You've heard the old adage: "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar."
I suppose that's probably true, but wouldn't you catch the most flies with a steaming pile of shit?
Friday, April 24, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Be True To Yourself
I'll admit to being one of this season's 22 million American Idol viewers. It's good entertainment, isn't it? Song and "dance", with constant NASCAR disaster-wreck moments, and almost as fun to lampoon as campy sci-fi/horror flicks. Hell, sometimes there's even genuinely good singing.
One thing I cannot stand, however, is an anthem that crops up nigh-constantly in interviews with American youth today: "true to [your]self". For fuck's sake, what does that even mean? The phrase implies a uniqueness to everyone, and a greatness therein. The judges on AI (especially Paula) love this phrase, but so do the contestants, and hell, all reality show stars love this phrase.
"I felt like it was important, to like, stay true to myself, and like, show the world who I really am." All I'm hearing is "I'm inarticulate and will now subject you to verbal diarrhea." If what you wanted to say is that you wanted to make your municipality proud, that you wanted to brand a performance with your style, or that you are proud for keeping sight of your goal, fine. Please, for the love of my ears, just say so. Does Ms. Abdul want to tell an aspiring pop singer that their vocal style is distinctive? How about this: "Your. vocal. style. is. distinctive!"
You'll have to imagine the corners of her lips moving her smile only slightly, like a drunken amateur ventriloquist.
One thing I cannot stand, however, is an anthem that crops up nigh-constantly in interviews with American youth today: "true to [your]self". For fuck's sake, what does that even mean? The phrase implies a uniqueness to everyone, and a greatness therein. The judges on AI (especially Paula) love this phrase, but so do the contestants, and hell, all reality show stars love this phrase.
"I felt like it was important, to like, stay true to myself, and like, show the world who I really am." All I'm hearing is "I'm inarticulate and will now subject you to verbal diarrhea." If what you wanted to say is that you wanted to make your municipality proud, that you wanted to brand a performance with your style, or that you are proud for keeping sight of your goal, fine. Please, for the love of my ears, just say so. Does Ms. Abdul want to tell an aspiring pop singer that their vocal style is distinctive? How about this: "Your. vocal. style. is. distinctive!"
You'll have to imagine the corners of her lips moving her smile only slightly, like a drunken amateur ventriloquist.
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