Author Archive

She’s Just Being Riley: The Sexual Politics of Girl Meets World

July 3, 2014
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She’s Just Being Riley: The Sexual Politics of <i>Girl Meets World</i>

The transition from Boy Meets World to Girl Meets World reflects changes in both the children's television landscape and cultural attitudes toward sexual harassment and girls' sexual autonomy.
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Johnny Weir’s Divorce and the Burden of Representation

April 7, 2014
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Johnny Weir’s Divorce and the Burden of Representation

Johnny Weir's divorce challenges his status as one of the few openly gay American athletes, as well as the popular image of gay marriage and divorce in America.
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Gazes, Pleasure, and the Failure of Magic Mike

July 3, 2012
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Gazes, Pleasure, and the Failure of Magic Mike

Though it's marketed as a film that promotes the female gaze, Magic Mike's message is a reprimand and a ridicule of the very women whose money it desperately seeks.
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Posted in Current Events, Film | 1 Comment »

Which Direction?: The Homoerotic Masculinities of the Modern Boy Band

April 20, 2012
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Which Direction?: The Homoerotic Masculinities of the Modern Boy Band

Whether you saw their performance on Saturday Night Live, heard the insanely catchy “What Makes You Beautiful” playing over a mall sound system, or just happen to know a 12-year-old girl, it’s possible you’ve already encountered One Direction, the first truly viable boy band of the current musical era.
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Posted in Celebrity/Stardom | 10 Comments »

NBC’s SMASH: Not Exactly Smashing

January 27, 2012
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NBC’s SMASH: Not Exactly Smashing

As a fan of musical theater, I’ve been eagerly anticipating the premiere of SMASH, the new NBC drama about the behind-the-scenes adventures of a group of people attempting to open a new musical on Broadway. Though the show is set to premiere after the Super Bowl, NBC has already released the pilot for free...
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Posted in Current Events, TV | 4 Comments »

In Memoriam: Joe Simon, Co-Creator of Captain America

December 16, 2011
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In Memoriam: Joe Simon, Co-Creator of Captain America

Joe Simon may not have had the name recognition of some of his contemporaries, but his impact on the comic book medium was profound.
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Report from the UW-Madison Television Comedy Conference

October 17, 2011
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Report from the UW-Madison Television Comedy Conference

A summary of events and discussions that took place during the UW-Madison Television Comedy Conference.
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Posted in Columns, Current Events, Report From... | 2 Comments »

Captain America and the Representation of Entertainment

July 23, 2011
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Captain America and the Representation of Entertainment

The USO sequence in Captain America: The First Avenger speaks to the influence of a cynical modern eye and a gendered dismissal of historical realism, comic book necessity, and the possibility of media effects.
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Posted in Current Events, Film, Print | 10 Comments »

News Media and the Comic Book Narrative

February 7, 2011
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News Media and the Comic Book Narrative

Why do news media circulate comic book spoilers before special issues hit the stands?
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Your Friendly Neighborhood Araña: The State of Latinidad in Marvel Comics

November 15, 2010
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Your Friendly Neighborhood Araña: The State of Latinidad in Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics has quietly responded to the increased presence of Latinos in America with a corresponding, if tentative, increase in the number of Latino Marvel characters, as epitomized by this week's debut of a new Spider-Girl series starring Puerto Rican Anya Sofia Corazon.
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Posted in Print, Print | 5 Comments »