Assignment 1-3 Article Analysis

SpongeBob Square Pants: Pop Culture Tsunami or More?

The author (Rice, 2009) does an excellent job of expounding on the elements of the show and explaining who SpongeBob Square Pants is. This is especially beneficial for audiences like me who have never watched this popular television show. As noted in my analysis, my thirteen year old niece is a huge fan of the show which prompted me to select this article as my research.

Originally geared toward children, SpongeBob Square Pants enjoys broad audience appeal. There is a growing adult population that regularly views the show. The show even has celebrity followers like Bruce Willis, Sigourney Weaver, and Dr. Dre.
The article expounds on the brands’ enormous marketing success with SpongeBob toys, video games, house slippers, underwear, fishing poles, and so much more. The author further analyses the elements of the show that appeals to such broad audiences. For example, many episodes feature lessons Sponge Bob learns via human trial and error. The show also contains humor and relevant issues. The author incorporates media research to identify what attracts children to certain television shows. The article explains for example, that children are attracted to shows that provide purpose and active viewer response.

The article provides a thorough analysis in an effort to understand the inner workings of SpongeBob but it primarily focuses on the show’s appeal to children. This was somewhat surprising given the percentage of adult viewership the show enjoys. I was looking for a more in-depth analysis on why the adult population is also interested in the content of the show.

Overall I was pleased with the analysis and walked away with an increased understanding of the shows’ ongoing success.

References
Rice, J. (2009). SpongeBob Square Pants: Pop Culture Tsunami or More? The Journal of Popular Culture, Vol. 42, No. 6, 2009. (EBSCO HOST)

Weekly Analysis 5-1

Lady Gaga

At first glance I thought Lady Gaga to be a pretty strange character and I wasn’t quite getting this wave of excitement and growing mass appeal. Perhaps because I’m older and a bit conservative, I was initially repulsed by her image. I confess that I‘m guilty of passing judgment. Then I saw her appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show which I found rather surprising and something prevented me from turning the channel. I must confess that after the Oprah interview, I found Lady Gaga to be a sensitive, loving, and caring person. She even demonstrated her lovely singing voice with a beautiful rendition of a slow love song. Perhaps her outlandish costumes and jaw dropping appearance was not necessarily a cry for attention, or a shock effect, or the need to stand out. Perhaps this is her form of self-expression and her independent sense of style.

The article on Personal Appearance in the text (Browne, 2005), states that “since the beginning of time people have used their bodies for ornamentation…Using the body as a canvas on which to practice art is in itself a form of advertising.” Lady Gaga has taken this concept to a whole new level.

This is the reason I believe her fans love her so. Perhaps her bold and daring attitude is what they long to possess themselves and she represents their wild and crazy side and is clearly unashamed to show it. Many of her fans refer to her as the new Madonna and she lovingly refers to them as her “monsters.” Some fans call her a freak and she let’s everyone’s freak come out. They love her for that. They dress in all manner of feathers, bubbles, crowns, lace and other Gaga-inspired finery. Other fans call her an icon and an inspiration.

Her concerts are quite a production. She has a three-sided stage and dancers with half-skeleton heads and bodysuits on. ... She changes costumes about six times, and there are vibrant colors, and a light show.

Her controversial image has angered and provoked churches and other conservative groups. Yet the mean spirited comments do not seem to be slowing her down.

This latest pop culture sensation has a big heart too. She recently donated all the proceeds to her concert to the Haiti relief fund. This was very generous indeed.

Only time will tell the long-term success of this newest sensation. For now, Lady Gaga has a lot on her side – adoring fans all over the world, and a unique sense of style that captures your attention and a lovely voice and talent wrapped up in one.

Reference –
Browne R. (2005) Profiles of Popular Culture. Popular Press.

That girl is a monster. Retrieved February 2, 2010, from http://www.nouse.co.uk/2010/01/26/that-girl-is-a-monster/.

Lady GaGa Fans. Retrieved January 2, 2010 from http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1628658/20091221/lady_gaga.jhtml.