The
best way I have found to relax after school has been to watch a little bit of
mindless television. After being in this class I became more attuned to the
presence of sexuality in modern entertainment. Modern adult, and even some
children’s, comedy is filled with examples of sexuality. For example, take the
highly popular television series “Family Guy”. You would be hard-pressed to go
five minutes without witnessing some kind of sexual innuendo. It could even be
argued that the character Glen Quagmire’s purpose in the show is to be a
comedic sexual deviant. This obsession with sexuality even leaks into children’s
shows. For example, in the movie “Shrek”, Shrek comments that Lord Farquaad
built his castle so tall because he was “compensating for something”. This
could be thought to parallel the presents of children in fashion plates where
young girls were sexualized in a form of overall harmless entertainment. I would
like to relate this back to our discussion on Monday when we compared Nicki Minaj
to Saartjie Baartman. Specifically, I want to reference how in antiquity, the
Victorian Era, and the Modern Era, humanity has always found a secure place for
sexuality in entertainment. Though this behavior may be frowned upon from a
moral standpoint by the general public, it never fails that we are fascinated
by sexual exploits in the public sphere. Award shows such as the Oscar’s always
feature female artists with plunging necklines and fitted bodices. Just like
the Grecian play “Lysistrata”, a comedy where the women of Athens boycott all
sex in order to end the Peloponnesian War, the presence of pornographic
literature in Victorian culture and the inability of the modern populace to
enjoy pop music videos without at least one girl “indecently” exposing herself help
to draw the conclusion that humanity has always been fascinated with borderline
excessive sexuality in entertainment. The question now is why. I argue that the
presence of sex in entertainment allows for an outlet for the sexual desires
that we must suppress in everyday civilized society. In other words, sex in
entertainment serves the same purpose as any other form of entertainment. We
watch movies and read novels to escape reality. For the monogamous wife and mother
of two, watching “Magic Mike” is a way to live out her sexual fantasies in a
place outside of her mundane everyday existence without partaking in activities
that could hurt her or her family or corrupt her morals in an outstanding way.
Nicki Minaj’s success, as well as that of Saartjie Baartman, is strictly
contingent upon the obsession of the public with sexuality. While it may not be
openly phrased that these women are gazed upon because of their exotic sex
appeal, it cannot be denied that this is the case. These women offer a chance
to live out a fantasy with little to no societal reparations, just like sex in
the rest of entertainment.
Sex can be a lot of things. It can be sensual and mysterious. It can be seen as a danger such as in the Victorian era. It can be funny, and therefore it can be profitable. Luckily, for the entertainment industry, (typical) human beings find sexual innuendos and humor worthy of a snicker or a knee-slap. Because most (normal) people participate in sex or sexual acts in some point of their lives, sex is applicable and relate able to nearly everyone. Anyone who has had sex, more than likely has story to tell. Although the stories can range from sad to awkward to"lmao," the entertainment industry can capitalize on all these stories to create a comedic, composite character or scenario to appeal to one or all the emotions. In entertainment, relatability is key to success. If an audience cannot personally understand the context of a joke, scenario, or story, the success of a specific show or specific entertainer will be low. By adding "hidden" sexual innuendos in traditional children's entertainment, the producers attempt to appeal parents, who watching the show or movie because it is "appropriate" for their children. Because sex is relatable to the parents and not the children, the adults pick up on the subtle, sexual references and jokes disguised in children's entertainment. Sex can also be sold and consumed in the entertainment industry obviously as well. In movies, such as Magic Mike and Burlesque, sex is the obvious theme. Without sex or sex appeal, neither of those movies would exist. Sex-based films provide an alternate reality and a fulfillment of fantasies. Sex can fulfill many desires within the entertainment industry. It can provide comedic relief or escape from reality. Either was, the capitalization of sex and its complementary parts, is one of the major foundations of the success of the entertainment industry.
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