I skimmed over the boards and surprisingly I didn't find a thread on this, but if I missed it, I'm sorry.
I was even more surprised last night, when in a drunken stupor I saw that VH-1 named Oprah Winfrey the greatest pop Icon of all time. These lists they come up with are always a little south of shit, but this I found really mind boggling. Now I will admit to being retarded when it comes to contemporary pop culture, but am I this far gone?
First of all, Oprah has a limited appeal, predominately housewives, mainly between the ages of 35-60. Not exactly a 'we've got pop' demographic. It's an important demographic that has power in many issues. Yet "POP", for some reason, never has come to mind when I think about Aunt Betty and her homemade bread.
Secondly, I've always thought of pop icons as those who define a place in time, or voices of a generation (I use that term loosely.) When I think of the 50's I'll think of Elvis, when I think of 60's I'll think of the Beatles or the Rolling Stones. When I think of Oprah's time period of the late 80's through today. I'll think of Kurt Cobain, Michael Jackson. Expanding beyond the scope of the arts, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Mark McGwire. Eventually I'll get to Oprah, but I may exceed the amount of characters allowed on this board. Again, maybe a voice for the female half of the aging baby boom generation. Okay, read that again and say... NUMBER 1!!!
Successful yes! She's a successful businesswomen, she's done movies, TV shows, she's done a lot of nice charity work, and she defined the art of the BINGE and PURGE diet. But if the measuring stick was success, wouldn't Bill Gates far exceed Oprah?
(edited by Nag on 27.7.03 1557) "Greg be working", said the Arab mockingly, as he wiggled his toes above the plumbers...crack. Greg was well aware that his wife was having an affair with this foreign man. But, Greg kept working, as per his probation.
The Guzzi Room project 1 2 and 3 1995-2002--With love always
Yet another reason not to take VH1 and their stupid Top-whatever lists seriously. When I think "pop icon", Ben Affleck and Reese Witherspoon sure as hell don't come to mind.
Well, certainly Oprah is more iconic than a bunch of nobodies like The Beatles, Elvis Presley and Superman, isn't she? I saw the whole list - it seemed like they came up with 200 entries and then randomly picked them out of a hat. Very odd.
And Super Mario isn't even on the list! Blasphemy!
They said the process was basically just a small group talking about it over coffee. Given the number of shows about lists and such that VH-1 is crapping out these days, I think they've figured out that they can throw these things together in about 15 minutes, produce a show, and enough people will watch to justify the exercise. Why spend more time?
Also, I'm guessing that since Oprah was number one, the small group was probably made up predominantly with women in the age group the 35-60 age group that Nag described.
Everything that is wrong in this world can be blamed on Freddie Prinze Jr.
Is Oprah even the biggest icon in Chicago? I would've figured it was Michael Jordan. Some of the other top choices were pretty good, Elvis, Superman, Mickey Mouse, Beatles. But then there were others that I don't think are close like Friends. I mean I know it's hugely popular and successful but it was ahead of the Brady Bunch, the Simpsons, and Bill Cosby. Friends is close though, but Seinfeld!? Doesn't even deserve to be in the same sentence. And don't even get me started on Jennifer Lopez being ahead of Muhammed Ali, Bill Cosby, Johnny Carson, Frank Sinatra or even Britney Spears.
And why is there such a big gap between Tupac and Cobain? Aren't they basically the same thing except that Tupac didn't wuss out of life and shoot himself but got shot by somebody else instead. Maybe Kurt shooting himself is "tragic" to so many people, but I just say he's a loser.
Alright I know all lists are debatable - but this one is beyond that....I mean seriously....
I may be biased because I am a huge fan of his work, but you're telling me Bob Marley comes in around 183 and the next three "icons" ahead of him are Winona Rider, Kojak, and Reese Witherspoon??
The same Bob Marley who is the symbol of peace, unity, and reggae is less of an icon than Reese Witherspoon, who's big contribution to pop culture is being in some stalker movie with Marky Mark (and of course the Legally Blonde series). Yea, OK.
Bob personifies a whole culture of people, and is forever immortalized whenever we see, hear, or even think of anything Jamaican or Rastafarian. But I guess he never carried a chihuahua around in his pink purse. Ah well.
Bottom line, yes the lists are subjective, but this one is so bad it deserved a little mini-rant by me. And there's so many more injustices of course, this is just my personal "favorite".
Edit: The list is at vh1.com - I suck with linking, but either somebody will help ya out - otherwise it's pretty easy to find on their main page
Elvis should win any list that is pop icon. He set all the standards broke all the rules and is known worldwide and will be forever. That is a pop icon. If you say Oprah in some third world country odds are they dont know what the hell you said but Elvis is Elvis.
The Beatles were beaten by THE CAST OF FRIENDS????????????
THE CAST OF FRIENDS?????????????????
Yeah, because, you know, the cast of friends revolutionized music, fashion, were the greatest band EVER, changed the way rock stars were viewed, completely overhauled themselves and went from being happy-go-lucky pop to the best band around.
Right. That's the cast of Friends. You betcha.
I think I'll go move to Canada now.
I know what you're thinking--hey, that guy stole my shoes!
I already stated that Steve Austin should've been on the list.
The Beatles should've been ahead of the cast of Friends. Hell, they should've been in the top 2.
Oprah should'nt be at #1.
But the thing that annoyed me about this special was that when they interviewed someone, they then would cut to the interviewee laughing and making weird faces. That got real annoying.
If there was a positive, it was that they didn't have Hal Sparks make comments after every "Icon."
(edited by tomvejada on 28.7.03 0505) "Oh my God, Brian, there's a message in my Alphabits! It says, 'Oooooo!'" Peter Griffin "Peter, those are Cheerios." Brian
Like Jericho said on Confidential last week. Oprah the biggest scam artist in America LoL... Didn't she star and push hard for the movie Beloved in 98 and it bombed huge
cause there's limits to our liberties. 'Least I hope and pray that there are, cause those liberal freaks go too far.
I'll crush all opposition to me And I'll make Ted Kennedy pay If he fights back, I'll say that he's gay
-FurryHippie is totally right, I read an article a few years back and Bob Marley is the most recognizable pop figure in the world today, bigger then Michael Jackson surprisingly.
-If your just looking at the U.S. I don't think you get any bigger then Elvis. The man is figgin immortal, people flock to Graceland like it's Bethlehem, and spends millions on merchandise. Whole cults have sprung up declaring he is still alive and he will one day pop out of the woodwork. Now that's a goddamn icon if there ever was one.
-Kurt Cobain and 2Pac, I think are both overrated as far as influence. Yet, I was young enough at the time to believe the hype surrounding both of there deaths; I remember the Monday mornings back to school after both of there deaths, and I will say thier deaths were handled so good by the media that both belong back to back in the top ten based on that alone. If both were still alive today? 2pac wouldn't have cracked the top 200, and *NIRVANA* would have been like at 160.
-Friends, well I hate to say it, but they got a RABID following. One in which I didn't realize until last year when I was in class. My professor asks, "Why is NBC canceling friends."
Humorously, I yell out, "Because they suck." In which every preppy white girl in that class turns around and gives me the look of death, I was half tempted to call out for a police escort. I never knew a yuppie commune had that much influence.
"Greg be working", said the Arab mockingly, as he wiggled his toes above the plumbers...crack. Greg was well aware that his wife was having an affair with this foreign man. But, Greg kept working, as per his probation.
The Guzzi Room project 1 2 and 3 1995-2002--With love always
Originally posted by Net Hack SlasherLike Jericho said on Confidential last week. Oprah the biggest scam artist in America LoL... Didn't she star and push hard for the movie Beloved in 98 and it bombed huge
Originally posted by FurryHippieI may be biased because I am a huge fan of his work, but you're telling me Bob Marley comes in around 183 and the next three "icons" ahead of him are Winona Rider, Kojak, and Reese Witherspoon??
I'd hate to imagine your reaction when Britney came in at 20. What has she done other than arguably start one of the worst periods in music ever?
Originally posted by FurryHippieI may be biased because I am a huge fan of his work, but you're telling me Bob Marley comes in around 183 and the next three "icons" ahead of him are Winona Rider, Kojak, and Reese Witherspoon??
I'd hate to imagine your reaction when Britney came in at 20. What has she done other than arguably start one of the worst periods in music ever?
Proclaim one of the most unconvincing virginity arguments ever?
This is the worst list ever. And I've seen ten epiosdes of RANK.
(edited by AngryJohnny on 28.7.03 0137)
Cast in the Name of God Ye Not Guilty
Clowns and maniacs are not encouraged to mingle. The spirit of Panda Mask lives in us all.
And list that contains Katie Couric in the top 200 of anything should be summarily discredited.
Other point: how did The Rock skim onto the list, but not Hogan? If it were not for what Hogan did in the mid-80s with all of the crossover appeal there could never have been a Rock...
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." - Ben Franklin, 1759
Page 2 saves the day again with a nice little compilation of over/underrated icons of the list... Click Here (espn.go.com) I thought Elvis would've been the perenial american pop icon...but i guess the peeps at VH-1 know better...yeah right.
This list is doing exactly what VH1 wanted it to do - it's making people watch the show, hit the website and talk about it by the office water cooler - right or wrong, it gets people to see and say - VH1
(edited by dunkndollaz on 29.7.03 1445) 5 Time 5 Time 5 Time 5 Time 5 Time Wiener of the Day Runner-up
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