As I was reading an article the other day about the release of Sex and the City 2 (coming to theaters near you in May 2010), I began asking myself, "I wonder how many women went and saw that movie?" I mean it was a must see for me, and a must purchase. My amazingly, wonderful boyfriend even bought me a SATC poster to hang in our TV room. (Yeah, us real fans say SATC.) But before we find out how many women went and saw it (yes, I'm part dork so I figured that out too) let me tell you my thoughts on SATC.
My first exposure to the show was my suitemate my sophomore year watching it almost every night and doing the little dance to the theme show music. At first, I'll admit, I thought her a big odd. But after watching the show, you have to admit, there is something ab it alluring about the theme music. You do want to dance when you hear it. Well, I do, but I dance to everything. (Yes, Matthew...it's dancing). But, moving on.
At this juncture I had never watched the show. But, then, one night sitting at my friend's house who HBO on demand before I even had digital cable I started watching it. I now find it a bit odd, but as she fell asleep on her couch at 2 am I continued to sit at her house and watch every episode of the 6th season. Of course, I fell in love with the girls, Steve and Big and hated that really weird old guy Carrie was dating. Thank god Big saved her. And that was it. I was hooked. So that summer after my senior year of college I would work 10-2, go home and watch SATC over a few glasses of wine, hit up the pool and then hit up the bars. It was the greatest summer. I quickly went through the entire six seasons in a few weeks. And ever since, I can't fathom those women who have not watched the show. It is, in my opinion, impossible not to identify with one of the four ladies. Or a mixture. Come on, everybody has said I'm part Carrie and part Charlotte. Or part Miranda and part Samantha. And we all have one of our best friends who without we know is Samantha. And, after we all had our love affair with SATC the show was heart breakingly cancelled, although I think we all felt good about where we left our friends.
But, then, wait for it, we found out about the movie! Where could we go from here? Would Carrie and Big still be together? Would Miranda have another baby? What would happen to Charlotte and Harry? Oh, the anticipation. Now, the movie, although some of the happiest hours I've spent in the past few years (sad isn't it?) was sort of a let down in my opinion. I won't give any of the details away in case you haven't watched it, but I wanted more from the gals. There were funny parts, there were serious parts, but I felt worse about the ladies after watching it. That was the joy of the show. You always felt they were having fun and had each other no matter what. I wasn't sure I felt that way after watching the movie. But, we have movie #2 due out within the year so hopefully we can turn this around and have the fabulous four wonderful yet again. Although, they really always are fabulous. Until next May, I shall always have my series DVDs and movie #1 to get me through the rough patches. (And a bottle of wine of course).
So, back to the question. How many women actually saw the movie? For the sake of argument, let's assume only women saw the money, although I know this is not true because I saw a few poor boyfriends who wanted a little sumthin sumthin in the theater when I went. But for numbers purposes, say it was all ladies.
Female population 15-44: 71,584,872
Approximate tickets purchased: 21,260,064
When you do the math, that equates to 30% of the female population having gone to see this movie in the theater. That's almost 1/3 of every female 15-44! Insane. It's not exact, but kinda crazy to think about regardless.
I wonder where we will go from here? I don't know where we will go, but I shall be there...flirtini and pink shoes in hand (and feet).
Friday, May 29, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Jon and Kate Plus 8...Minus 2?
I will start by saying, I don't watch Jon and Kate Plus 8. I started to once or twice and it's just not entertaining to me. Kate seems mean, Jon seems like a beat down dog and I always feel bad for the older twins. But, despite my critique the show is widely successful. (Now, see, I would have given two thumbs up to Flavor of Love, but I would have been alone.)
But recently, amidst the hype of the new season, comes the gossip. Jon cheated with a 23 year old school teacher who was seen leaving a bar with. Kate cheated with the bodyguard. They have an open marriage contract. And both spouses, while sort of openly hating each other, deny the allegations brought against them.
Jon says he just has female friends and should have shown better judgment. (In my opinion better judgment would have not leaving the bar with a 23 year old after you were partying it up with some college co-eds and had the death stare from tabloids, but hey, that's just me). Kate says she's just out promoting the show and not cheating with the bodyguard. And really, I don't care what either of them are doing. My question, inspired by my entertainment junkie friend (Thank you Amy for this inspiration), is who is taking care of these kids while the parents are doing god knows what?
These 8 little ones are what the show is really about. Six toddlers and two older siblings who are already competing for their parents attention (at least I would imagine so with a total of 8 kids running around), are now forced to compete with the tabloids for their childhood. If these parents cared half as much about their kids as they did their reputation I think they would realize they need to focus a lot more of their attention on these kids. At the end of the day, they want mommy and daddy kissing their boo-boos, telling them stories at night and tickling them on a Saturday. They don't want fame or fortune or glitz or glam. So before Jon and Kate fall apart and lose their other half and then 8 little ones from their lives (at least half of the time) maybe they should stop and consider what got them here in the first place: 8 little rugrats that call them mom and dad.
But recently, amidst the hype of the new season, comes the gossip. Jon cheated with a 23 year old school teacher who was seen leaving a bar with. Kate cheated with the bodyguard. They have an open marriage contract. And both spouses, while sort of openly hating each other, deny the allegations brought against them.
Jon says he just has female friends and should have shown better judgment. (In my opinion better judgment would have not leaving the bar with a 23 year old after you were partying it up with some college co-eds and had the death stare from tabloids, but hey, that's just me). Kate says she's just out promoting the show and not cheating with the bodyguard. And really, I don't care what either of them are doing. My question, inspired by my entertainment junkie friend (Thank you Amy for this inspiration), is who is taking care of these kids while the parents are doing god knows what?
These 8 little ones are what the show is really about. Six toddlers and two older siblings who are already competing for their parents attention (at least I would imagine so with a total of 8 kids running around), are now forced to compete with the tabloids for their childhood. If these parents cared half as much about their kids as they did their reputation I think they would realize they need to focus a lot more of their attention on these kids. At the end of the day, they want mommy and daddy kissing their boo-boos, telling them stories at night and tickling them on a Saturday. They don't want fame or fortune or glitz or glam. So before Jon and Kate fall apart and lose their other half and then 8 little ones from their lives (at least half of the time) maybe they should stop and consider what got them here in the first place: 8 little rugrats that call them mom and dad.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Oh Snap
In addition to my addiction to Lifetime and reality television appearing on the wonderful channels MTV and VH1, I also highly enjoy the other kind of reality television. This being the "true life" stuff. You know, the stuff that chronicles drug addicts, murders, crime scenes, women behind bars, women that "snap." All the shows that make my boyfriend thinking "Is she watching this to get tips on how to off me?" (No, honey, you are safe. I mean I don't have my diamond yet so you're in the clear...for now. :) JUST KIDDING!!!!)
I don't know what it is. I always flip to either WE (for Snapped), MSNBC on the weekends when they air old Dateline specials or my new favorite Channel 114 which is all the time crime. But why the obsession?
Well, I personally think it's because you know it's real and you get to see it all play out. I mean you can see snapshots, listen to interviews and see the aftermath of otherwise fully functioning human beings that decide one day they must kill. It's insane. It's the same phenomenon that forces us to stare at car accidents. We feel morbid for doing it, but yet we can't peel our eyes away. Personally, I am intrigued by these otherwise normal people, with normal or above normal lives that have all these lurking demons and then "snap." How did they get to that point? Why did they think that was the only solution? And, how in today's world did they ever think they wouldn't get caught? I mean here's a tip people. When you decide to kill your sister for sleeping with your husband don't do an Internet search for how to kill with arsenic two days before the murder and then contact your college roommate via email who works in a pharmacy to request a large amount of arsenic to kill some pesky insects. Guess what? You're going to get caught.
My addiction has gotten so bad my lovely other half refuses to watch these shows with me. He asked me why I can't watch shows about models or growing flowers. Because they are boring! (Unless of course a model has an eating disorder and lashes out at another contestant for stealing her Pop Tarts. That=entertaining.) At the end of the day it is not my desire to act out these scenarios I see so eloquently portrayed by paid actresses, but the need to see their lives unfold in front of me. (I said I was nosy, ok?) I'm a life peeper. And when I can't do it on Facebook I figure watching crazy women on TV is the next best thing. Hey, maybe I'll see an accident on the way home too. :)
So, as long as women kill their husbands, are addicted to drugs and Dateline reports it, I'll be watching. And if Dateline pulls out, Lifetime will always make a movie out of it.
(And no, honey, I am NOT going to kill you, poison you, or anything else. Remember, we need the arsenic being delivered this weekend to kill the moles. KIDDING.)
I don't know what it is. I always flip to either WE (for Snapped), MSNBC on the weekends when they air old Dateline specials or my new favorite Channel 114 which is all the time crime. But why the obsession?
Well, I personally think it's because you know it's real and you get to see it all play out. I mean you can see snapshots, listen to interviews and see the aftermath of otherwise fully functioning human beings that decide one day they must kill. It's insane. It's the same phenomenon that forces us to stare at car accidents. We feel morbid for doing it, but yet we can't peel our eyes away. Personally, I am intrigued by these otherwise normal people, with normal or above normal lives that have all these lurking demons and then "snap." How did they get to that point? Why did they think that was the only solution? And, how in today's world did they ever think they wouldn't get caught? I mean here's a tip people. When you decide to kill your sister for sleeping with your husband don't do an Internet search for how to kill with arsenic two days before the murder and then contact your college roommate via email who works in a pharmacy to request a large amount of arsenic to kill some pesky insects. Guess what? You're going to get caught.
My addiction has gotten so bad my lovely other half refuses to watch these shows with me. He asked me why I can't watch shows about models or growing flowers. Because they are boring! (Unless of course a model has an eating disorder and lashes out at another contestant for stealing her Pop Tarts. That=entertaining.) At the end of the day it is not my desire to act out these scenarios I see so eloquently portrayed by paid actresses, but the need to see their lives unfold in front of me. (I said I was nosy, ok?) I'm a life peeper. And when I can't do it on Facebook I figure watching crazy women on TV is the next best thing. Hey, maybe I'll see an accident on the way home too. :)
So, as long as women kill their husbands, are addicted to drugs and Dateline reports it, I'll be watching. And if Dateline pulls out, Lifetime will always make a movie out of it.
(And no, honey, I am NOT going to kill you, poison you, or anything else. Remember, we need the arsenic being delivered this weekend to kill the moles. KIDDING.)
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Say cheese...but then wish you hadn't
So, as I was perusing my daily dose (ok doses) of entertainment news I came across the article that actor Rip Torn was given probation for a drunk driving incident. Now I don't know who Mr. Rip torn is so for those of you who do not either, here's a brief recap to get you caught up.
Rip was born in 1931 and as far as I can tell from imdb, his first acting credit was in 1956. For those of you who are not known math whizzes, that is 53 years ago. I mean, this man has been acting for over half a century. Now, I'm not going to go into all the details of what he's been in, because you can read it yourself, but he's been in some real stuff. We're talking Marie Antoinette the movie, Dodgeball, the Men in Black movies, Will and Grace, 30 Rock, Freddy got Fingered, and A Vision of Murder: The Story of Donielle (appearing on Lifetime and LMN), which in my opinion makes him a bonafide movie star. With that credit he is now in the likes of Meredith Baxter and the esteemed Valerie Bertinelli.
But on to his most recent news. Unfortunately for our friend Rip, he was caught and charged in December with driving while impaired (with a Christmas tree on his car). Now it was December, oh god how I wish it had been last week, but kinda funny nonetheless. I have not gone Christmas tree shopping while impaired, but maybe I will consider a little eggnog fiesta prior to the festivities next year. (Although I'd probably end up with a half crooked bald tree.) Rip has now been approved for an alcohol program despite receiving 2 prior drunk driving charges in New York. You may say to yourself, wow this 78 year old man with a hearing problem and three DUIs really should have his license revoked. But no. The state of CT has allowed him to keep his driver's license. (He will have to retest, however, due to his hearing impairment). Residents of CT, rest easy. Only the most safest of drivers shall be bringing home Christmas trees next holiday season.
But, I find it unfortunate that despite Rip's lucrative (well I'm assuming so) career as an actor and appearing in a plethora of movies he may be most well remembered for his drunk Christmas tree driving and, most noticeably (in my opinion) this lovely mug shot.
Jingle Bell Rock, Rip. Jingle Bell Rock On!
Rip was born in 1931 and as far as I can tell from imdb, his first acting credit was in 1956. For those of you who are not known math whizzes, that is 53 years ago. I mean, this man has been acting for over half a century. Now, I'm not going to go into all the details of what he's been in, because you can read it yourself, but he's been in some real stuff. We're talking Marie Antoinette the movie, Dodgeball, the Men in Black movies, Will and Grace, 30 Rock, Freddy got Fingered, and A Vision of Murder: The Story of Donielle (appearing on Lifetime and LMN), which in my opinion makes him a bonafide movie star. With that credit he is now in the likes of Meredith Baxter and the esteemed Valerie Bertinelli.
But on to his most recent news. Unfortunately for our friend Rip, he was caught and charged in December with driving while impaired (with a Christmas tree on his car). Now it was December, oh god how I wish it had been last week, but kinda funny nonetheless. I have not gone Christmas tree shopping while impaired, but maybe I will consider a little eggnog fiesta prior to the festivities next year. (Although I'd probably end up with a half crooked bald tree.) Rip has now been approved for an alcohol program despite receiving 2 prior drunk driving charges in New York. You may say to yourself, wow this 78 year old man with a hearing problem and three DUIs really should have his license revoked. But no. The state of CT has allowed him to keep his driver's license. (He will have to retest, however, due to his hearing impairment). Residents of CT, rest easy. Only the most safest of drivers shall be bringing home Christmas trees next holiday season.
But, I find it unfortunate that despite Rip's lucrative (well I'm assuming so) career as an actor and appearing in a plethora of movies he may be most well remembered for his drunk Christmas tree driving and, most noticeably (in my opinion) this lovely mug shot.
Jingle Bell Rock, Rip. Jingle Bell Rock On!
Facebook...Online Nosiness
Ok, first off, I am self-admittedly a gossip queen. I like to know about other people's lives, I like talk shows and I love entertainment news. I don't know if there's anything wrong with this or not, but at the end of the day I am nosy. Which is why the introduction of Facebook was so wonderful to someone like me. (And Myspace and Twitter and ....)
Facebook is really just a tool so people can be involved with the lives of those from the past (and present) without having to actually talk to them. You can find out where someone works, what they like, what they hate, if they're married, look at photos of their kids and all without ever having to say Hi. All of this and more is within a finger tips reach with one single friend request. Don't deny it. We all use Facebook to be nosy. Yes, there is the occasional "Wow, I haven't seen you in forever. Let's get together." that takes place, but I still argue we enjoy it so much because we get to all be legal "life-peepers."
And as far as using Facebook as the social media mothership, it can be a very powerful social media tool (if done right), but marketers who continually decided to hop on board the Facebook train with ads featuring insurance, new printing techniques, vacation spots, etc. are missing the point. I don't want an insurance quote when I'm looking at my old college roommates Halloween pictures. And for the love, please stop making fan pages and thinking that because your organization has 33 fans that your organization is a cutting-edge social media giant and sales are going to soar in the next quarter. It's just not going to happen. Use Facebook how users use it and you'll see success.
For example, the Burger King application that encouraged people to de-friend people (sin by the way) to receive a coupon for a Whopper. Ingenious. People join Facebook to have friends. So, use Facebook to exploit the reason why people join: Friends. And then give them a benefit for your organization (coupon) and THEN watch sales go up. It was ingenius. In fact, de-friending took off so much so that Facebook forced Burger King to shut down the application. See...use the tool why people want to use it and you see engagement. My Burger King crown is off to you.
Check it out:
De-friend for a Whopper
Facebook De-Friends the De-Friend for a Whopper (But let's call it for what it is. Facebook got pissed because people were getting de-friended, numbers and stats were going down and advertisers might have started pulling money. At the end of the day involvement was so high Facebook started suffering. And I never even had a chance to get my coupon.)
I like Facebook. You like Facebook. We all like Facebook (most of us anyway). But let's call it for what it is and as marketers, start using it the way it was designed. Otherwise, our customers are going to de-friend us.
Facebook is really just a tool so people can be involved with the lives of those from the past (and present) without having to actually talk to them. You can find out where someone works, what they like, what they hate, if they're married, look at photos of their kids and all without ever having to say Hi. All of this and more is within a finger tips reach with one single friend request. Don't deny it. We all use Facebook to be nosy. Yes, there is the occasional "Wow, I haven't seen you in forever. Let's get together." that takes place, but I still argue we enjoy it so much because we get to all be legal "life-peepers."
And as far as using Facebook as the social media mothership, it can be a very powerful social media tool (if done right), but marketers who continually decided to hop on board the Facebook train with ads featuring insurance, new printing techniques, vacation spots, etc. are missing the point. I don't want an insurance quote when I'm looking at my old college roommates Halloween pictures. And for the love, please stop making fan pages and thinking that because your organization has 33 fans that your organization is a cutting-edge social media giant and sales are going to soar in the next quarter. It's just not going to happen. Use Facebook how users use it and you'll see success.
For example, the Burger King application that encouraged people to de-friend people (sin by the way) to receive a coupon for a Whopper. Ingenious. People join Facebook to have friends. So, use Facebook to exploit the reason why people join: Friends. And then give them a benefit for your organization (coupon) and THEN watch sales go up. It was ingenius. In fact, de-friending took off so much so that Facebook forced Burger King to shut down the application. See...use the tool why people want to use it and you see engagement. My Burger King crown is off to you.
Check it out:
De-friend for a Whopper
Facebook De-Friends the De-Friend for a Whopper (But let's call it for what it is. Facebook got pissed because people were getting de-friended, numbers and stats were going down and advertisers might have started pulling money. At the end of the day involvement was so high Facebook started suffering. And I never even had a chance to get my coupon.)
I like Facebook. You like Facebook. We all like Facebook (most of us anyway). But let's call it for what it is and as marketers, start using it the way it was designed. Otherwise, our customers are going to de-friend us.
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