While this is used sometimes as a humorous way of describing one's love life on Facebook, I think it is perfectly appropriate for what is going on in my brain. We've used the word "complicated" many times to describe the interconnected processes and theories that we are studying and I scratch my head constantly (with me, you can't blame it on shampoo).
I knew Selena was famous and talented and beautiful (if she has subjectivity, does that mean I can objectify her?), but my only real point of reference was her "crossover" hit in the mid-90s that played incessantly in the soundtrack at a leather suitcase store I worked at in Boston. Then, I saw the beautiful and talented and famous Jennifer Lopez play her in the bio-pic, which I enjoyed immensely. Still, Paredez has opened my eyes to think not so much about who Selena was, but what she did. Consciously (and self-reflexively), Selena crafted an image and a brand that not only made her rich and famous, not only pleased adoring fans, but opened up the possibilities for challenging the forces of commodification while working with them. I almost brush the term "authenticity" aside when reading her biographical information. In a sense (I feel the need to qualify this opinion!), it doesn't matter if Selena was genuine in staying in the neighborhood she grew up in. It doesn't even matter to me right now if the whole thing was made up. The image that she projected created a discourse out in the ether.
This is what excites me about Paredez. She can easily look only at the localized acts of Selena and how they affect those around her, but she expands the view to a Selena that is refabricated like a piece of material that Selena would use to make a stage costume. I am reminded of Barthes' idea that a text no longer belongs to the author once it is read. This jives with my favorite literary/educational theorist, Louise Rosenblatt, who described reading as part of a three-way transaction between author, text, and reader. So it may be with celebrity. We can look at Selena as a text, created by herself with co-writers, and constantly re-created by those who need her for their purposes. A neighbor in Corpus Christi will not necessarily have the same need as a Puerto Rican fan in New York.
I've always imagined having conversations with my heroes. If I ran into Pete Townshend, what would I say to him? Years ago, I would have complimented him on his work, told him how great he is, and asked him why he made certain musical choices. I may start with that today but I would conclude with a statement: "Thank you for letting me use you."
I knew Selena was famous and talented and beautiful (if she has subjectivity, does that mean I can objectify her?), but my only real point of reference was her "crossover" hit in the mid-90s that played incessantly in the soundtrack at a leather suitcase store I worked at in Boston. Then, I saw the beautiful and talented and famous Jennifer Lopez play her in the bio-pic, which I enjoyed immensely. Still, Paredez has opened my eyes to think not so much about who Selena was, but what she did. Consciously (and self-reflexively), Selena crafted an image and a brand that not only made her rich and famous, not only pleased adoring fans, but opened up the possibilities for challenging the forces of commodification while working with them. I almost brush the term "authenticity" aside when reading her biographical information. In a sense (I feel the need to qualify this opinion!), it doesn't matter if Selena was genuine in staying in the neighborhood she grew up in. It doesn't even matter to me right now if the whole thing was made up. The image that she projected created a discourse out in the ether.
This is what excites me about Paredez. She can easily look only at the localized acts of Selena and how they affect those around her, but she expands the view to a Selena that is refabricated like a piece of material that Selena would use to make a stage costume. I am reminded of Barthes' idea that a text no longer belongs to the author once it is read. This jives with my favorite literary/educational theorist, Louise Rosenblatt, who described reading as part of a three-way transaction between author, text, and reader. So it may be with celebrity. We can look at Selena as a text, created by herself with co-writers, and constantly re-created by those who need her for their purposes. A neighbor in Corpus Christi will not necessarily have the same need as a Puerto Rican fan in New York.
I've always imagined having conversations with my heroes. If I ran into Pete Townshend, what would I say to him? Years ago, I would have complimented him on his work, told him how great he is, and asked him why he made certain musical choices. I may start with that today but I would conclude with a statement: "Thank you for letting me use you."
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