If you are a creative, this video will sounds very familiar – but it’s a universal message. Lord knows I’ve been down this road a few times. Determination, persistence and touch of naivete is usually enough to win the day – it’s just the “day” in question usually lasts for years.
Category Archives: social commentary
This, this, all the this!
Filed under actor 101, actor stuff, art, artist, behind the scenes, commentary, doing new things, education, fail, failure, filmmaking, friends, fund raising, general, getting fit, getting started, happiness, how-to, inspiration, jobs, learning experience, making movies, productivity, projects, REVOLUTION, social commentary, video, videos, YouTube
It’s Funny What Strikes a Chord…
I have been doing a lot of website building and refining these last three weeks as part of my new year commitment, and things have been going well. When all the sites are completed and ready you can bet that I’ll push them like crazy.
First one’s free: AndelonProd.com
As I’ve been refining CurtisAndersen.com I noticed some glitches in my RSS feed and had to go back to my old Blogger page to check some of the old posts. Imagine my surprise when I saw that, even months after having changed sites with the exact same URL, there were thousands of hits on the old version of the blog! Thousands!! I was shocked. There hadn’t been a new post since August, but that didn’t seem to matter.
Out of curiosity I decided to look and see what the most popular post of all time was and it turns out to be my examination of the Macklemore song “Thriftshop.” So since it’s Friday and it’s an appropriate party night I thought it might be nice to revisit that post:
Hey Macklemore, can we go thrift shopping?
I think this still holds water, even if I would write things a bit differently now. What do you think?
See you next time.
Filed under music, music video, social commentary, Uncategorized, video, YouTube
Fun Video Friday! – Double Duty covering Kangaroos and Net Neutrality
Special Fun Video Friday this week. If you follow me on any social media then you may have seen my recent posts about trying to protect net neutrality and asking the FCC to consider the internet a title II common carrier so that the big ISP’s can’t have control over the speed or content that you receive online. You would think that in America of all places the internet would remain a bastion of freedom, but you’d be wrong. Right now the future of the internet is teetering and could go either way. We as citizens need to stand up! The first video for today covers, quite well, why net neutrality is important and how to take action. I’m sure many of you have signed petitions on the subject, but the best way to comment is directly to the FCC. I’ve included the link below. Please watch this, follow the link and help protect this vital communication system.
Filed under animals, fun video friday, goverment, internet, net neutrality, politics, social commentary, social networking, video, videos, YouTube
On Miley Cyrus and Wrecking Ball
Image from Trinikid.com |
Miley Cyrus has that song Wrecking Ball, the one that has received so much attention because of the provocative video that was released along with the song.
Yes, that one.
The one where she’s naked on a wrecking ball. And licking a sledge hammer.
Yes, that one.
The one that has, most likely, become the first sexual experience for post-pubescent boys who have a computer, smart phone or tablet and have had three to five minutes by themselves.
That one.
I’m not even going to link to that video because I really don’t want to promote any more views on it.
Funny thing, though, the song isn’t actually bad.
I was in the car with Rene and we were listening to the radio and suddenly this sad pop love song came on. Rene said, “You have to listen to this!” So I listened to it and I enjoyed it. I didn’t recognize it and, sure, it’s a pop song so it’s maybe not the deepest most introspective bit of musical poetry in the world – but it’s not a bad song. Like, this is going to be the love anthem for junior high and young high school relationships this school year.
So I ask Rene who it is and she gets excited and her eyes get big and she starts pointing at the radio and the only thing she can get out is, “This is Miley Cyrus! I wanted you to hear this!”
So I’m like, “Is this Wrecking Ball?”
And she nods and says, “Mm hm,” with a big “can you believe it?” look on her face.
This got me curious and Rene and I had a long conversation about it and Miley and… well that’s what the rest of the blog is about. When I got home I decided that it might be worth a look at the video since the song seems to be pretty vulnerable and sincere, even in its poppyness, and that must mean that there’s a reason why she’s getting all crazy on the sledgehammer, right?
No. Not at all. The video everybody knows about really is just sloppy soft core.
However, when I was searching, the first thing I found was a director’s cut of the video and it looked like this:
And here’s a link for those looking on mobile devices: Director’s Cut.
Now this makes much more sense for the message of the song. Here, lets take a look at the lyrics courtesy of AZLyrics.com:
We jumped never asking why
We kissed, I fell under your spell.
A love no one could deny
Don’t you ever say I just walked away
I will always want you
I can’t live a lie, running for my life
I will always want you
I came in like a wrecking ball
I never hit so hard in love
All I wanted was to break your walls
All you ever did was wreck me
Yeah, you, you wreck me
I put you high up in the sky
And now, you’re not coming down
It slowly turned, you let me burn
And now, we’re ashes on the ground
Don’t you ever say I just walked away
I will always want you
I can’t live a lie, running for my life
I will always want you
I came in like a wrecking ball
I never hit so hard in love
All I wanted was to break your walls
All you ever did was wreck me
I came in like a wrecking ball
Yeah, I just closed my eyes and swung
Left me crashing in a blazing fall
All you ever did was wreck me
Yeah, you, you wreck me
I never meant to start a war
I just wanted you to let me in
And instead of using force
I guess I should’ve let you win
I never meant to start a war
I just wanted you to let me in
I guess I should’ve let you win
Don’t you ever say I just walked away
I will always want you
I came in like a wrecking ball
I never hit so hard in love
All I wanted was to break your walls
All you ever did was wreck me
I came in like a wrecking ball
Yeah, I just closed my eyes and swung
Left me crashing in a blazing fall
All you ever did was wreck me
Yeah, you, you wreck me
Yeah, you, you wreck me
Here’s the most ironic thing for me about the fact that this is the director’s cut – the director is Terry Richardson.
Yes, that Terry Richardson.
The Terry Richardson who is a very talented photographer…
…but has also been called out as a perv on many occasions.
So, when you see all that, the naked video with the licking falls right into form…
…but again I point to the actual raw vulnerability in the director’s cut and suddenly you start to wonder how these two things were made by the same guy.
Here’s what i’m getting at: we have two creatives who are both at high points in their careers. Both have talents that are appreciated by the general public and are looked up to by people young and old – but the story with these two is all about sex. Sex has become the conversation, not the songs or the pictures, and that’s a shame.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of sex. I understand why it is used and exploited and I do believe there are times when using sex and/or sexuality can actually be a strong statement in art. But when it becomes schtick or a crutch it’s very obvious and that, more than any moral reason, is why I think both of these artists – and yes I will use the word “artist” and not feel bad – get as much backlash as they do.
We, as the listening/viewing public expect more because they’ve both shown that they can do better. There’s disappointment when you watch someone phone it in or try to force you to believe them as they flail out of character. With Richardson in particular, I personally believe that he’s let his persona get the better of him and it’s drowning out the actual person who takes good pictures.
So I turn to you, what do you think? I look forward to your comments.
See you next time!
Filed under Miley Cyrus, music video, social commentary, video, Wrecking Ball, YouTube
Vacation is over, so we watched Ghost Shark.
Image Copyright Syfy |
Somehow I feel like I should probably feel bad about this.
Filed under movies, rene, social commentary, society, travel
Hey Macklemore, can we go thrift shopping?
Thrift Shop is “blowin’ up the charts,” as the kids say, and I’m a big fan of the song. It’s got a good beat, you can dance to it and, more importantly, it preaches some great social commentary on pop culture and it’s effect on consumerism.
Before we dive too much deeper into this, let’s review the tape, shall we?
Fun, right? Now let’s review the lyrics:
What, what, what, what… [x7]
[Hook]
I’m gonna pop some tags
Only got twenty dollars in my pocket
I – I – I’m hunting, looking for a come-up
This is fucking awesome
[Verse 1]
Now, walk into the club like, “What up, I got a big cock!”
I’m so pumped about some shit from the thrift shop
Ice on the fringe, it’s so damn frosty
That people like, “Damn! That’s a cold ass honkey.”
Rollin’ in, hella deep, headin’ to the mezzanine,
Dressed in all pink, ‘cept my gator shoes, those are green
Draped in a leopard mink, girls standin’ next to me
Probably shoulda washed this, smells like R. Kelly’s sheets
(Piiisssssss)
But shit, it was ninety-nine cents! (Bag it)
Coppin’ it, washin’ it, ’bout to go and get some compliments
Passin’ up on those moccasins someone else’s been walkin’ in
Bummy and grungy, fuck it man
I am stuntin’ and flossin’ and
Savin’ my money and I’m hella happy that’s a bargain, bitch
I’ma take your grandpa’s style, I’ma take your grandpa’s style,
No for real – ask your grandpa – can I have his hand-me-downs? (Thank you)
Velour jumpsuit and some house slippers
Dookie brown leather jacket that I found diggin’
They had a broken keyboard, I bought a broken keyboard
I bought a skeet blanket, then I bought a kneeboard
Hello, hello, my ace man, my Miller
John Wayne ain’t got nothing on my fringe game, hell no
I could take some Pro Wings, make them cool, sell those
The sneaker heads would be like “Aw, he got the Velcros”
[Hook x2]
[Verse 2]
What you know about rockin’ a wolf on your noggin?
What you knowin’ about wearin’ a fur fox skin?
I’m digging, I’m digging, I’m searching right through that luggage
One man’s trash, that’s another man’s come-up
Thank your granddad for donating that plaid button-up shirt
‘Cause right now I’m up in her skirt
I’m at the Goodwill, you can find me in the (Uptons)
I’m that, I’m that sucker searchin’ in that section (Uptons)
Your grammy, your aunty, your momma, your mammy
I’ll take those flannel zebra jammies, second-hand, I rock that motherfucker
The built-in onesie with the socks on that motherfucker
I hit the party and they stop in that motherfucker
They be like, “Oh, that Gucci – that’s hella tight.”
I’m like, “Yo – that’s fifty dollars for a T-shirt.”
Limited edition, let’s do some simple addition
Fifty dollars for a T-shirt – that’s just some ignorant bitch (shit)
I call that getting swindled and pimped (shit)
I call that getting tricked by a business
That shirt’s hella dough
And having the same one as six other people in this club is a hella don’t
Peep game, come take a look through my telescope
Trying to get girls from a brand? Then you hella won’t
Then you hella won’t
(Goodwill… poppin’ tags… yeah!)
[Hook]
[Bridge x2]
I wear your granddad’s clothes
I look incredible
I’m in this big ass coat
From that thrift shop down the road
[Hook]
Is that your grandma’s coat?
But the point really comes home here:
If you’d like to get the song you can download it from Amazon MP3!
Here’s the original explicit version:
Filed under music, music video, social commentary
Project 365 4-27-2010
Before we begin, a video presentation:
I found that on Facebook today posted by my friend Kristin. I think it’s important to point out stuff like this because it’s easy to ignore things when you don’t see the final outcome or consequences. I used to watch Penn & Teller’s Bull Shit on Showtime, I even own the first three seasons on DVD, and even though they were definitely pushing an agenda I really liked seeing a different perspective on very hot topics. What I liked best is that they could back up a lot of their claims with straight up facts. Verifiable, cross-referenced, generally accepted facts. There was plenty of editorial tossed in, but the facts were there all the same. I stopped watching when I stopped paying for Showtime, is the show still on? Just checked, it is.
I have been very bad about my workouts this week, I’m definitely placing higher priority on movie biz things then on my fitness and I’m a bit conflicted about it. I try to ease my guilt of not working out by checking off stuff on the task list. Honestly that could be shrinking a little faster too, but whachagonnado? I’ve found that, in all the mire, I’m keeping my personal integrity but it isn’t making the choices any easier or making things move any faster… but I have made a commitment to not randomly vent on this page – if I did there’d be noting else – and I’m trying to push myself to write more story-like posts, in the vein of The Tobolowosky Files from /film. Since all of these posts for the rest of the year are focused on the actual day and its associated picture it’s been hard to do genuine reflection, I mean, at best I get a day to think about what happened and the effects of it all, but I’m enjoying looking for that one part of the day, a certain hour or five minutes, that ignites deeper insight then just a list of what went on through the course of the day.
I just thought about what that would look like on paper. Here’s the last couple days as a list:
- Wake up.
- Turn on computer.
- Get water.
- Load pages: Email, calendar, RSS reader, FB, blog pages, hootsuite.
- Read/reply/archive email.
- Read RSS feed.
- Check FB messages.
- Talk to Zeke (director for CMD!)
- Feed dog.
- Feed self, including making coffee if Rene didn’t yet.
- Return phone messages.
- Determine tasks for the day.
- Pet dog.
- Submit packages for film funds.
- Eat again (Tuesday involved a lengthy trip to the post office, then eating again.).
- Head to the school to teach.
- Return home.
- Last pass at email.
- Sleep.
Most days I could literally copy/paste this string and it would be 90% accurate. Although tonight I added a trip at the end of teaching to watch Doctor Who with Dean and then get to the grocery store for some general supplies. Then home.
Today’s picture is from my trip to the store:
The cart just seemed so lonely. I think I might be thinking too hard when I start impressing emotions on inanimate objects.
See you tomorrow!
Filed under getting fit, musings, politics, project 365 2010, social commentary
Project 365 4-22-2010
I’m not a fan of the television program “The View.” I can’t put my finger on why, exactly, but it rubs me the wrong way – although since Whoopie has been added to the mix I find that I can have it on in the background and not be completely distracted. Today they had Vice President Joe Biden on the show. I watched his segments because I’m starting to feel my “politics” again and I’m trying to pay attention to what is actually going on versus what each side is saying about each other. To other people my age and younger: now is the time to start paying attention and get involved! Anyhow, I thought the Biden stuff would be all fluff, and there was quite a bit, but they actually talked about some issues as well – mostly taxes and how the Obama Administration would be approaching them. It was a good little talk, but way too short. Now I need to find time to actually look up the Wall Street reform proposals and how they will effect me.
In other aggravating news about ridiculous things that make no sense to me, Rene got a new job doing HR for a marketing and sales firm that I can’t name by name since I’m going to be talking eight different kinds of shit right now and I don’t want to be sued for liable – or slander. I forget which one is for writing (I’m pretty sure it’s liable. Did I even spell that right?) Anyway, this is third-party since I’m only getting Rene’s POV, but it sounds like this company has no Earthly idea how to run their company.
EDIT: OK, I’m leaving in the first paragraph but cutting out the rest of my rant. Rene is actually writing and article on this subject that I believe will be posted on her blog when the job ends. It’s a temporary gig. I’m not a fan of corporate culture, especially when it endorses idiocy and cruelty. I’ll just leave it at that.
The more I think about the day the more I realize that I was just straight up angry today. I didn’t here from the people I wanted to hear from, I’m feeling the pressure of time on all of my projects and I feel like the people in power all over the place are more concerned with bickering with each other than actually making things happen…
Actually, that might be the root of my anger today: everybody’s talking but nobody is doing anything! God, it’s frustrating!
OK, enough rant. Here’s today’s picture:
It’s a sopadilla and honey. Delicious and sweet. A complete opposite of the day.
See you tomorrow!
Filed under politics, project 365 2010, rant, social commentary
Project 365 3-28-2010
Today was the last day for Spadra brunch, the weekly brunch that we used to do on Sunday mornings with a rotating group of friends. Due to the illness of his parents, the owner has sold the restaurant to have the time to care for them. It is a good reason to shut down, but a place as unique as Spadra will be missed.
There aren’t many restaurants where you can go in at 10am, eat breakfast, have a few pots of coffee, get a beer and then spend the rest of the afternoon on the patio just chatting the day away. Really those days have been hard to come by the last few months, but when we could have them they were thoroughly enjoyed.
Spadra was a true “scene,” a place where like-minded people gathered together and shared a common experience. There aren’t many places left where you can actually have a “scene.” In fact the manufactured “scenes” that so many bars, lounges and restaurants try to produce have watered down what the idea of a real scene is so badly that when you experience a real one it is a bit overwhelming. And in my life the only scenes worth a damn are the ones that grow all by themselves. Manufactured scenes are just really elaborate planned parties – not nearly as much fun or as authentic.
Today’s picture is of Rene and I at our last Spadra brunch:
See you tomorrow!
Filed under project 365 2010, social commentary
Voting – My Tweet storm from this morning.
Photo: www.democraticunderground.com
This morning I was compelled to go an a small tweetstorm. Maybe you don’t follow me on Twitter (how dare you!) so I put the whole of it here because I really feel like this is important. As a whole, the citizens of the United States have gotten lazy about showing up to vote. There’s a bigger conversation to be had there, but my goal is to make sure people get informed – like actually informed and doing research and reading things – and then getting out to vote. The series of tweets are below.
Oh, and if you need to register here’s a handy website: https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote
And if you like your websites a bit “hipper” here’s this one: https://www.rockthevote.org/voting-information/
One of my favorite pieces of legislation passed in my lifetime was the Motor Voter Bill that allowed you to register to vote when you renewed your drivers license. When I was a teenager
@remhq added registration cards to their long boxes. Getting registered is important.#VoteThings are happening, people are upset, and there’s still an outrageous amount of money in politics but one thing that costs nothing and has a major effect on the direction our country takes is using your
#vote.I’m not even asking you to vote for what I want (although I certainly wouldn’t mind, I tend to like the things I
#vote for). I do ask, though, that you actually become an#InformedVoter That means you actually have to do some research & skip the talking points.I see & feel the major divide in the country. I’m also not immune to it, but if you are truly an
#InformedVoter then at least you can vote for your candidate/policy with a clean conscious. As a heads up: if it’s repeated by multiple politicians or pundits that’s a#TalkingPoint#TalkingPoints make for great TV, but are terrible for decision making & tend to be shockingly over generalized to make the problem seem simple. They aren’t. If the problems we faced were simple they’d be fixed already. So we all need to step up.We are entering one of the most interesting times that I’ve ever lived through. And the elections of 2018 & 2020 will probably be some of the most scrutinized & covered elections in recent history so we have a responsibility as citizens to do our homework before going to
#vote.Share this:
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Filed under activism, advocate, education, politics, social commentary