she is dangerous. Everyone knows when Venus is off she can be beaten. Venus last two trips to the Australian Open were disasters. In 2006 Venus lost in the first round. I honestly don’t know about Venus? Venus is lucky she is in the bottom half of the women’s draw which is the weaker half of the women’s draw.
On paper Venus is the favorite to make the finals. However, it all depends on how Venus is playing. Venus could have problems with Ana Ivanovic, Svetlana Kuznetsova, and Anna Chakvetadze. Ivanovic, Kuznetsova, or Chakvetadze could reach the Australian Open women’s final as well. I love Venus but I am not holding my breath. The question is which Venus Williams will show up at the Australian Open? Will it be the great champion that blasted the field at Wimbledon or will be the sloppy Venus Williams that can lose early? We don’t know?
I almost forgot to mention Amelie Mauresmo, my goodness what has happened to girlfriend? Amelie has fallen to number eighteen in the world. I will not count Amelie Mauresmo out because she has proven to be dangerous when we least expect it. Amelie had surgery last year on her appendix and I think she returned to the WTA too soon. Amelie has been in a slump but she can beat everybody when she is on including the Williams Sisters. Amelie has no pressure on her and this is a good thing she just can’t seem to handle pressure. Can Amelie win the Australian Open? I don’t know? I do know it would be foolish to ignore her.
On the men’s side of the draw various media outlets have predicted doom and gloom for Roger Federer because they are sick of his dominance. The media are trying to hype Nalbandian . David Nalbandian has been a chronic underachiever in the men’s game he has problems with his weight and motivation. Is David Nalbandian ready to win a grand slam. The answer is I don’t know? Nalbandian was impressive defeating Federer and Nadal in Madrid and Paris. However, men’s tennis in the grand slams are best of five sets. The question is can Nalbandian or Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer in a best of five set match?
Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick have the luck of the draw both men are the favorites to reach the final they are in the bottom half. Nadal was humiliated by Mikhail Youzhny in the finals of Chennai last week losing 6-0 6-1 the worst loss of his career. It appears the organizers have changed the surface to help Nadal and slowed the courts. Nadal once again has a dream draw to the semifinals. Can Nadal breakthrough and get past the quarterfinals at a hard-court grand slam? Only time will tell? Nadal has an easy path and he defeated Andy Roddick on hard courts last year in Indian Wells easily. Roddick may be hyped by ESPN television but his game has regressed he has gotten too bulky and muscular and he is just too slow. However, Roddick has the benefit of being on the weaker side of the draw he does have a chance to win because he is on the weaker side.
WTA Contenders In No Particular Order:
Justine Henin
Serena Williams
Maria Sharapova
Venus Williams
Lindsay Davenport
Possible Pretenders If An Upset Occurs
Jelena Jankovic
Ana Ivanovic
Amelie Mauresmo
Svetlana Kuznetsova
ATP Tour Contenders
Roger Federer
Rafael Nadal
David Nalbandian
Novak Djokovic
Andy Roddick
Possible Pretenders
Fernando Gonzalez
Andy Murray
David Ferrer
Is My Blog Too Negative?
I was wondering as I glanced over some blog entries I have written in the past year. I believe the issues I write about are important. I have been told that people like my writing style because I have the courage to write about issues the mainstream media often ignores. However, I do wonder is my blog too negative? Am I being pessimistic about the world? Am I being too critical? I wonder? Or should I just ignore certain issues and let other people deal with it?
Disgraced Track Star Marion Jones Sentenced To Six Months In Prison
Well the hard times for disgraced track and field star Marion Jones are not over. After Jones admitted to lying she not only has been stripped of her medals. I agree that Jones should be punished but isn’t this a bit extreme? Jones the mother of two young children is now sentenced to six months in prison. My goodness I think that’s kind of harsh. Hasn’t Jones had enough humiliation? However, Jones lied under oath and this is the price she is going to pay. It looks like the USA judicial system really wants to make an example of Ms. Jones.
I wonder will the USA sports media turn up the heat on golden boy of USA cycling Lance Armstrong? I am guessing now Lance Armstrong is always going to claim his innocence. I just do not believe a human can have the super human results Lance Armstrong had in cycling without doping. I don’t think it is possible for a guy coming back from testicular cancer to win the Tour De France seven times in a row. Lance’s friend Floyd Landis was stripped of his 2006 title. Landis and Armstrong are friends. Landis and Armstrong pledged their allegiance to each other in the media. Suddenly, Armstrong is distancing himself from Landis. I wonder when will Floyd Landis spill the dirt on Armstrong? I think Landis knows a lot about Armstrong and I think time will tell how much longer Landis will be loyal to his so called friend Lance Armstrong.
The one thing about Marion Jones that kind of makes me have less sympathy for her is that she was so adamant that she wasn’t taking steroids. My mother says you cannot be “wrong and strong”. Marion knew she was wrong nobody forced her to cheat she made that choice and now she must face the consequences for her actions. I remember watching the press conferences and seeing a defiant Jones insist she wasn’t cheating. I knew back then she was lying but my family and friends told me I was wrong. Now this isn’t about what is wrong this is about the system. I saw Roger Clemens on 60 Minutes and I just don’t believe him. I wonder if the USA media will go after Armstrong and Clemens with the same intensity they went after Ms. Jones?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080111/ap_on_sp_ol/oly_run_marion_jones_doping
NAACP Nominates Angelina Jolie for “A Mighty Heart”. A Slap In The Face To Black Women In Hollywood!!!
I cannot believe the news I just learned today. Angelina Jolie has been nominated for a NAACP award for her performance in the film “A Mighty Heart”. It is pathetic that the NAACP is supporting racism and following the status quo. I believe the black community cares more about heterosexual black men then other members of the race. Some people have said that Jolie is not in blackface because the makeup used in “A Mighty Heart” doesn’t make her skin dark. Are some people ignorant? Don’t people know that the black race has different shades from light to dark? However, it is obvious to the discerning eye that Angelina Jolie’s skin is indeed darkened to appear more African. Jolie is also wearing a kinky curly wig. Once again Hollywood didn’t want to go black even though the real Mariane Pearl has black heritage.
Would the NAACP support the DVD release of Al Jolson’s racist film “The Jazz Singer”? Or the racist film “Birth Of A Nation”? I guess anything that affects heterosexual black men is a priority of the NAACP and any issue that affects black women the NAACP could care less about. Yet the NAACP has no problem supporting “A Mighty Heart”. Is the NAACP a black organization for the advancement of the black race? Or is the NAACP just a group that focuses on the concerns of just black heterosexual men?
The real Mariane Pearl is not just white she has black heritage. The symbolism of blackface is not about whether a white actor darkens their skin to be dark black. Blackface has a long history and still exists in this world. Very few media outlets have discussed Angelina Jolie and the racial issues behind “A Mighty Heart.”
The message Hollywood is sending is that talented black actresses can be replaced by white women. I have researched Pearl and read articles about her. One article in particular Pearl wrote for Glamour magazine in 2006 called “The Woman Who Gave Me My Strength”. The piece is about Pearl’s mother yet Pearl refuses to use the word “black” to describe her mother. Pearl uses the word “Cuban” as a way to conceal her blackness. Cuban is not a race it is a nationality. Pearl has no problem describing her white heritage that her father has Dutch and Jewish roots.
However, Pearl clearly has issues with her blackness. If you look read between the lines of the Glamour magazine article you can tell Pearl has issues with race. Next, you will the picture of Pearl’s mother she is clearly a black woman and so is Mariane Pearl. It is well known in the black community some people of mixed heritage frown on their black roots and look down on black people. We also know blackness is considered inferior to whiteness in society and popular culture. Mariane Pearl is not white not with her brown skin and kinky curly hair. Mariane Pearl needs to look in the mirror and check with reality. The world is never going to view Pearl as white woman so it is ludicrous to me that Angelina Jolie is the female lead in “A Mighty Heart”.
Readers on my blog know I have written passionately about the incredible racism and sexism taking place here against black actresses. Last year I wrote two powerful articles one for the New Zealand Herald called “Shades of Blackface”. I interviewed scholars and experts on the issue of racism, sexism, and films. I also wrote a second article “Is White The New Black?” for the Georgia Straight newspaper based in Vancouver. Both my articles were not published in the United States. It appears to me the USA mainstream media are just ignoring the blatant racism and sexism taking place here. I believe this racism and sexism is so abhorrent and disgraceful. It is even more disgusting that the NAACP an organization that claims it is about the advancement of black people support this. The NAACP has lost my respect they cannot be taken seriously.
The NAACP just jumped on the Hollywood bandwagon. One of the mandates of the NAACP Image Awards is to support black actresses that are often overlooked for leading lady roles. Yet here we have a movie “A Mighty Heart” where Hollywood erases a major role meant for a black actress. The NAACP are supporting a white actress in blackface. The NAACP, has disrespected black women this is a slap in the face. The NAACP will regret this decision and will lose support the NAACP is a joke.
The incredible racism and sexism against black women is in full force. Yet here is the NAACP supporting racism by nominating Angelina Jolie for an NAACP award. Now I can understand white Hollywood nominating Jolie for awards for this film I am not surprised. White Hollywood ignores black women the majority of the time and pretends to be liberal yet the covert racism taking place here is pernicious. The North American media all gloss over this abhorrent bigotry taking place here because they have white skin privilege. It is easy for whites to not think of race or to care about the concerns of the black community. Audre Lorde wrote passionately about the power of white skin privilege in her groundbreaking book “Sister Outsider”. Lorde is correct in her analysis.
bell hooks also wrote about the manipulation of Hollywood in relation to the representations of race in her wonderful book “Outlaw Culture”. hooks reminds us we must be “enlighten witnesses” we must be cognizant of bigotry and challenge it. Pop Culture isn’t just about entertainment this is an incredibly racist precedent that is taking place here. The representation of images in films are powerful because the pictures are languages although not words there are messages being sent. Reality can be distorted for profit. If we ignore the bigotry of Hollywood, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Mariane Pearl is to support racism.
However, the NAACP prides itself as an organization that wants to promote good films with black talent. The NAACP is contradicting itself. Is the NAACP for real or are they irrelevant? It appears to me the NAACP’s endorsement of Angelina Jolie means they have no respect for black actresses in Hollywood. Black women in Hollywood cannot openly criticize Angelina Jolie because they have to worry about the racist forces in Hollywood. The NAACP is supporting racism and sexism by nominating Angelina Jolie for “A Mighty Heart”. The NAACP claim they are a group that believes in fighting for black rights yet here they support supremacy, prejudice, and bigotry against black women.
A biracial actress such as Thandie Newton, Sophie Okonedo, Jennifer Beals, Troy Beyer, Rae Dawn Chong, should of been chosen for the female lead in “A Mighty Heart”. The reason Jolie was chosen is because she’s considered bankable. However, Mariane and Daniel Pearl’s life story is not fiction. Doesn’t Mariane Pearl care about the legacy of her husband and their interracial marriage? Or is the lust for money and fame to profit off the death of her deceased husband more important to Mariane Pearl?
Let’s be real here my dear readers. The reason Hollywood chose Jolie for the female lead is because Hollywood believes a white actress in blackface and a kinky curly wig can make more money. Another reason is Hollywood just doesn’t want to present a complex, real life interracial marriage on the silver screen. How many interracial dramatic films have been released this decade? Monster’s Ball is the only major studio film released this decade dealing with an interracial romance between a black woman and a white man. Monster’s Ball was filled with racist and sexist imagery. Yes, Halle Berry won the Oscar but at what cost? In Monster’s Ball Halle Berry’s character Leticia Musgrove is another stereotype the oversexed Jezebel.
In order to not disgust white audiences from seeing a white man kiss a black woman Hollywood changes the race of the leading lady to make the film more palatable. The real interracial marriage between Daniel and Mariane Pearl is erased. Hollywood did not want to present a real interracial marriage on film. The relationship between a white man and his black wife is just not acceptable for white American audiences. Here is a role that is complex, serious, dramatic, that should of went to a black actress. People complain all the time that black women rarely get the serious roles in Hollywood. Yet here is a movie role clearly meant for a black woman and Hollywood decides to go blackface.
Hollywood ignores talented black actresses and replaces black women with white women. Angelina Jolie may win awards for her performance but she has zero credibility.
Some people fawn over Angelina Jolie because she is a classic Hollywood white beauty that is “saving” Africa. Yes, Jolie has adopted an African daughter and she’s done good work with the United Nations. However, doesn’t anyone question the attitude of the press and Jolie towards the African continent? The liberal media reports are drenched in racism and paternalism. The western world’s attitude towards the black race and African continent one formed through prejudice with a Eurocentric lens. The African continent is not one nation but fifty three independent countries with their own issues and identities.
Just because Angelina Jolie is a Hollywood white liberal does not give her the right to take a role meant for a black actress. Although Mariane Pearl claims she “chose” Jolie for the role. Brad Pitt owns the rights to Pearl’s memoir therefore he has the power. Last time I checked Angelina Jolie is not a black woman yet Hollywood doesn’t seem to care.
Hollywood has a history of changing the race of leading lady roles for white women. The vast majority of the female roles in Hollywood are geared towards white actresses. The legendary black actress Lena Horne lost the female lead role in Show Boat role to Ava Gardner. Dorothy Dandridge also lost major roles in the 1950s to white actresses due to racism and sexism. Now in the twenty first century blackface returns and once again talented black actresses that want leading lady roles lose out once again to white women. Hollywood continues to promote the subversive message that white women are the true womanhood and that the only female image acceptable is whiteness. Even though “A Mighty Heart” is about a real person Mariane Pearl and a real interracial marriage Hollywood still changed the race of the leading lady. Halle Berry claimed that Hollywood was changing when she won the Oscar for her performance in the stereotypical and racist drama Monster’s Ball. Berry is right Hollywood changed for her she’s an A list actress.
However, for the other black women in Hollywood struggling to get solid roles nothing has changed. The sad part about this you would think the NAACP would be more cognizant of the message they are sending here. Just because white Hollywood, the white American media, and white society ignore the issue of blackface doesn’t mean it will go away.
The NAACP was once a very important black rights organization those days are over. It seems to me the NAACP will do anything to get into the Hollywood limelight. The NAACP has totally lost its importance and credibility.
Links: http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jGag3mIYols_7MsN3adaN6A0CAnA
http://www.straight.com/article-96155/is-white-the-new-black
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10444455&ref=emailfriend Douglas’
American Idol Is Anti Male! Taylor Hicks And Ruben Studdard Dropped From J Records!!!
Former American Idol winners Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks have been dropped from J records. Studdard and Hicks both won American Idol despite not having the Hollywood looks and toned bodies. Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks are strong male singers. Despite Hicks and Studdard’s singing talent, it simply wasn’t enough for J Records. I am wondering if there is a misandrist element to American Idol? It is important to point out Ruben and Taylor are male because I have always felt American Idol wasn’t the right format for talented male singers. The people that call in to vote on American Idol are mostly young females.
Taylor Hicks and Ruben Studdard both lost American Idol even though they won. Inferior talents such as Clay Aiken and Chris Daughtry actually achieved more success and media attention then Hicks and Studdard. In terms of singing talent, Hicks and Studdard are superior they have more range and more powerful voices. Clay Aiken didn’t win American Idol but his debut CD was more successful then Ruben Studdard’s album. Chris Daughty also didn’t win American Idol, but he has the looks that mainstream North America considers sexually attractive. Daughtry also has sold more CDs then Taylor Hicks. The reason is Daughtry and Aiken appeal to women. The marketing machine in the music industry is cognizant of the fact young women find Aiken and Daughtry sexually attractive. Aiken and Daughtry are also younger then Studdard and Hicks. Women imagine they can have sex with Daughtry and Aiken. Ruben and Taylor were not able to maintain the momentum of their success on American Idol.
Ruben and Taylor obviously were not trained for Hollywood 101. One way stars maintain the public’s interest is by acquiring as much media attention as possible. In Hollywood image is everything. I am not sure Ruben and Taylor understand the game but appearance is critical to success. It is not fair but Hollywood is never fair. Hollywood is not the real world it is a dream factory. Taylor and Ruben just didn’t have the looks or body image that turn women on. Ruben and Taylor also did not obtain endorsements from companies because they were not considered marketable. It is also interesting to note Ruben and Taylor are both from the same city Birmingham Alabama. Both Ruben and Taylor seem like nice guys that just didn’t gel with Hollywood and the mainstream public.
In the music industry, music fans want the young male singers to have sex appeal to draw in the female demographic. The dirty secret of the record labels is they also want the young male singers to draw in a gay male demographic as well. Yet the record labels never discuss the gay market because they don’t want the public to know this fact. For example, Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias are rare in the music industry they acknowledge their gay male audience.
Martin and Iglesias know that gay men show up to their concerts to support them because they think both men are sexually attractive and they also like their music. Martin and Iglesias have openly talked about the fact they have gay male fans. The marketing teams for Martin and Iglesias are cognizant by acknowledging the gay male demographic is just good business. Most young male singers try to act macho and ignore the gay male audience. Martin and Iglesias know they can make more money by selling more CDs, DVDs, concert tickets, more publicity by acknowledging gay men.
I am not suggesting that Taylor Hicks and Ruben Studdard should of reached out to the gay male audience to sell CDs. All I am suggesting is, that marketing is very critical to success. A singer cannot simply be a singer these days. A singer is a part of a brand, and a brand has to be able to appeal and sell to more then just one demographic in order to be successful.
Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks simply did not attract any demographic and this is one of the reason they were dropped from J records. The music business is in a tough position these days due to digital downloading and the apathetic attitude of the general public. Also, heterosexual women and gay men were not interested in either singer.
The record labels do not publically acknowledge the gay male demographic in the media but in marketing meetings they definitely are target the gay community. At gay bars and clubs across North America for example, when a major young male singer has a released there are often contests at gay bars. The gay fans can win a CD of the artist this is a form of promotion to cross over into the gay market.
Also, record companies pay advertising space in the gay media to let the gay audience know when young male singers have a CD released.
The feminists like to say society puts pressure on females to be sexy and to be thin. Yet the hypocritical feminists always ignore the fact men we are also pressured to look sexy too. The pressure was extremely intense on Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks to lose weight, get in shape, get the hard abs, and be sexy. Ruben did lose some weight but clearly this was not enough to interest the female audience. Ruben and Taylor were perhaps a bit too old for American Idol?
Another reason Taylor and Ruben were not successful is both guys didn’t really have a background story or interesting personalites. Ruben and Taylor’s management teams obviously didn’t put the time and effort into creating their image. You cannot simply be a good singer in this superficial pop culture, you need a gimmick. In Hollywood everyone has a gimmick, the star has to have something about him or her that that can pull in an audience. The public needs to have a hook to identify and relate to the star.
The reason Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia, and Carrie Underwood are very successful is all three young women have the “it” factor. According to Soundscan, Carrie Underwood is the most successful American Idol winner in the United States. Underwood’s second CD is proving she has maintained her audience.
Carrie Underwood is an attractive young woman she also can sing she has the blonde hair and the Eurocentric appearance Hollywood and North America finds appealing. Fantasia has the background story she was living in poverty, was in an abusive relationship, had her daughter at the tender age of seventeen. However, Fantasia overcame the odds and this is why the public loves Fantasia. Fantasia has continued her success with the hugely successful Lifetime movie which was the second highest ratings winner on that network. Fantasia also had a successful autobiography as well. In addition, Fantasia has proven she can act she is the star on Broadway in the play the Color Purple. The Color Purple is a huge success due to Fantasia and the critics have praised Fantasia for her incredible acting and singing performances.
Kelly Clarkson won because she was ordinary all American girl. Although Kelly Clarkson and Fantasia are not considered attractive by American standards heterosexual women and even lesbians can relate to them. Clarkson also had a very large under twenty five female demographic on her side. Unfortunately, for Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks not enough women found them to be sexually attractive to buy their albums.
The pressure is now on for younger male singers they have to be sexy and fit. Justin Timberlake, Usher, Omarion, Bow Wow, 50 CENT, Kanye West, and Chris Brown all know they have to spend hours in the gym developing the rock hard abs. The women love men that are extremely physically fit so they can drool over male pop stars in concerts.
Women like to look a good looking and attractive men that can sing. Taylor and Ruben can sing but they simply were not considered hot. Ruben and Taylor both need to fire their management teams they need an image overhaul.
Women have to be able to fantasize about male singers, imagine that the male singer are singing only to them and love them. Women need to be able to masturbate and get wet and have the sexual fantasy while listening to their CDs. It is the reason N’SYNC, Backstreet Boys were so successful in the late 1990s and early part of this decade women wanted to have sex with them. I doubt very few women are masturbating and getting wet in their bedrooms over Taylor Hicks and Ruben Studdard.
Unfortunately, I think this could be the reason Hicks and Studdard have not been successful they actually look like real ordinary looking men. There is no fantasy to Ruben and Taylor. Women don’t care about their background story because there is none. Also, Hicks and Studdard are the oldest American Idol winners. Hicks and Studdard failed to reach an adult demographic. The adults don’t care about Ruben and Taylor because they see American Idol as a tacky teen show. Taylor and Ruben’s music wasn’t their own music it was a part of the American Idol machine. Simon Cowell the creator of American Idol wasn’t very helpful when he was so public in criticizing Taylor Hicks in the media. Cowell just didn’t like Hicks. The reason Cowell didn’t like Hicks is because Cowell didn’t think Hicks was marketable because he is an average looking guy that wasn’t fit and trim.
American Idol is clearly a program meant for younger singers under the age of twenty five. Studdard is twenty nine years old and Hicks he is thirty one. Another point to consider is Studdard and Hicks are the only men to have ever won American Idol.
Studdard’s first CD “Soulful” was successful selling over 2 million copies. However, Ruben’s recent CD “The Return” was a commercial failure selling only 236,000 copies. Taylor Hicks had even worst sales his debut CD sold only 699,000 copies he didn’t even go platinum. The question has to be asked is American Idol the proper format for male singers?
Everytime I watch American Idol I just don’t think it is fair to male singers. I have a feeling a lot of men also don’t find American Idol very appealing. The dilemma for male singers is they cannot count on the male demographic to support them. American Idol is considered unworthy of male support.
My perspective is, American Idol is all about a girl’s dream that she can become a singer. American Idol is obviously a program geared towards a female audience. Women like it the show is so corny. American Idol is all about a girl’s dream that she can sing her heart out and make her dreams come true. I think this is the reason American Idol is so appealing to the female demographic. All the female winners of American Idol have been very successful. Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia, and Carrie Underwood are still in the spotlight. The recent winner Jordan Sparks her CD hasn’t sold a lot but maybe the sales will go up?
However, a very sexually attractive male singer has never won American Idol. I think it goes back to days of Elvis. American Idol has a fear of male sexuality. It seems the public is comfortable with average looking guys like Taylor Hicks and Ruben Studdard winning because they also have a very safe heterosexuality. Ruben and Taylor are non threatening heterosexual men.
Some men will never admit this, but all men look at other men’s bodies. Heterosexual men like Kanye West, 50 CENT, Eminem. Notice that 50 CENT, Kanye West, and Eminem are also attractive and physically fit as well. Regardless of whether a male is heterosexual or homosexual men have to imagine we can “be” the singer. 50 CENT, Kanye West, and Eminem are always showing off their bodies. Men do pay attention to the physique of male singers even though some men will lie and say we don’t.
Men don’t like Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks because men don’t find either singer to be very masculine and physically appealing either. Listen to the rap and rock CDs of male singers, they always boast about their sexual prowess. Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks don’t sing about sex in their music they come across as asexual. Young men cannot relate to Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks because males don’t find them appealing either.
Young men like their male singers and rappers to have a bit of machismo to be brash, arrogant, to be outspoken. Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks are nice ordinary guys they don’t frighten parents but they also don’t turn on their daughters either.
I think the lack of success Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks have proves male sexuality and body image is very important. The media also don’t care about Ruben or Taylor there is nothing controversial about them. Many men view American Idol as a corny female program because the show changes genres every single week. A lot of men look down on American Idol we just don’t take the show seriously as real music.
The American Idol brand also ignores rap music for a reason. The reason is rap music is considered to be very controversial and has an intense testosterone and male sexuality. Rap music provokes thought and American Idol isn’t about thinking it is just about singing crappy songs. American Idol blocks out rap music because the show is supposed to be “family entertainment”. Men want to hear music with more substance and the show has turned off the male demographic. American Idol is a female show the marketing team behind American Idol play it safe because it sells. Unfortunately for male singers unless you can turn on the female audience and be sexually attractive they are going to fail.
Link: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/01/07/arts/People-Taylor-Hicks.php
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