you know you’re old when …
Posted by popkitchen | Filed under popcult
Whoever loves pop culture is teenager forever. You agree?
In this love, the proclivity towards artifacts dealing with this part of life takes a special place. Both those considered supercool (Juno, Breakfast Club, My So-Called Life) and those less publicaly approved, yet accepted in the form of guilty pleasure (Dawson’s Creek, Gossip Girl, old and new 90210). Long Live High School! In TV shows forever.
If a person grew along MTV, even at a time when something called Alternative Nation existed, he/she sometimes has to glance at what is going on there, as Britney and Avril still have a song that is good and no one is immune to trash attraction of reality shows such as The Hills or My Sweet Sixteen. At least for 15 minutes. All in name of general culture.
Yet, fast living and daily obligations are taking its toll.
Year ago I was walking with this German girl in the store in the centre of London, called HMV, where she was looking at DVDs, deciding on which to buy (I don’t purchase DVDs, I firmly believe in torrents). Taking one from the shelf, showing it, she says “I can’t stand High School Musical”. High School … what? It already has three parts, it takes a half of the store and I have no idea what that is. Later I learnt that this is some Disney crap, still it elluded me, Jesus, I used to organize movie marathons with Freddy Prinze Junior.
Several months later on my graduate course, a professor gave us a task to conduct a mini-research on a fan forum.I am thinking to myself “Lost, conspiracy theories, spoilers, people without life, stalking Damon Lindelof on his way to work - perfect”. A classmate suggests Rebelde. Re…what?
Series and music group, plus a million endorsment deals. There is a video, circling around YouTube, claiming that Rebelde are satanists. Kids are participating in “the biggest fan” contents. A girl, who owns Rebelde car wins. A world tour, 10.000 teenagers scraming in Belgrade this september.
London again, few weeks ago. Walking down Southbank, we meet a group of girls in school uniforms, screaming their lungs out like it is 1964 and John and Paul decided to take a walk. Leaning on the railing, climbing on each other’s head, sticking their autograph pads. Who deserves this attention? We approach the fence. “Could you tell us who is it you are screaming after?”. “Jonas brothers” one of them answered. Jonas … What the hell, I am officially old. I give up this game.
Originally published on citymagazine blog.
Tags: high school, pop culture, teen culture
November 6th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
i saw the first HSM and know a few songs. i even danced to it in my hall. but that’s the end of it. i only know one jonas brothers song. rebelde never made a blip on my pop culture radar. what’s wrong with growing old anyway?
November 7th, 2008 at 1:03 am
Nothing. Lou Reed said about Velvet Underground “This music is for grown up people”.
Way cooler than teen pop:)
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October 4th, 2009 at 11:42 am
rbd eren lo mehores
October 19th, 2009 at 8:58 am
uapos
January 18th, 2010 at 3:37 pm
Well it is not necessary so all to throw. All at you still ahead. Пусьб it and not the high school