Conclusion? (My oral presentation)

There is no real conclusion to this project there are so many different directions and new arguments that can take this project into different directions.


So I will sum up what I learned.

Many Icons had untimely deaths like Marilyn Monroe, Micheal Jackson, John Lennon and many others I did not get the chance to research like James Dean. The media seems to idolize celebrities when they die before their time. For example, Marilyn died at the age of 37 in 1962,but she is more recognized then Liz Taylor who is still living. She is worth more dead than she was alive. Same goes for Michael Jackson and Elvis.

My Bono vs Don Cherry Theory, is that people don't take Bono seriously because he is a multimillionaire rock star and he should just stick to music and donate the money himself.
People like Don Cherry because he tells it like it is and isn't afraid to be out spoken. Also I think people are annoyed at Bono because he is pointing the finger at them to do something about poverty, it is like he is criticising them for not doing anything. While Don Cherry bashes hockey players or politicians, people like to watch other people get criticized.

Finally most cartoon icons have persona's that people can connect with, like Bugs as a persona with dry wit or Homer Simpson with his stereotypical average American character.

But whatever the reason we have Pop Icons, the media is the driving force that makes them.
The media coverage on a certain celebrity makes them idolized and therefore a pop icon.

BONO

Bono (Paul David Hewson) was born in Dublin Ireland May 10, 1960. He is the lead singer of one of the most popular bands U2. He writes most of the lyrics to U2’s songs using religion, political, and social themes. One of U2’s most popular; “Pride in the Name of Love” was written for the late Martin Luther King. The lyric “Early evening April 4, shot rings out in the Memphis sky, free at last, they took your life, they could not take your pride,” is reference to the day that Martin Luther got assassinated. Along with his great music career Bono is a big humanitarian and activist when it comes to Africa. He runs many organizations to raise money to help starving and sick people in Africa and other 3rd world countries. He runs the ONE Campaign, DATA, EDUN and Project Red. He has also meet with many politicians like George Bush and even meet Pope John Paul the 2nd, ( he usually wears a rosary which the Pope gave him) People either love him or hate him, but he always portrays himself as having a big ego but using his star status in helping others. He will always speak out for what he believes in.

What I never understood was why people don’t like him? He wants to help the poor and sick in underdeveloped countries so why do people hate him.
On Google I found an article about a petition that wants Bono to retire, they raised $400 in 2005 to get Bono to retire as a media figure and stop speaking out for AIDS in Africa. People are annoyed by him and want him to stop doing the Africa campaigning and donate himself because he’s a multimillionaire. Well in my view I think that’s kind of harsh, but that’s what some people think. I guess because of his status of being a rock star makes people feel that he should just play his music and shut up about political business. But he is using his star power to get across his millions of fans and get more people involved in helping others less fortunate in the world.

Bono is known as a pop icon because of the great achievements he and his band U2 have made throughout the years and also the image he portrays himself he isn’t afraid to say what he believes in, and his lyrics reflect that. He uses his status power to get the message across to his fans and people across the world. At his Zoo TV Tour in 92/93 he made three on stage personas, The Fly, Mirror Ball Man, and Mr. Macphisto. In one on stage performance he is Mr. Macphisto, a devil who is a retired rock star, his speech was a humoristic sarcastic view of the world with a lot of irony.

This is his big speech which he did at the U2 concert in Sydney in 1993.

Look what you've done to me..... you've made me very famous, and I thank you. I know you like your pop stars to be exciting, so I bought these (gestures to his shoes). Now, my time among you is almost at an end; the glory of Zoo TV must ascend and take its place with all the other satellites. Don't fear, for I will be watching you. I leave behind video cameras for each of you. So many listening tonight, I have a list... People of America, I gave you Bill Clinton—I put him on CNN, NBC, C-SPAN. Too tall to be a despot, but watch him closely. People of Asia, your time is coming—without your tiny transistors, none of this [gestures to Zoo TV stage set] would be possible. People of Europe—when I came among you, you were squabbling like children. Now you're all hooked up to one cable, as close together as stations on a dial. People of the former Soviet Union—I gave you capitalism, so now you can all dream of being as wealthy and glamorous as me.
People of Sarajevo, count your blessings... There are people all over the world who have food, heat and security, but they're not on TV like you are. Frank Sinatra, I give you the MTV demographic; Salman Rushdie, I give you decibels. Goodbye "Squidgy," I hope they give you Wales; goodbye Michael. Goodbye all you neo-nazis, I hope they give you Auschwitz.

Video of the speech.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJQQFxzYWFc

I was just thinking

Well all know the Beatles were the first band to be exported from England and have their music played in the USA. They shocked people in the sixties their their long hair(yeah the bowl cut was concidered long in the 60's). But that open the door for the Rolling Stones who were even more out there then the Beatles. Then came Frank Zappa in 1966 with his debute Album "Freak Out". He had long unkept hair, unshaven, he had more of the 70's psychedelic look. So the Beatles came out first with the longer hair. the the Stones had even longer hair n looked a little less sophisticated then the Beatles,and then Frank Zappa came with his sloppy look. But When the Beatles last Album "Abbey Road" came out, George and Lennon are sporting long hair and facial hair. It seems the leaders of the trend became the followers in the end.

Don Cherry

Don Stewart Cherry a Canadian hockey commentator voted "Greatest Canadian." Oh and he's the dude with the weird suits. He was born Febuary 5th,1934. In his earlier days he was a Hockey Player and couch, later on he became a hockey commentator running the intermission segment "Hockey Night in Canada".

But through his television career of being a TV personality, He sparked a lot of controversy. In 2004 when he was asked about helmet visors he stated that "Most guys that wear them are European and French guys," this showed that he was claiming that players that wear visors have less respect on the ice then men who don't wear them. This triggered a federal investigation of the official language commissioner and french Canadians protested. But in a research study it did show that mostly french and europeans players wear the visors. Don Cherry spoke out against Alex Ovechkin for celebrating after he does a goal. He says he wants to teach the kids the Canadian way of celebrating a goal and not act like "those goofey soccer guys." People found that ridiculous how he can rant and rave about how a player should act after scoring a goal. It is also predijuce against soccer players, making them sound less manly than a Canadian Hockey player.

But he doesn't only make controversy in sports commentating but also in politics. In 2003 he made a statement for his support of the Iraq invasion,"You have to realize the CBC is government owned, You have to say the government was against the invasion of Iraq and I'm for it and I'm on a government program."

He says a lot of controvesail comments and doesn't care who is offended. But he's still voted "Greatest Canadian." Why??

To figure out why people love Don Cherry I went on his Facebook fansite

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&viewas=0&gid=2215190246

Most of his fans find him awesome because of his suits and critism towards players. They also love him for his support for the Canadian troops. Fans of hockey love his respect of the game and veteran players. But most of the fans love his tell it like it is attitude.

But I think the reason is people love controversial figures that hold importance in the media. They love the out spokeness and how the public will react.

Don Cherry on Ovechkin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wPkX3gLiEA

Bonnie and Clyde

Bonnie and Clyde are two well known bank robbers from the 1930's who caputred the American public's attention in the the newspapers when the readership was high for the Public Enemie era(1931-1934). Clyde Chestnut Barrow was born March 4, 1909 and died at the age of 25 on May 23, 1934. Bonnie Elizabeth Parker was born October 1 , 1910 and died with Cylde at the age of 23.

They were iconic because they weren't criminal masterminds, they weren't even reliable criminals and their reign of terror was more of a reign of erroes. They were misfits, but the media made them seem like they were the most experienced young bank robbers of the time. Also through a gag picture for the press, Bonnie was portrayed as a cigar chain smoking gun mole, even though she never fired a shot and only smoked cigerettes.That made them icons, because fans of theirs loved the idea of being young rebels sticking it to banks and cops.

Of course when they died from being ambushed by the Lousiana law force,they still remained popular, novels and books were made of the young criminals lives.

Icons who inspired other icons

James brown inspired Michael Jackson

Micheal Jackson stated that he would be woken up by his mom late at night when he was a young kid to watch his idol dance, sing and perform on stage. MJ was inspired to be great like James Brown as an entertainment and performer.

New Icons pushing older icons limits
Marilyn was a glamorous, beautiful and stylish women, then along came Madonna who took it a step further and now we have Lady Gaga taking it even more further with her futuristic out of this world outfits.

Marilyn Monroe VS Elizabeth Taylor: Did Marilyn's death make her more interesting?

Thanks to an article from Phil Vitone, I read an interesting article about Marilyn and Elizabeth Taylor. They were competing against each other on the big screen, they were both beauties. But Liz Taylor was the one viewed as more classy and sophisticated even though she was 6 years younger than Marilyn. Liz Taylor is still alive but it seems that Marilyn's name is heard more than Taylor's.Why is that?

Well the theories are death is a celebrities best friend. When Marilyn died she had only a couple of thousands to her name. But 50 years after her death, her estate earned 8 million a year for the use of her name and image.

Why do you think people are more interested in celebrities that are dead? Why do we become obsessed with an image of what they were in life?

I think it is the media that keep hammering down on the subject of a celebrity, and exploiting their death to the general public that makes them more appealing to us. It doesn't matter whose the better actress ( I saw Cleopatra and Liz was the better actor in my view) or who carried themselves better in public. Its about how much exposure you get from the media. Like Paris Hilton, she is a girl whose rich because of her parents. She has done nothing for society, but a sex tap leaked on the Internet has made her a celebrity because of the media always exploiting her, following her bad girl days. But know that she is quiet and away from the limelight it seems that she's not a celebrity anymore. That's why celebrities best friends is controversy and sadly their deaths.

Marilyn Monroe


Marilyn Monroe, we all know her name and iconic face in pictures. She was known as the 50’s sex symbol and personified Hollywood glamour. Marilyn was born June 1, 1929, her real name was Norman Jean Mortensen Baker. She was a model who was on the cover of the very first Playboy. She was a singer, who sang ‘Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” in her movie “Gentlemen Prefer Blonds” And of course her infamous Happy Birthday to the president JFK. Finally she was an actress whose films gave her the persona of “dumb blond” that made her all the more popular in her era. People portrayed her as the real life Barbie doll, because of her beauty and fashion. And of course who can forget her iconic white dress pose, where she’s standing over a vent in a white halter dress.
Though she lived a life of fame that we all wished we had, she wasn’t happy, her mother was ill, she had failed relationships, and she took drugs and had a sex scandal that linked her with president JFK and his brother Robert. She was found dead in her bed August 5, 1962 at the age of 37, from poising. There has been many different theories about her death, suicide, Mafia, and a conspiracy with JFK and Robert Kennedy.
But no matter her faults she still remains an icon to pop culture. With her beauty, fashion, personification of Hollywood Glamour and her scandalous death, which has made her more popular and therefore an icon. Even Elton John composed a song about her called “Candle in the Wind”. Warhol based many paintings on the same photograph of her, which was a publicity still for the 1953 movie Niagara.

We are still fascinated by the girl from humble beginnings who became a celebrity almost overnight, and who associated with too many important people that resulted in a tragic death, that to this very day has never been solved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4SLSlSmW74

The Famous Happy Birthday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uvux60fqNU8

Elton John - Candle in the Wind

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Bugs Bunny

Bugs Bunny is a cleaver cartoon rabbit owned by Warner Brothers. He shares the Honor of being the Greatest Cartoon with Mickey Mouse. He was created by Tex Avery and Robert McKimson in 1940 and starred in 163 shorts, in what they called the Golden Age of Animation, which started in 1928 to the middle of the 1940's. He has 3 main catchphrases. " Eh what's up doc?" when he pulls out a carrot and greets someone. " Aren't I a stinker" when he beats one of his enemies. Finally the most popular "of course you know this means war!" when he wants to get back at his adversaries.

Bugs bunny was the official face of Kingman Army Air Field, Kingman, Arizona, where thousands of aerial gunners were trained during World War II.And most recently he became the official mascot for 6 Six flags.

Audiences love his comedic humour and smart- aleck ways. He is charming and has dry wit. He also has cleaver ways of getting even with people who challenge him. His ability to win every confrontation with Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam with his wit and humour keep audiences young and old entertained and attracted to his character. His character can be associated with anyone you know with a dry wit and cleaver mind.

Homer Simpson

D'OH! We all know the character who says that out of anger,stupidity and grief. Homer Simpons first appeared on TV with his family on April 19, 1987. On the Tracy Ullman show short "Good Night." The character of Homer represents the stereotyped image of a middle class working American. He is one of the most influential cartoon characters, he was even named one of the Greatest Comic Creations.

His catchphrase D'oh was even included in the New Oxford Dictionary of English since 1998.

So why is an overweight, lazy, ignorant and rude middle age man such a icon?

well, we love his stupidity, we love that when the chips are down he always gets back up. And he is always there for his family, even at times that he doesn't show that he cares. Even though he fails at being a good father, he always tries to do what is right for his kids. Another reason is that we connect with Homer. We all feel like saying D'oh when we do something stupid. Also he embodies a lot of american culture. Finally a negative point, it is said that children who are over weight have the Homer Syndrom.

Here's a youtube video of Homer at his dumb moment lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dJ-kXKrxCI

The Beatles

Band mates Paul, John, George and Ringo (who later joined the group in 1962) changed the face of rock in the 1960"s with "The Beatles."
Their first single "Love Me Do," was a mainstream success in the UK in 1962. From there Bealtemania erupted, and when they sang on the Ed Sullivan show with their bowl cut hair and suits it created a great hysteria amongst the general public, especially young girls.

They were the first band to have their music reach an American audience and preformed on the Ed Sullivan show, this created the "British Invasion" in 1964.

For ten years they created new sounds n songs and broke up in 1970 with their album Abbey Road. Since then John Lennon was gunned down in front of his home on December 8th 1980. George died in 2001 losing his battle with throat cancer, which was caused by his smoking in the 60's.

To this day The Bealtes music still reaches audiences and we are still fascinated with the four boys from Liverpool. In 2007 a movie based on their music was made called "Across the Universe". And recently the Wii game Band Hero made a special edition Beatles Band Hero game, which Ringo and Paul are helping promote. And Finally a box set of all 13 albums remastered is being sold

My ideas keep evolving

It amazes me how much new ideas come to my mind when I am doing my project. It just goes to show that there are is no conclusions, something new will come along and take your ideas in different directions.

While researching Bono an idea came to mind. Bono a humanitarian, activist rock star, trying to do good for people in third world countries is hated and trashed talked about on blogs sites and on Youtube. But he is a icon non the less, he has achieved greatness with his band U2 and no other can replicate their sound.

Then we have Don Cherry, who was recently voted Greatest Canadian. But he is a very contriversail figure. Some of the comments he has made were viewed as rude and racial. But he was voted "Greatest Canadian???" why is that.

I will visite blog sites and message boards to check out what people are saying and why they like or dislike these two iconic figures.

Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon favorite and a pop icon. He is a fictional character created by the famous Walt Disney in 1928. He became iconic in one of his first short films “Steamboat Willie,” which was released November 18, 1928. It was very popular because it was the first synchronized sound cartoon. He is a well known cartoon character, just by the silhouette of his head. This year on November 18th, marked 75 years that Mickey Mouse has become a pop icon and Disney are making an 18 month celebration which began with the unveiling of a 700 pound 6 foot tall Mickey Mouse statue. Mickey is loved by many children and parents (grownups become children) because Walt Disney created a character with such a personality that can take us on many adventures. You can dress him up as a pirate and he can take you on an adventure to the 7 seas, or you can dress him up as Peter Pan and he can take you to Neverland. He can be anything you want, you can make him Parisian or Italian. He is recognized worldwide and loved by most people. Mickey Mouse is one of the most versatile cartoon character ever made, and he cannot be replicated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEEaT_UQnVM

Michael Jackson


Michael Jackson is the King of Pop and a very big pop icon. We all know his name and what he contributed to the music industry, primarily in pop music. His Album “Thriller” still remains to be the best selling album, selling 42,537,000 to date. He was very influential in the entertainment business, wowing millions of crowds around the world in concert. He was the first black man to land a music video on MTV. His imagination in his music and visually in videos made people even more attracted to him. And to this very day we still try to copy his dance moves.
He had a childlike innocence to him; he himself even said a lot of his ideas came from children. He even said in an Oprah interview that he got the idea for the moonwalk from some kids dancing in the Ghettos. He was also inducted in the Guinness World Book of Records for supporting the most Charity organizations.
Unfortunately with his popularity came a lot of celebrity gossip and pain in his life. He was accused of child molestation, underwent plastic surgery that altered him dramatically, and had a prescription drug addiction. It seemed that the media were printing more bad about him then good. Yet in some odd way his controversial private life made the public even more attracted to him. It seemed the more juicy gossip printed by the media, made him more popular and overshadowed his work in music and the good he did for charities.
Through his music, dance, and videos he communicated his passion for dance, beat and the power of imagination. He brought people into his magical world and told stories through his music. His music videos like “Thriller are like mini movies, Taking audiences into different worlds along with his music. He influenced many other musicians like Justin Timberlake, and Britney Spears, and many others. You can note certain dance styles and music beats in their work that reflect M.J.
I think the biggest reason he’s a pop icon is that he can still reach a big audience throughout the years and in the future. When he died all his music got re-released and I saw many young children run to grab a CD and beg their parents to buy it for them. His music is still popular to this day, and I find it amazing when I see young children attempting to do the moonwalk. This is why I think he’s a pop icon, because he left his mark in pop music making him the King of Pop. His music will always be influential to other artists and entertainment to audiences everywhere.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIkDKPzJuBc

My thought process

Hey everyone,

It's been a long fall semester this year at Dawson and a lot of projects had to be done. But my communications project really got me thinking.

Pop Icons. what are they?

Well according to Wikipedia Pop Icons are: A celebrity whose fame in pop culture constitutes a defining characteristic of a given society or era.

So I set out to find who the big pop icons are and what makes them icons.

First I wanted to do my project on Bono and Michael Jackson. So I posted my ideas on Ning.

I got a lot of great feedback on Ning by fellow classmates. Through this feedback I changed my idea to 3 groups of icons.

Positive icons

Bono

Michael Jackson

Marilyn Monroe

The Beatles

Negative icons

Bonnie and Clyde

Don Cherry

Fictional

Mickey Mouse

Bug Bunny

Homer Simpson

I started thinking about it more and decided to do my oral project on Bono and Don Cherry.

Bono is a activist and a humanitarian. He does good for the world by helping the poverty in Africa. But people hate him. Why is that?

Don Cherry is a controversial critic, but he is loved and popular especially with canadians. Why?

Why do people like someone who should be disliked and dislike someone who should be liked?

That's what I'm setting out to find out in my project.

I will also post blogs on other pop icons I did research on.

Well I'll be back soon with more information.

Bye for now,

Lucie