Friday, April 6 2012
Not Gonna Lie: ‘The Hunger Games’, Twitter, and Reverse Victimization
Would it matter at all if Katniss Everdeen, a white teenager in the book The Hunger Games, had been portrayed in the film by a suitably teenage and female, black actor? For the young racists who have gone berserk on Twitter about the supporting character Rue being portrayed by an African-American actor, apparently the answer is yes.
Monday, January 30 2012
Data Self Redux
I think the logical extension of the data self -- the self that is secure with itself only to the extent that it is constituted in social media as manipulatable data -- will be for Twitter to come preloaded with plausible friends, Facebook preloaded with life experiences, or at least preordained slots of experiences a user is supposed to have.
Tuesday, October 4 2011
‘All Star Western’ Is at Home, Back East
In a longstanding tradition of using company-wide shakeups to offer a new and engaging visions of Jonah Hex, All Star Western offers perhaps the sincerest reboot of the entire New 52 run.
Thursday, September 15 2011
Stop Tweeting Sh%! and Buy This
They say art imitates life, but so does advertising. What does that mean when we live our lives online?
Friday, July 29 2011
Ashton Kutcher vs. The Village Voice: Looking for Real Men on the Internet
The feud between Ashton Kutcher and the Village Voice sparked a firestorm, and highlights a need for a greater understanding of sex trafficking -- and media representation of it -- across the board. How should the media and Hollywood approach this complicated subject?
Thursday, May 26 2011
When Superheroes Die
The death of Randy Poffo, aka Macho Man Randy Savage, once again revealed the dark history of professional wrestling. A history replete with drug abuse, murder and suicide. In this essay a writer and fan explores the varied reactions to Savage's death; a death which created more questions than answers.
