Sunday, December 22, 2024
The most controversial U.S. magazine covers of 2024
Sex, religion, race and politics were factors in the most controversial U.S. magazine covers of 2024.
Of course, you could say that in practically any year. But this was a presidential election year, so sensitivities are heightened.
Beauty mogul and possibly retired singer Rihanna stirred up controversy with her spring 2024 cover photo for Interview magazine.
Rihanna wore a nun’s habit along with an unbuttoned blouse that showed off her sweaty cleavage. The sexy nun portrayal was criticized for being in bad taste.
(See articles by Fox News, ABC News and Parade.)
Actress Emma Corrin showed off her armpit hair for the cover of the June/July 2024 issue of Harper’s Bazaar. Social media commentators thought the look was unattractive.
(See article by People.)
Actress Kristen Stewart went viral for her gender-bending cover for the March issue of Rolling Stone magazine. The photo showed Stewart wearing a jock strap with her hand feeling her crotch.
(See articles by The Hollywood Reporter, Rolling Stone and Us Weekly.)
Singer, dancer and actress JoJo Siwa pulled a similar stunt with her cover photo for Ladygunn magazine in September.
She wore an all-gold sequined outfit that included a male chest plate and a jock strap with a prominent bulge.
(See articles by the Daily Mail, Parade, the Independent, PopCulture.com, New York Post, USA Today, Today and HuffPost.)
The March 28 issue of Denver’s Westword magazine caught flak for the cover art for its article on youth and crime. The illustration showed a young boy with blue skin and curly, black hair wearing a hoodie. The boy had a handgun in his backpack.
Critics argued that the illustration presented harmful stereotypes that demonize black youth.
(See articles by Denver’s 9News and Westword.)
New York magazine’s March 11 issue drew complaints for its cover story subtitled “The moral case for letting trans kids change their bodies.”
Critics said it was an attempt to normalize surgery for sexually confused youngsters.
(See article by R. Albert Mohler Jr.)
Speaking of the trans debate, conservatives slammed Forbes magazine for including transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney on the cover of its annual “30 Under 30” issue.
(See articles by the Daily Mail and the Blaze.)
New York magazine received criticism for a June cover story and illustration, which some said insulted Republican women with ridiculous stereotypes.
(See article by the Daily Wire.)
Time magazine named WNBA basketball star Caitlin Clark as its “Athlete of the Year.” Some haters claimed Clark, who is Caucasian, earned the title because of “white privilege.”
(See articles by Daily Mail, Daily Mail again and New York Post.)
Time magazine earned disapproval from conservatives for its fawning cover story on liberal presidential candidate Kamala Harris for the Aug. 26 issue.
(See articles by Fox News, Fox News again and New York Post.)
And finally, Time magazine upset leftists after naming President-elect Donald Trump its “Person of the Year” on its Dec. 30 cover.
(See articles by Sky News Australia, Daily Beast and Variety.)
Sunday, December 8, 2024
Physical halls of fame for sports gambling, poker, 16-inch softball
Here’s a look at some of the latest physical halls of fame I’ve found that you can visit. Some are just plaques on walls but that’s still a shrine to the best of the best in whatever field.
In North America, there are at least 550 halls and walks of fame that you can see in person.
Sports Gambling Hall of Fame
The Sports Gambling Hall of Fame honors individuals who have notably transformed the sports gambling industry.
The Sports Gambling Hall of Fame is located in the sportsbook of the Circa Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. It opened in August 2023.
Each inductee receives a plaque featuring their name, induction class year, and biography. The hall has had two induction classes so far – in 2023 and 2024.
The SGHOF induction ceremony takes place every August at Circa Las Vegas as the capstone event of Bet Bash.
Poker Hall of Fame
Elsewhere in Las Vegas is the Poker Hall of Fame. It is located in the Horseshoe Las Vegas, owned by Caesar’s Entertainment.
The current Poker Hall of Fame exhibit opened in July 2023 and features displays on inductees along with World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets and rings. WSOP manages the hall of fame.
The hall of fame exhibit previously was in the former Binion’s Gambling Hall and Hotel in Las Vegas.
16-Inch Softball Hall of Fame
The 16-Inch Softball Hall of Fame is located in Forest Park, Ill. The hall-of-fame museum tells the history of the Chicago-created sport of 16-inch softball and honors the best players, umpires, managers, organizers and teams. The museum opened in July 2014.
The sport is traditionally played without fielder’s gloves.
Space Camp Hall of Fame
The U.S. Space & Rocket Center education foundation established the Space Camp Hall of Fame to recognize the accomplishments of its Space Camp graduates and former employees.
The inductees are honored at the Hall of Fame Dinner, which marks the beginning of Space Camp Alumni Reunion Weekend.
Plaques featuring the inductees and their accomplishments are located in the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala.
Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame
The Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame was established in 1991 to honor sports greats from the western New York region. Recent inductees include NFL football player Rob Gronkowski and NHL hockey player Richard Brooks Orpik.
The Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame collection is located inside Dave & Adam’s Card World retail store in Williamsville, N.Y.
Related resources:
Halls of Fame in North America
Mascot Hall of Fame closing its doors (July 28, 2024)
Halls of fame for rhythm and blues, gospel music and more still hoping for physical homes (July 8, 2024)
Saturday, November 30, 2024
Virtual halls of fame: A roundup
The following is a roundup of virtual halls of fame, some of which I’ve covered on Tech-media-tainment. The list includes halls for business and industry, occupations, media and entertainment, sports, food and other endeavors.
These halls of fame don’t have a physical location and exist only online. Some of these halls have plans for physical locations, but they have yet to be realized.
This list excludes most U.S. regional halls of fame.
Business and industry
3D Printing Hall of Fame
Accounting Hall of Fame
Advertising Hall of Fame
Airlift/Tanker Association Hall of Fame
American National Business Hall of Fame
Association of Equipment Manufacturers Hall of Fame
Business Travel Hall of Fame
Carrier Dealer Hall of Fame
Computer Hall of Fame
Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame
Consumer Technology Hall of Fame
Convenience Store Hall of Fame
Cyber Security Hall of Fame
Entrepreneur Of The Year Hall of Fame
Fluid Power Hall of Fame
Franchise Hall of Fame
Gaming Hall of Fame
Geospatial Intelligence Hall of Fame
Global Business Hall of Fame
High-Performance Computer Architecture Hall of Fame
Hydro Hall of Fame
Interior Design Hall of Fame
International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Hall of Fame
Internet Hall of Fame
IP Hall of Fame
IT Hall of Fame
Jacuzzi Hall of Fame
Jewelry Retailer Hall of Fame
Kiosk Hall of Fame
Lighting Hall of Fame
Logistics Hall of Fame
Lottery Industry Hall of Fame
Marketing Hall of Fame
Meat Industry Hall of Fame
Military Intelligence Hall of Fame
National Marine Manufacturers Association Hall of Fame
National Optometry Hall of Fame
National Pork Producers Council Hall of Fame
Paper Industry International Hall of Fame
Plastics Hall of Fame
Process Automation Hall of Fame
Promotional Products Hall of Fame
PRWeek Hall of Fame
Refrigerated Food Hall of Fame
Rental Hall of Fame
Self Storage Hall of Fame
Space Technology Hall of Fame
Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Hall of Fame
Specialty Food Industry Hall of Fame
Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame
Sports Betting Hall of Fame
Sports Technology Hall of Fame
Tire Industry Hall of Fame
Toy Industry Hall of Fame
Visual Effects Society Hall of Fame
Water Industry Hall of Fame
Wireless Hall of Fame
World Floor Covering Association Hall of Fame
World Waterpark Association Hall of Fame
XR Hall of Fame
Occupations
American Association of Political Consultants Hall of Fame
Caddie Hall of Fame
Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame
Cattle Production Veterinarian Hall of Fame
Christmas Tree Growers Hall of Fame
Dermatology Hall of Fame
Evidence-Based Policing Hall of Fame
International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA) Truck Driver Hall of Fame
International Surfboard Builders Hall of Fame
Major League Baseball Groundskeepers Hall of Fame
National Private Truck Council (NPTC) Driver Hall of Fame.
Personal Managers Hall of Fame
Piano Teachers Hall of Fame
Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame
Truck Driver Hall of Fame
Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame
Food and drink
Barbecue Hall of Fame
Candy Hall of Fame
Hot Sauce Hall of Fame
International Hamburger Hall of Fame
Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame
Krystal Lovers Hall of Fame
Pizza Hall of Fame
Salami Hall of Fame
Vienna Beef Hot Dog Hall of Fame
Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame
White Castle Cravers Hall of Fame
Media and entertainment
Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame
American TV Game Show Hall of Fame
AVN (Adult Video News) Hall of Fame
Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame
Character Actor Hall of Fame
Comic-Con Museum Character Hall of Fame
Esports Insider Hall of Fame
Fictitious Athlete Hall of Fame
Final Draft Hall of Fame
National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Hall of Fame
National Sports Media Association Hall of Fame
XRCO (X-Rated Critics Organization) Hall of Fame
Music
Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame
Dance Music Hall of Fame
Decibel Hall of Fame
DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame
Fictitious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Funk Music Hall of Fame
Gospel Music Hall of Fame
Grammy Hall of Fame
Heavy Metal Hall of Fame
Hip Hop Hall of Fame
International Gospel Music Hall of Fame
International Latin Music Hall of Fame
International Polka Music Hall of Fame
Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame
Metal Hall of Fame
Music Business Hall of Fame
National Fiddler Hall of Fame
National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame
Opera Hall of Fame
Reggae Hall of Fame
Rockabilly Hall of Fame
SoundExchange Hall of Fame
Steel Guitar Hall of Fame
Ukulele Hall of Fame
Vocal Group Hall of Fame
Women Songwriters Hall of Fame
Sports
African American Golfers Hall of Fame
Canadian Curling Hall of Fame
Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame
Canadian Sailing Hall of Fame
Canadian Ski Hall of Fame
International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Hall of Fame
International Sports Hall of Fame
Latin American International Sports Hall of Fame
North American Flyball Association (NAFA) Hall of Fame
Rose Bowl Hall of Fame
Ultimate Hall of Fame
Wakeboarding Hall of Fame
Wheelchair Basketball Hall of Fame
Women Superstars Uncensored Hall of Fame
Miscellaneous
Adoption Hall of Fame
Affordable Housing Hall of Fame
America’s Clogging Hall of Fame
American Border Collie Association Hall of Fame
American Brace Beagling Hall of Fame
Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame
Asian Hall of Fame
Boating Safety Hall of Fame
Brand Hall of Fame
Clean Cities Hall of Fame
Clydesdale Hall of Fame
Combat Robot Hall of Fame
Fangoria Hall of Fame
Foosball Hall of Fame
Government Hall of Fame
Hooters Girl Hall of Fame
Hot Dog Eating Contest Hall of Fame
Immigrant Entrepreneur Hall of Fame
International Gladiolus Hall of Fame
Irish American Hall of Fame
Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour Hall of Fame
Mascot Hall of Fame
Model Car Hall of Fame
Mustache Hall of Fame
National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Hall of Fame
National Railroad Hall of Fame
National Speech & Debate Association Hall of Fame
Rail-Trail Hall of Fame
Sports Travel and Tours (STAT) Baseball Stadium Hall of Fame
Trivia Hall of Fame
U.S. Army Acquisition Hall of Fame
U.S. Army Materiel Command Hall of Fame
Waterfowlers Hall of Fame
Women in Poker Hall of Fame
Photo: Miranda Lambert receives the SoundExchange Hall of Fame Award in September 2024. (SoundExchange)
Related articles:
List of halls and walks of fame (Wikipedia)
Updated: Dec. 7, 2024.
Friday, November 29, 2024
Halls of fame for hot dog eating, salami and character actors
Here are a few more unusual halls of fame that exist only online.
Hot Dog Eating Contest Hall of Fame
Nathan’s Famous has an online hall of fame for winners of its annual hot dog eating contest held on July 4 in Coney Island, a neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City.
Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest Hall of Fame has only seven inductees because of repeat champions. Joey Chestnut has won the male competition 16 times. Miki Sudo has won the female competition 11 times.
Salami Hall of Fame
Oceanside, Calif.-based Olli Salumeria, a maker of authentic Italian-style salami, announced the Salami Hall of Fame in September 2023.
The salami maker described the hall of fame as “a digital celebration of iconic restaurants, delicatessens and specialty grocers around the country that are elevating the status of salami through creative menu items and retail offerings.”
Character Actor Hall of Fame
The Carney Awards honor those actors who disappear into their characters. Carney Award recipients are entered into the Character Actor Hall of Fame.
The most recent inductees included Jessica Walter, Joe Pantoliano, James Cromwell, Joe Morton and Bruce Greenwood.
Fictitious Athlete Hall of Fame
The Fictitious Athlete Hall of Fame is a website that celebrates our favorite athletes from the world of movies and television, but only those who do not exist in the “real world.”
Inductees include Rocky Balboa, Crash Davis and Happy Gilmore. (See also Wikipedia article.)
Podcaster Kirk Buchner created the Fictitious Athlete Hall of Fame in 2013.
Fictitious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Fictitious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a sister site to the Fictitious Athlete Hall of Fame, also created by Kirk Buchner.
Inductees include Spinal Tap, the Blues Brothers and the Monkees.
Photo: Nathan’s Famous hot dog display (Nathan’s Famous)
Thursday, November 28, 2024
Virtual halls of fame for sports betting, franchises and brands
As I’ve written many times, there are halls of fame for just about any industry, occupation, passion or pursuit. Many of these halls don’t have physical locations you can visit. What follows are some of the latest virtual halls of fame I’ve stumbled upon online.
Sports Betting Hall of Fame
SBC launched the Sports Betting Hall of Fame in 2016 to recognize individuals who have contributed a great deal to the industry over the course of their careers with a lasting legacy.
SBC is an events company that organizes global conferences and exhibitions, as well as operates the largest business-to-business news publisher for the sports betting and igaming industry.
However, there is also a Sports Gambling Hall of Fame. It honors individuals who have notably transformed the sports gambling industry. The Sports Gambling Hall of Fame exhibit is located in the Circa Las Vegas sportsbook of the Circa Resort & Casino.
International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Hall of Fame
Launched in 2023, the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Hall of Fame celebrates North American sports car racing excellence.
The IMSA Hall of Fame recognizes not only the personalities and competitors who achieved greatness in the sport, but also includes iconic race cars.
NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame
The National Association of Broadcasters recognizes radio and television personalities and programs that have earned a place in broadcasting history with induction into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame.
Recent honorees include Donnie Simpson, “America’s Most Wanted,” Lester Holt and “The Price Is Right.”
Franchise Hall of Fame
Franchise Business Review’s Franchise Hall of Fame celebrates franchises that have demonstrated a long-term commitment to creating a positive and rewarding experience for their franchisees.
Frequent honorees include Nothing Bundt Cakes, Wild Birds Unlimited and Tropical Smoothie Cafe.
Brand Hall of Fame
Marketing conference The Gathering this year launched the Brand Hall of Fame.
The inaugural inductees were Coca-Cola, Levi’s, McDonalds, MTV and NFL. (See article by Adweek.)
Entrepreneur Of The Year Hall of Fame
Professional services firm EY, parent company of accounting giant Ernst & Young, celebrates men and women for their exceptional entrepreneurial achievements with the Entrepreneur Of The Year Hall of Fame.
The program has recognized more than 10,000 entrepreneurs over the last 35 years plus.
Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame
The Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame has recognized successful Kentucky businesspeople since 2010. Well-known inductees include Papa John’s Pizza founder John Schnatter and Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Colonel Harland David Sanders.
PRWeek Hall of Fame
The PRWeek Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the public relations and communications industry.
National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Hall of Fame
The National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) operates the NCHA Hall of Fame. The hall honors riders, horses and others in the field.
The National Cutting Horse Association is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas.
Grammy Hall of Fame
The Grammy Hall Of Fame was established by the Recording Academy’s National Trustees in 1973 to honor recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance that are at least 25 years old. Inductees are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of the recording arts.
This year’s inductees included the albums “Appetite for Destruction” (1987) by Guns N' Roses and “I Feel Love” (1977) by Donna Summer and single “What a Fool Believes” (1978) by the Doobie Brothers.
SoundExchange Hall of Fame
Music tech organization SoundExchange awards music artists with its SoundExchange Hall of Fame Award for being among leaders in receiving royalty rights payments.
This year’s award winners included OneRepublic, the Jonas Brothers, the Black Keys, Mariah Carey, the Killers, Matchbox Twenty, Billy Joel and Miranda Lambert.
XR Hall of Fame
Conference organizers behind the Augmented World Expo announced the creation of the XR Hall of Fame in April 2024. XR is an acronym for “extended reality” technology, which includes virtual and augmented reality.
AWE honored 101 XR pioneers into the XR Hall of Fame with its initial induction class.
Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Hall of Fame
The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) inducts industry professionals into its SEMA Hall of Fame. SEMA represents over 7,000 companies that create, buy, sell, and use specialty-automotive parts that make vehicles “more unique, attractive, convenient, safer, fun, and even like new again.”
IFDA Truck Driver Hall of Fame
The International Foodservice Distributors Association honors lifetime achievement by its transportation workers with the IFDA Truck Driver Hall of Fame.
Drivers must have at least 25 years of continuous employment with an IFDA member company. They also must have no chargeable accidents for the 25 years prior to the nomination and a clean driving record with no moving violations in the past five years.
U.S. Army Materiel Command Hall of Fame
The U.S. Army Materiel Command Hall of Fame, established in 2012, honors those soldiers and civilians who have made significant and enduring contributions to AMC and the Army. The Hall of Fame preserves the command’s history and recognizes the exceptional leadership, service and dedication of former AMC members for their remarkable efforts.
Army Acquisition Hall of Fame
The Army Acquisition Hall of Fame award recognizes and honors former members of the Army Acquisition Workforce who have made significant and enduring contributions in support of the Army Acquisition Community.
Global Cyber Security Hall of Fame
The Global Cyber Security Hall of Fame was established in 2012 to recognize the contributions of key individuals in the field of cybersecurity.
Insurance Business Hall of Fame
Insurance Business America magazine recognizes top-notch insurance professionals annually with induction into the Insurance Business Hall of Fame.
A panel of judges considers an individual’s distinguished service to the insurance profession, the leadership and inspiration they provided to others in the sector, their role in guiding future generations of entrepreneurs and business leaders, their contributions to the leadership and direction of industry associations, and any visionary strategies and innovations that have made an outstanding contribution to the industry as a whole.
Photo: Mariah Carey receives the SoundExchange Hall of Fame Award in March 2024. (SoundExchange)
Related articles:
Virtual halls of fame for metal rock music, Texas songwriters, sports technology and more (May 28, 2023)
Halls of fame for sports media pros, political consultants, jewelry retailers (June 20, 2022)
Halls of fame for boating, lighting, space technology and female songwriters (Oct. 10, 2021)
Sunday, November 10, 2024
Progressive Cinematic Universe should have cross-over event
With Hollywood studios focused on creating cinematic universes (think Marvel and DC), I came up with an idea for a cinematic universe while watching commercials during sports this fall.
It started when I noticed that Progressive Insurance has more characters than Flo, Jaimie and the squad. There’s life coach Dr. Rick, who helps people from turning into their parents. Plus, there’s “the backups” like 49ers quarterback Josh Dobbs. There’s also a sticky-note monster.
They make up the Progressive Cinematic Universe. I’d like to see a crossover event of some or all of those characters. Yeah, I know, I’m weird.
But as I continued to watch college and pro football games and the MLB World Series, I noticed that every major insurance company had comedic commercials featuring their own characters.
State Farm has “Jake from State Farm.” Allstate has actor Dean Winters as Mayhem. Liberty Mutual has LiMu Emu and Doug. And of course, Geico has Martin the Geico gecko.
OK, so a multicompany crossover event isn’t going to happen. My mind wanders sometimes.
Saturday, November 9, 2024
These music acts should be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2025
I don’t do predictions for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I’ll leave that to the experts. Rather, I write about who I think should be included in the hall.
With the 2024 class installed last month, it’s time to focus on next year’s class.
Many of these names I’ve suggested before, but I’ll keep saying them until they’re in.
Newly eligible acts in 2025 include Pink and Linkin Park, according to Future Rock Legends. Neither are proper candidates for first-year induction, though I think both deserve to get in eventually.
Every year needs at least one rock goddess or diva superstar. But with the untenable backlog at the hall of fame, there are several that need to get in pronto. They are Mariah Carey, Gloria Estefan, Cyndi Lauper and Sade. (All but Estefan have been previously nominated.)
Carey even joked that her attorney got into the hall before she did.
And Lauper is now on a “farewell tour.” So the timing is right.
I’ve suggested all of those women before. Now I’ll add two more: Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. Both have been eligible since 2023.
Spears recently made headlines with her best-selling memoir “The Woman in Me.”
I would love to see an all-divas induction ceremony. That would be incredible. I suggested recently that the rock hall hold two ceremonies – one for “modern era” acts and another for the “classic era.”
For the “classic era” induction ceremony, I’d like to see these acts get the nod: Billy Idol, INXS, Joy Division/New Order and Phil Collins.
Related articles:
Rock Hall adds more fossils to its collection (Nov. 3, 2024)
Sunday, November 3, 2024
Rock Hall adds more fossils to its collection, needs more 'modern era' acts
The paleontologists at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame recently added several more fossils to their museum.
On Oct. 19, the Rock Hall added a bunch of ancient acts to its inductee list. Key members of some acts are deceased and others were too old to perform at the induction ceremony.
The Rock Hall has a tendency to choose older acts over newly eligible acts. The thinking is that you can’t induct so-and-so before some older act is enshrined.
I think the hall should have two inductions per year: one for the “modern era” and another for a “classic era.” This would be similar to how the Country Music Hall of Fame chooses inductees with its “modern era” and “veterans era” selections. The Baseball Hall of Fame has “contemporary” and “classic” eras for inductees.
This year, the Rock Hall inductees were Mary J Blige, Jimmy Buffett, Cher, Dave Matthews Band, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Kool & the Gang, Alexis Korner, John Mayall, MC5, Ozzy Osbourne, Suzanne de Passe, Big Momma Thornton, A Tribe Called Quest, Dionne Warwick and Norman Whitfield.
Of those, only Mary J Blige and Dave Matthews Band could be considered “modern era” acts.
The rest would be considered “classic era” acts or early influences.
Of the 11 individual inductees, five are deceased. Of the groups, many had lost key members over the years or were simply too frail to perform at the ceremony.
So the induction ceremony consisted largely of tribute performances by “modern era” performers such as Kenny Chesney, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Dua Lipa, Jelly Roll and Keith Urban.Consider this: The R&R HOF snubbed @ForeignerMusic for so long that Mick couldn’t be there, the founding member. @jimmybuffett snubbed so long that he’s passed. @peterframpton so long that he had to sit and play. @OzzyOsbourne solo so long that he had to sit & couldn’t sing. And…
— Eddie Trunk (@EddieTrunk) October 21, 2024
The ceremony itself was a five-and-a-half hour-marathon. Vulture writer Devon Ivie called it “a really long ceremony with really long speeches.”
The solution for such a long show: break it up. One show for “classic era” and early influencer acts and a second show for “modern era” acts.
Once the Rock Hall deals with its ridiculously long backlog of eligible artists. It can go back to one show.
Photo: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Museum plaza. (Rock & Roll Hall of Fame).
Sunday, October 27, 2024
Why no porn parodies of the 2024 presidential election?
The adult entertainment industry used to like to parody political figures with X-rated videos. But porn producers seem to have lost their nerve to mock powerful figures.
There have been no political porn parodies this election season, even going back to the primaries.
Four years ago, there was just one political porn parody and it mocked Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
But there was a plethora of porn parodies during the 2016 race, lampooning both major party candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.
But this election cycle, the adult entertainment industry has not touched the presidential race with its content.
I asked Brian S. Gross of BSG Public Relations in Woodland Hills, Calif., why this might be. His clients include companies in the adult entertainment business.
“All I can do is speculate,” he said. “The industry is in a completely different place post-pandemic. The business has changed, and the industry produces a far less amount of parodies than it used to. There was little to no desire to create parodies around this election is another possible reason.”
Or maybe all that content produced for the 2016 election was not very popular with viewers.
Another reason could be possible negative consequences for the adult entertainment industry and/or sex workers if either Trump or Kamala Harris is elected.
Trump is believed to be aligned with the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025. And Harris is anti-sex work.
Related articles:
2020 presidential race gets its first porn parody (May 3, 2020)
Why are there no porn parodies yet of President Joe Biden and VP Kamala Harris? (April 19, 2021)
Top real-life targets for porn parodies and exploitation (March 30, 2024)
Photo: Trump 2020 campaign sign updated for 2024 in Chatham County, Georgia (photo by Jud McCranie via Creative Commons)
Tuesday, October 1, 2024
Sexy Halloween costumes in 2024 say ‘Beetlejuice’
This year’s sexy Halloween costumes from Yandy.com include a lot of getups inspired by the hit horror-comedy movie “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.”
Popular movies always feature prominently in Yandy’s Halloween costume lineup. Last year, the big theme was “Barbie” and in 2022, the big theme was “Top Gun.”
As usual, Yandy dances around trademarks with clever naming. Some costume names include “Beetle Bombshell Costume,” “Got the Juice Costume” and “Beetle Bride Costume.”
Photos: Yandy.com.
The Failed Promise of Digital Content: a recap, part 6
We were promised exhaustive libraries of digital content available anytime and anywhere, but those promises have come up short.
Since May 2009, I have written about the shortcomings of the internet and digital media when it comes to content – music, video, news articles, archived information, etc.
Here is an index of parts 76 to 100 of the series “The Failed Promise of Digital Content.”
Part 76: Poof! More disappearing websites
Part 77: Movies not available on DVD – Quentin Tarantino edition
Part 78: The Netflix DVD library is slowly losing movies
Part 79: Twitter needs to archive more than just accounts of deceased users
Part 80: The TSA has outlasted its critics
Part 81: Netflix DVDs: ‘We’re in the endgame now’
Part 82: Disappearing online content is like a David Copperfield act
Part 83: Many movies likely skipping DVD release as physical format fades
Part 84: Qwest was wrong; You can’t access every movie ever made online
Part 85: Vanishing online videos
Part 86: More ways videos disappear online: Content moderation, business deals
Part 87: The ephemeral internet: Disappearing journalism, personal photos and President Trump’s tweets
Part 88: Netflix is taking away the ability of subscribers to reorder their streaming lists
Part 89: Rotten Tomatoes is the best review aggregator, but it needs improving
Part 90: 15% of top movie musicals are not available online
Part 91: 15% of top film noir titles are not available online
Part 92: 7 movies recommended by Quentin Tarantino are not available online
Part 93: More notable movies not available online: filmmaker and critic picks
Part 94: Link rot problem: Why bother using weblinks anymore?
Part 95: The most-wanted movies that aren’t available online in any form, according to Reelgood
Part 96: The most-wanted TV series that aren’t available online in any form, according to Reelgood
Part 97: Missing Movies: Many movies are unavailable for streaming, rental or purchase
Part 98: Locating movies and TV shows online is becoming a major hassle
Part 99: The end of movies on disc is nigh
Part 100: Disappearing web services due to changes at X, aka Twitter
Photo: “Internet” photo by Flickr user Fisakov via Openverse.
The internet is awash in broken links
It’s an unfortunate truism that nothing is permanent on the internet. This is a shame for anyone who values information and entertainment on the web.
Websites regularly disappear along with their content. Sometimes publishers purge older content from their websites. This leads to a lot of “broken links” when web surfers click on a hyperlink to find information but get an error message instead.
A study by the Pew Research Center showed how bad the problem of “digital decay” is. Pew said a quarter of all webpages that existed at one point between 2013 and 2023 are no longer accessible.
The older the content is the worse the “link rot” problem is. Some 38% of webpages that existed in 2013 are not available today, Pew said in its May report.
The study also showed that 11% of all references linked on Wikipedia are no longer accessible.
The issue of disappearing content also applies to social media sites like X, formerly Twitter.
Meanwhile, an important repository of internet information, the nonprofit Internet Archive, is fighting copyright lawsuits that threaten its future.
It’s not a pretty picture.
Related articles:
When Media Outlets Shutter, Why Are the Websites Wiped, Too? (Slate; Feb. 24, 2024)
When Online Content Disappears (Pew Research; May 17, 2024)
The internet is full of broken links (Sherwood, May 22, 2024)
The Internet Archive’s Fight to Save Itself (Wired; Sept. 27, 2024)
Photos: Illustration produced by Dall-E 3 (top); Chart from Pew Research Center.
Saturday, September 28, 2024
Who is behind the ‘Macaroni & Beef in Sauce Standard’?
I recently purchased a Stouffer’s Macaroni & Beef frozen meal. The box cover advertises “30% More Meat” with an asterisk. The asterisk leads to small print that says “Required by the Macaroni & Beef in Sauce Standard.” The what?
A standard that requires more protein in a dish sounds like a good thing. But what entity is behind this “standard.” Well, the box doesn’t say.
So, first, I searched the internet, of course. The only thing I could find that was even close to relevant was a March 14, 2023, commercial item description (CID) of “macaroni and beef in tomato sauce” from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The fact that we have CIDs for food items seems like an overreach by the administrative state. Requiring a detailed list of ingredients on the packaging is one thing. Banning certain unhealthy chemicals and ingredients in food also is good. And having general requirements about freshness of food items and things like that also are fine. But having to describe noodle types and other aspects of macaroni and beef in tomato sauce doesn’t sound necessary.
However, one thing that the CID for “macaroni and beef in tomato sauce” doesn’t have is a “sauce standard.”
All the document says is: “The sauce shall contain tomato puree or tomato paste. The sauce may contain diced tomatoes, onions, peppers, mushrooms, sweeteners, thickeners, salt, and spices, including garlic and other spices common to tomato-based sauce.”
It doesn’t say how much meat it needs.
So, next I contacted Stouffer’s, a unit of conglomerate Nestle. They never responded. So, the mystery continues.
Saturday, September 7, 2024
The end of movie discs is troubling for cinema fans
The end days are fast approaching for movies on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. And I’m saddened by what that means for cinema fans like me.
Blu-ray Discs in particular are great for getting the best quality picture and audio. Plus, they come with extras like deleted scenes and making-of documentaries.
I recently watched “Lethal Weapon” (1987) as a pay-per-view movie from Amazon.com. It was an OK viewing experience but the video and sound quality weren’t the best.
I don’t mourn the loss of physical media and all the storage issues that brings. But there’s not an adequate digital alternative like there is for music.
Spotify has basically any album or song you want to listen to. And it’s all available for one low monthly subscription price.
With movies, you have to subscribe to multiple services to watch all the films that friends and critics recommend. And then there are the TV series. I currently subscribe to Netflix, Max, Disney+ and Apple TV+, as well as Kanopy from my public library. And I subscribe to cable TV for live news and sports. That’s a pretty expensive bill.
Signs of the decline of movies on disc are easy to see.
In October 2023, Netflix shut down its DVD-by-mail service.
That same month, consumer electronics retailer Best Buy announced that it would stop sales of DVDs and Blu-ray Discs by early 2024.
In April 2024, discount retailer Target announced that it planned to stop in-store sales of DVDs and Blu-ray Discs by 2025.
In July, the Redbox rental kiosk business shut down after its corporate parent Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment filed for Chapter 7 liquidation bankruptcy.
Movie lovers unfortunately will have to roll with the changes.
Photos: DVDs and Blu-ray Discs on sale at Target during holiday season 2023. (Patrick Seitz)
Monday, September 2, 2024
Song of Summer 2024: ‘I Had Some Help’; Breakout artist: Chappell Roan
As is customary for Labor Day weekend and the unofficial end of summer, it’s time to crown the song of summer. This year’s honoree, based on Billboard charts, is “I Had Some Help” by Post Malone and featuring Morgan Wallen.
It currently is the No. 1 song on Billboard’s Song of Summer chart and has been the top song for 13 weeks. The rowdy country party song debuted on May 10.
Featured artist Morgan Wallen had last year’s song of summer with “Last Night.”
An early contender for 2024 song of summer was Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso.” The hit pop tune premiered on April 11 but peaked too soon in the season.
Meanwhile, my choice for artist of summer 2024 is Chappell Roan. She exploded onto the scene from seemingly nowhere and has ruled the charts with songs like “Good Luck, Babe!” and “Hot To Go!”
Her set at the Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago on Aug. 1 drew a massive crowd, worthy of a headliner. (See articles by Yahoo Entertainment, WGN TV and Rolling Stone.)
Runners-up for artist of summer include Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX.
Taylor Swift dubbed the season the “Summer of Sabrina” in reference to the younger artist’s hit songs and sold-out tour. (See article by the Daily Mail.)
Meanwhile, Charli XCX’s “Brat” album had “an undeniable cultural moment,” Rolling Stone said. Vice President Kamala Harris even coopted the aesthetic for her presidential campaign. (See article by Today.)
Recent songs of summer
2018 “In My Feelings” by Drake
2019 “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
2020 “Rockstar” by DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch
2021 “Good 4 U” by Olivia Rodrigo
2022 “As It Was” by Harry Styles
2023 “Last Night” by Morgan Wallen
2024 “I Had Some Help” by Post Malone and featuring Morgan Wallen
Music artist of summer
2018 Cardi B
2019 Billie Eilish
2020 Doja Cat
2021 Olivia Rodrigo
2022 Harry Styles
2023 Taylor Swift
2024 Chappell Roan
Other opinions on Song of Summer 2024:
8 Correct Answers to ‘What Was the Song of the Summer?’ (New York Times; Aug. 23, 2024)
‘Song of the summer’ may be dead, but 2024 was the summer of song (Midia Research; Aug. 22, 2024)
‘It invites the listener to join in’: How Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso became the song of the summer (Aug. 21, 2024)
What’s 2024’s “song of the summer”? (Vox; July 29, 2024)
What’s the Song of the Summer? Let’s Do the Math (Rolling Stone; July 28, 2024)
Who will have the 2024 song of the summer? We offer some predictions (AP; June 18, 2024)
The Musical History Lesson Buried Beneath the Song of the Summer (Slate; June 4, 2024)