Popular opinion ruins pop culture
Repetition turns what was unique into typical
COMMENTARY
Lauren Cates

Did anyone watch the 2003 People’s Choice Awards Sunday? More importantly, did anyone care about the 2003 People’s Choice Awards? My point exactly.

Half the stars barely showed up to receive their awards that supposedly represent the choices of the American people in music, film and television. You might wonder, why did no one show up? Because an award based on the general populace opinion is worth little in general.

I could barely watch Tony Danza for more than 15 minutes without either being disgusted by the horrible awards given to the undeserving or by the fact that Danza’s haircut has not changed since he starred on “Who’s the Boss?”.

An awards show celebrating mass pop culture will always be a flop, namely because the American people have shown time and time again they have horrible taste. The People’s Choice Awards, taken from a “representative” sampling of 214 million Americans according to the Gallup poll, is only representative of 214 million Americans’ poor taste. People love watching other awards shows because at least the winners are picked by experts in the area of which they are awarding people.

Movies like “Spiderman” and bands like Creed were actually given awards. I walked out of “Spiderman” because I couldn’t stand Tobey Maguire’s moronic facial expressions and Kirsten Dunst’s crappy acting and stringy hair. And if I have to see one more Creed video in which lead singer Scott Stapp portrays himself in a Jesus-like manner, walking on water with doves flying about, I’ll shoot myself.

American mass culture stinks. Speaking from the perspective of a cable-deprived person during Winter Break, three weeks of horrendous local TV programming is enough to make anyone sick. The proliferance of reality TV, Judge Judy-type court shows, crappy soap operas, equally inane sitcoms and dating shows is mind numbing. No wonder the American education system sucks when we spend our spare time watching this crap.

Turn on the radio and it’s no better. I have never heard a song I liked that the radio didn’t ruin. By playing the same songs over and over, that then spawn wannabe one-hit wonders of the same sort, the radio perpetuates horrible musical taste. It’s not enough that half the bands on the radio lack talent or ingenuity because the radio station insists on playing the same song 15 times a day, and always when you’re in your car.

Going to the movies isn’t as bad but it is getting there. I find it ironic that even those films that did deserve awards for uniqueness, namely “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” (the highest grossing independent film in history), were backed by huge movie such as stars Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson. If that doesn’t take the wind out of your sails in regards to celebrating independent filmmaking, I don’t know what does.

So the real reason why no one cares to watch the People’s Choice award unfolds. As soon as something becomes popular, the mass culture pounds it over and over again until no one wants to see or hear about what was once an icon. Being proclaimed popular is a signed death warrant for anyone in the entertainment industry.

The mass pop culture phenomenon stifles the individuality of all who are forced to participate. By having the same musical, movie and television tastes we are submitted to the lowest common denominator of culture and taste. It’s what many of us have experienced when we turn on the TV at night and realize that Survivor-type shows are on every channel. Being nominated and winning a People’s Choice Award is more of an insult than a celebration.

Lauren Cates is a junior advertising/public relations major from Houston.
She can be reached at (l.e.cates@tcu.edu).