Pop Culture Journalism Class Blog

By Samita Mason

The Material Girl is back — and trying something new. Which, may not be a good thing.

MDNA, is Madonna’s 12th album — it’s a two-disk set of 17 songs  — some of which feels as if you should be in a club waving around glow sticks while you listen.

If you missed Madonna’s Super Bowl half time show — and haven’t had a chance to download the disc which dropped March 26 — the music video for hit single “Give Me All Your Luvin” has a football theme. Rappers Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. are featured prancing around in cheerleader uniforms shaking pom poms.

Half of the tracks on the album sound as if they have been remixed for a Saturday night in downtown Atlanta. The other half sound painful and awful.

A typical Madonna fan remembers hit songs such as “Papa Don’t Preach” and “Like a Prayer” where the queen of pop actually sang songs. In MDNA, fans are either hearing auto tuning or a Madonna voice that has aged along with her.

Madonna may have fans confused when they listen to her current album all the way through.  Some tracks made me  want to cringe. Others made me wonder how and why she went from her popular songs like “True Blue” to a deejay dance mix. But, a few of the slower songs had me singing at the top of my lungs in the car.

These new songs may make the average fan want to turn the volume down on their speakers. Her voice is scratchy, low and off pitch. Not the Madonna I remember.

Madonna released her first CD in 1983. Almost 20 years later, she is still attempting to sing and perform like she did when she was in her 30s. In her current album, lyrics such as “you shot my lover in the head,” or  “I’m a sinner, I like it that way” can be heard. She does get points for working hard, raising a family and releasing new music for her fans. But as a 53-year-old woman, she would look classier if she dumped the skimpy clothing.

Madonna should have stuck with her pop genre that she knows and what got her to where she is today. She sounds like she is trying to compete with the younger generation and it is not working. Stick with what you know and what you are good at Madonna.

By: Jessica Farley

It was in 1964 that Bob Dylan first sang “The Times They Are a-Changin’.” And that they did.

Season Five of AMC’s cult favorite, Mad Men, premiered last Sunday after a long and, for fans, painful hiatus. The show, which started out following Don Draper and the Madison Avenue gang in the early 1960’s, has progressed to the mid-60’s in its fifth season…in a very apparent way.

The two-hour episode began with African American protesters picketing in the streets of Manhattan, and ended with troves of Black men and women applying for jobs with Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce- a clear and undeniable symbol of the radical shift of 1960’s America. Draper has set up house in a swank, mod Manhattan apartment, a stark contrast from his “Leave It To Beaver” home in upstate New York of previous seasons. On that same note, he has traded ex-wife and Grace Kelly doppelgänger Betty for former secretary and new wife Megan, who is reminiscent of a coquettish Barbara Parkins. In a very un-Don like fashion, Draper actually seems relaxed and content with life. “He’s kind and patient. I don’t recognize that man,” remarks Peggy in one scene.

For a show so well-known and applauded for their achievements in style and art direction, it is impossible not to note a palpable shift in the style of the characters, the office, and Manhattan itself. This is made so prominently clear during a surprise 40^th birthday party that Megan (quite naively) plans for Draper, which appeared as though Edie Sedgwick was consulted for decorating and hosting tips.  It is simply undeniable that Mad Men has moved passed the JFK hey-days of the 1960’s, and the “swingin’ sixties” are lurking just around the corner of “Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce’s” offices.

The season opener picked up on storylines from previous seasons, as well as introduced new ones.  Fiery bombshell Joan has given birth to Roger Sterling’s baby, and despite always having emitted a motherly, nurturing quality in her, is itching to return to her true home- the office.  The ad firm itself is still struggling to find standing ground after the tumultuous downturn portrayed in past seasons. Roger and Peter are ever at odds, a feud which practically promises to hit the proverbial fan later in the season.  On a slightly more disappointed note, the season premiere was without a single glimpse or mention of the always fascinating Betty, save telling his children to “say ‘Hi’ to Morticia and Lurch for me” when dropping them off.

While the premiere managed to sail through  the admittedly somewhat tedious two-hour time span without any huge or imploding conflicts, the foreshadowing of an undeniable shift and the tremors of a tumultuous future were bubbling just beneath the glossy panache of Mad Men’s exterior- the calm before the storm.

By Kayla Cohen

The biggest words on the cover of the book are the name of the author, “Lauren Conrad” rather than the title. Really?

“The Fame Game” is a spin-off series from Lauren Conrad’s trilogy, “L.A. Candy.” The story follows four girls on a new hit reality show, showing lies, betrayal, and abnormal amount of alcohol consumption, and drama. But what else could be expected from a book about a reality show.

From the beginning, it is extremely evident that Lauren Conrad is writing about what she knows, because she lived it: Reality television. She took her experiences and friendships from ”Laguna Beach” and “The Hills,” and put it into a story.

The majority of the story takes place in night clubs where they are conveniently seated away from everyone else, and coincidentally, other characters the girls don’t like show up.

L.A. has way too many clubs for that to happen every night.

To add to that, what the main characters say that most of what they say and do is edited to make it appear as something else. If they smiled at a cute boy months early, they crop it into the new episode to scandalize something that really is minuscule. Is that what MTV did to you, LC?

Madison Parker, the main character, seems to be a not-so-fictionalized version of Lauren Conrad’s ex-BFF, Heidi Montag. The fake platinum blonde hair, fake acrylic nails, and countless plastic surgeries could just be innocent similarities if it weren’t for the fact that in the previous series she gave scandalous pictures of her friend to the tabloids causing them to go viral making her BFF/roommate  move out. Sound familiar? Madison even has an alcoholic sister, who somehow always returns to her distasteful ways. Holly Montag, anyone?

Madison‘s relationships even resemble Heidi’s. Instead of having problems with an alcoholic, overbearing, and controlling boyfriend (Spencer Pratt,) Madison has the same relationship with her father. Like Spencer, her father would never make a full commitment to be in her life, and would disappear into the crazed lifestyle of alcohol and the consequences that go along with it. It makes the reader feel sorry for with Madison, creating a love/hate relationship with her. The reader despises Madison for the way she treats her friends, but sympathizes with her due to her crazy love life and far from perfect family situation.

Surprisingly, the novel is decently written. The details of what the girls are wearing, feeling, and seeing are sensory-driven and make the reader feel as if they are with them experiencing it. The reader really connects with the characters and feels for them, making them feel like they personally know them. On numerous occasions, I caught myself wanting to talk to the characters and empathize with them about what they’re going through. LC knows how to make her characters relatable, just like she makes her self appear.

Overall, “The Fame Game” is a relatively good book.

Is she a New York Times Best Selling Author because of the quality of her books or because of her name? Read “The Fame Game” and decide for yourself.

by: John Gillooly

Being honor bound to view every new show to come through Cartoon Network’s mature content programming block, Adult Swim, I was more than happy to sit down and watch the brand new show “Loiter Squad.”

Created by and starring members of the rap group Odd Future, early buzz on the show was “Jackass meets Chappelle Show.”  It’s a show featuring up-and-coming rappers pranking on each other — and I couldn’t understand why this show was on Adult Swim, versus MTV.

“Loiter Squad” absolutely belongs on Adult Swim.The comparisons to “Jackass” are very apt, however it’s done with a twist that gives it a very Adult Swim feel. Sketches and bits are sewn together in a manic style with flashing colors and freakish visual cues like some A.D.D. Frankenstein.

While pranks and “caught on camera” antics do make up a large portion of the program, there are other sketches, both scripted and improvised, that break up the largely overdone prank show format, giving it a very unique signature unlike anything on TV.

I’ll give the kids credit, there are some pretty good pranks, including a mayo jar and a ping pong paddle, and a brilliant counter-prank that had me on the floor in stitches. Another caught-on-camera-style bit had the members holding up comic-like thought bubbles over unsuspecting bystanders’ heads. It was hilarious. When a perturbed victim becomes confrontational, it evolves, or possibly devolves, into a mind-blowing display of either intelligent foresight or brilliant improvisation.

I have a few concerns, namely that some of the sketches and pranks either fall short, or are extended too far, but considering that it’s only  the first episode —  I’m sure there is plenty of time for this schizophrenic program to find its legs.

The pilot has set a high bar for an out-of-nowhere show to leap back over, but only time will tell if these plucky, disturbed kids from L.A. are as successful in the off-the-beaten-path-comedy world as they have in the hip-hop world.

I give this gloriously insane show a solid 4 out of 5.

By Rachel Newdorf

These ducks don’t live in a pond or go quack. Most aren’t even yellow.

Mason Dining Duckies, the collectable duckies that are offered through Sodexo, Mason’s food provider, are given away at Mason dining facilities like South Side or the new Subway when you purchase any food item. Since they started to be given out, over 2,000 are given away every semester.

What makes them so special? They are coveted collectors items that are given away only at certain times, like holidays and at Mason events. To know when and where to get them, Mason Dining announces when and where the duckies will be given away on their Facebook page ranging from days to hours before they become available.

It all started two and a half years ago when Sodexo’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Denise Ammaccappane was looking for something that students could collect and get involved in.

A random Internet search led her to the inexpensive rubber ducks from a website called orientaltrading.com that came in all different shapes, themes and sizes. Loving the idea, she went around to her colleagues, who thought she was crazy. But students she spoke to loved the idea, so she decided to start offering duckies at different dining establishments around campus.

“The series became really popular,”said Ammaccappane, 55. “When we held our Duckie Contest, people would send in such creative ideas that they inspired us to keep the program going.”

Creating rubber duckies in all characters, some being holiday themed with others just being fun and goofy- like an alien or the popular robot duckie, Mason Dining found their way into being more a part of the Mason community as a whole.

Amiee Acreneaux, a sophomore Foresnic Science major from Manassas, Va., loves collecting Mason Dining Duckies. So far, she has 20 different ducks.

“The detail and the different kinds grab me,” Acreneaux, 19 said. “I think that they’re cute and fun.”

Having been on a hiatus this semester, Sodexo hopes to bring more Dining Duckies back later this spring and next fall.

“We wanted to make someone’s day just because,” Daliana Gandarillas explains. Gandarillas, 25, who works at Sodexo on campus and lives in Springfield.

To see when and where a new duckie will debut, check out Mason Dining on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/masondining

So it finally happened, DC finally pulled the trigger on an extension of infallible/godlike comic series “Watchmen.” After years and years of speculation, comic fans get to feast their eyes on what seems to be a travesty of epic proportions.

“Watchmen” is considered by some to be the single greatest and most important comic book of all time. Written in the mid 1980’s by writer Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons, the book tackled adult themes with a chilling manner that had never been done before. The original 12-issue series was seen as a one-and-done, with no room left to explore other aspects of the story.

It’s to this end that the controversy arises as most folks see this as simply another opportunity for a big, parent company such as DC Comics’ corporate masters Warner Brothers to milk as much cash as they can get.

So on one hand we have a situation where it appears that a beloved media property is going to be artistically compromised for straight cash money. After all, the project does not have the backing of original creator Alan Moore, whose constant clashes with editorial and legal at DC Comics have left Moore out of mainstream comics for nearly two decades. To say Moore is bitter over his personal dealing with DC Comics is understated, in a report in the New York Times on the topic of “Before Watchmen,” Moore was quoted as saying, “I tend to take this latest development as a kind of eager confirmation that they are still apparently dependent on ideas that I had 25 years ago.”

But I see it through a different lens. The comic industry is still a somewhat maligned and niche operation. Mostly seen as either childish or dorky/nerdy, the fact is that every year new comic creators are coming out of the woodwork to deliver increasingly complex and mature material. “Watchmen” is one of the first, and probably the most respected, comic property recognized by pop culture over all.

Since people loved the movie — “Before Watchmen” is going drive lapsed comic readers into stores this summer just to see what the fuss is all about. Hopefully, they will stick around and explore what other story treasures the world of comic books has to offer. I’d love to believe that Alan Moore could at least agree with that point alone.

By Tabby Hardman

Will Raver, an 18-year-old finance major from Sea Girt, N.J. spends his spare time, rapping, making music videos, and posting them online with the hopes of making it big one day.

In high school — friends encouraged him to start putting his raps to music. Senior year, his buddy Joe Kane posted one of his raps on his YouTube channel, SugarKaneTV.

“It’s called Popular, it’s about how a girl would naturally think I would leave her, but if she gave me a chance she’d see I was worthy—it’s a never-know-until-you-try message,” said Raver.

Since the song was posted ten months ago it’s received 5,362 views and was the first of, Raver’s — or should I say “Man Rave’s” (Raver’s stage name) —  music videos.

“I want the world to see it,” he says.

Raver performed as the opening act on Feb. 26 for a popular rap group, The Dean’s List, at Empire Nightclub in Fairfax, Va. and is scheduled to open for Chris Webby, on April 19. Other than that, he’ll be busy writing and recording.

“I want to say there is definitely going to be another video on YouTube out within the next month and I am trying to get a mix tape out called, ALL Good, within the next four or five months,” said Raver. “Every day I rap—I get better, would I like to be famous, yes, but I am doing it because I love it.”

By Tabby Hardman

When she was 5-years-old, Katia Giovo’s mother enrolled her and her twin sister in dance class.

“We were so wired and crazy and she figured an hour of us running and jumping around a studio would be beneficial for her—as well as us,” said Giovo. “She came to pick us up that first day hoping we would be exhausted, but instead we were awestruck and in love, crying hysterically as she dragged us out of the studio by our Wal-Mart tutus—since that moment I guess I’ve been convinced that’s all I ever wanted to do.”

Giovo was born in Genova, Italy, then moved to San Jose, Calif.  when she was 5. A few years later, they moved to Boca Raton, Fla. before settling in Alpharetta, Ga. when she was 11.

But wherever she lived, she danced.  She took formal ballet lessons until she was in high school — when her parents couldn’t afford to pay for lessons anymore.

But her high school’s dance teacher knew how badly Giovo wanted to dance.

“She would leave the studio door open at nights so that my sister and I could sneak in after hours and practice by ourselves,” Giovo said.

Now, the 21-year-old is currently enrolled in the George Mason dance program — focusing on modern dance and ballet.

“Dance is basically a synthesis of everything, the human body, lights, sound, graphic art, costuming, acting – it’s your thoughts, your emotions, your focus, your body, all brought to basic elements, blended together, and turned into something that not only expresses it, but relates it to an audience,” said Giovo.

Chasing her dream is worth the wait and the discipline, she said.

“My ultimate goal is to be a professional dancer, a far-fetched, rarity in this world that arrives after a long road of competition, rejection, struggle, and possibly even failure—but I want to get there,” Giova said. “After that, I want to choreograph my own works, and set them on other dancers.”

By Rebecca Offenkrantz

As an off-shoot of the famous twitter-turned-book-turned-bad-William-Shatner-TV-Show SH*T My Dad Says — there are a plethora of “Sh*t ______Says” popping up. There are a ton of college-related YouTube videos from, “Sh*t College Freshman Say,” to “Sh*t Broke College Students Say.”

And George Mason University alumn Yousef Mourtaza is now striving for YouTube stardom, with his video “Things Afghan Girls Say (Official Parody).” Mourtaza, 25, graduated from Mason in 2008 with a degree in Business Administration. He called it “Things Afghan Girls Say” and not “Sh*t Afghan Girls Say” because he doesn’t swear in his work and is “not going to change that just to get some extra popularity.” That is not to say he doesn’t swear in his every day vocabulary, but Mourtaza finds it important to keep his work clean.

He credits his friends with coming up with the idea.

“They know I’m serious about being a comedian,” he says, “so they’re always throwing ideas at me.”

At first, he was reluctant, because he doesn’t like to “jump on a fad,” but, he decided he could do something different.

So, he put on a black wig, talked in a high pitched voice, and shot his video.

“My biggest thing was making sure people would know that I’ve experienced all this and that’s where the laughter is coming from,” he says. “I’m not just some guy who’s wearing a wig and saying some lines to get his 15 minutes of fame.”

Most of the video is shot on campus in the Johnson Center, and a few clips were filmed in the nearby Fair Oaks mall and Fairfax Corner shopping center.

The video ends with this line: “Look, all I’m saying, is if one more person asks me when I’m getting engaged… I’m going to punch them in the face.”

The Video posted on January 22, got nearly 20,000 hits in about two weeks; it has almost 40,000 hits now. And it’s generated chatter, there are more than 100 comments, like: “Hahahahah…good to know other afghan girls do this stuff too and I’m not alone.”

By: Donovan Taylor Hall

“The Life of Galileo” opening night was the kind of show that makes me want to lie about being a Theater minor.

I should have known it would end up like it did, from the creepy music that played during the pre-show at Harris Theater.

The play began and immediately I noticed how uncomfortable a few of the actors looked with their hands. They had no idea what to do with them. It could have been nerves, but it looked like they were trying to conduct a symphony.

The first act dragged on with scattered laughs, the occasional line slip up, and the redeeming acting of two of the characters, Galileo and the Cardinal Inquisitor.

In front of me, sat a frat boy with a backwards baseball hat, slumped down real low. He kept dozing off and making snoring noises. I wanted to wake him up, but not because he was being rude, but because I was jealous he was getting to sleep.

A couple of times during the play, I found myself wanting to stand up and yell out to the actors “Can you repeat that line, SLOWER AND LOUDER?” like I do with the kids I teach in my acting class.

At one point, the play got too campy for me and I found myself daydreaming — looking at the EXIT sign near me, I began planning what steps I would take if zombies were to suddenly interrupt the production. I’m pretty sure my roommate has a crossbow.

Thankfully, intermission hit just in time. Standing in the hallway, I began debating how important seeing the rest of the performance was to my grade. Responsibility reared its obnoxious head and I headed back in.

Surprisingly, the second act was more entertaining. It could have been that the frat guy left, but my motivation was back. There were more laughs, stronger performances and decent script writing.

But of course, they had to ruin it, by introducing some character who sounded like he was crying every time he talked. And what about the guy with the lisp? Whose bright idea was it to give him lines that had so many s’s?

Then out of nowhere came a loud drum and tambourine. Actors started saying lines together and they came dangerously close to breaking out into song, “Glee”-style. No, thank you.

Despite my complaints, the actor who played Galileo did a great job, and there a few others who didn’t bug me too much. The set was impressive and the costumes were good, I guess. The finale was the only time in the play that commanded my attention the whole time.

If you aren’t as pessimistic as me, check it out for yourself. The show, put on by members of the Mason Players and Theater of The First Amendment, will run until April 7.

Galileo may have tried to prove the Earth moved, but one thing that wasn’t moved by this performance, was me.

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