Recently, the media has been going crazy over a publicity mishap with GQ magazine and the cast members of popular Fox tv series, Glee. For those not familiar, the show is a fictional depiction of a High School Glee club composed of some incredibly talented young adults. The show is corky, witty, and anything but PG13, which is exactly what makes this controversy so very interesting.
Apparently, photos released from the upcoming GQ issue depict scantly clad female leads Leah Michelle and Dianna Argon posing seductively in what appears to be the halls of a High School. The suggestive attire and overall image messages have left quite a buzz trail. They’ve been criticized by the likes of The Parents Television Council, gossip king Perez Hilton, and even news anchor Katie Curic, all of which have claimed to be incredibly disappointed. In fact, The Parents Television Council declared the shots to be borderline “Pedophilia,” further stating, “the creators of the program have established their intentions on the show's direction, and it isn't good for families." (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/20/parents-group-calls-glee-_n_770295.html)
In reply, both GQ and actress Dianna Argon defended their actions with public statements and blog posts. GQ protested that the show is racy in and of itself and these actresses are indeed grown adults, not the high schoolers they play on TV. As for Dianna, she apologized for anyone that misinterpreted her intentions. She also admitted that she didn’t personally like the idea to begin with, but then reminded herself that she’s just playing a character and doing a job she’s so very blessed to do. Neither source fully admitted to be in the wrong. Dianna even questioned wittingly, “if your eight-year-old has a copy of our GQ cover in hand, again I am sorry. But I would have to ask, how on earth did it get there?”
The truth of the matter is entertainment and entertainers love to push the limits. It’s part of what makes them so darn entertaining. They thrive on these sorts of media explosions simply because of their ability to cultivate more fans, more viewers, and ultimately, more money. Ever heard the saying there’s no such thing as bad publicity? I can’t pronounce I entirely agree with this statement, but I do agree with the fact that pushing the envelope a little gets people to stand up and take notice.
I will assert, however, that publicity should never intentionally hurt another individual or go against mainstream society’s ethical code. In my eyes, the GQ shots do neither. Yes, these images are pretty darn sexy, but so were those of Marilyn Monroe in her flowing white dress. If you are a parent and unhappy with the message media is sending, tell you children you don’t like what you see. Be a good role model yourself. I can almost guarantee that children will emulate their parents and people they actually know, more so than a celebrity, but ONLY if they have a solid role model in front of them leading the way.
To be blunt, entertainers aren’t going to stop pushing buttons anytime soon. It’s the nature of the beast. (Read more about this topic). Getting stirred up over a racy photos, and publishing a press release, is exactly the reaction publication is going for and really not going to make worried viewers any better off. So laugh, look the other way, or shrug it off. It was only meant to arouse a little hype anyway and it will all be forgotten by tomorrow.
It bothers me that people expect actors in their 20s and, even sometimes, their 30s to play high school characters and still maintain such an image in their personal life and other portrayals of themselves to the media. Both Dianna and Lea are grown women in their 20s, they should in no way be expected to maintain the same image of their high school, FICTIONAL counterparts on Glee. It's absolutely absurd. And, besides, what 12-year-olds read GQ, anyway?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 100%. Parents being the better role model for their children is much more effective than idolizing celebrity and emulating them. It's true - both actresses are fully grown women who have every right to participate in raunchy magazine photo shoots if that's what they want to do. I think that that show has already pushed so many buttons in terms of its content - personally, I love that Glee talks about homophobia, disabilities, and abstinence. Honestly, the GQ cover, and the show even, is not driven towards under-12s; the fact that it still drums up so much attention in regards to that age group is just kind of amusing at this point.
ReplyDeleteThe irony behind this whole is lies in the apparent hypocrisy of the majority of American parents. They claim that these images will damage their children, yet they themselves buy these magazines for the racy pictures and the adult content of the articles. These parents need to get off their high horses and think about what they care to indulge in for their weekend reading.
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