MEDIA MESSAGE

 I have watched with fascination for many decades this ongoing and heated debate between the so called right vs left / conservatives vs liberals over the “Media Message”. Yes you all know what that fight is about.

“The destruction of our youth and culture vs freedom of expression.”

But first to clarify a point. When I say “Media” I mean to include all TV shows, movies, video games, music, news outlets, books and of course Hollywood. Are all these outlets being controlled by the left?

“YES!” So say the concerned conservative wing.

“REDICULAS!” So say the compassionate left.

For what it's worth here is my humble commentary based on my observations. I speak not from either side but as a libertine observer with no degree in anything to proffer as credentials. I offer only this as a mark of expertise on the subject. I was born in front of a television back when color was unheard of and three were the choices of channels. Movies were censored and risque reading was confined to under the covers by flashlight. At least that's how I read those filthy rags in my cave-like loft as a child. I have viewed hundreds of thousands of TV shows and films, read a library of books, magazines and articles. Oh yes and I have slaughtered countless foes playing violent video games with the blood and gore control cranked up to insane.

I have in my modest way produced interactive theater, television commercials and programs. I've written numerous film reviews and books and dabbled with film productions, TV shows and rock bands. No, I'm not famous outside of my own mind. I have worked in and around the “MEDIA” enough to have if not a credible voice then certainly a very annoying one in the debate. I do believe that my observations may expose some of the obfuscated truth about the facts. I expect argument from both sides for both sides have become so divided on this issue that they are blind to the truth. So if you're open to my opinion then read on. If not then read it anyway dunderhead you've come this far. Hopefully, I'll say something that will piss you off and you can rant about it. I kinda like it when that happens.

Clearly I understand that the subject is far more complicated than just “right vs left” however I'm not writing a book on it, just a pithy blog. Simplification is essential here but I will concede that there are many external factors driving the debate. In the wider scope of the conversation issues such as male vs female, white vs color, gay vs straight, or Republican vs Democrat are all hot button issues. I will touch on them briefly, but will try to stay focused on the main topic. For over a century it's generated fervent debate from the grass roots to the highest peaks of power. Do I have to spell it out in all caps? Sure why not... “SEX and VIOLENCE.”

The timeless story of Hercules started centuries ago among the Greeks. It has been retold in every conceivable format. It's the tale of a man who has committed many a sin but overcomes trials and tribulations aplenty as he battles his own internal demons. He eventually rises as a hero of the common folk and strikes back at the powers above.

Writers and Hollywood love this story and have redone it over and over as drama, a joke, a cartoon, a tongue in cheek farce. They have rewritten it as a western, cop on the skids, comedy and most any way you can fit the flawed anti hero vs monstrous antagonists into your plot. Clint Eastwood's The Gauntlet has a down and out alcoholic cop sent by his superiors to undertake the prisoner transfer of a Vegas call girl. Yep there's the sex part. It's a mission were he is faced with incredible dangers. He is not expected to return which is the whole point. Instead he survives his many trials and proves to himself, his pears and the higher ups that he is more than what they expected. At the time of release this film was critiqued for it's extreme violence.

This newest rendition has wrestler turned actor, brawny as all get-out Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson reprising the original story as the mighty demigod undertaking the legendary twelve labors. He too is not expected to return alive. The teasers look bloody awesome. As I speed through soap and diet ads I always slow down to look at them.

Hercules is a great character because he and other mythic figures; Gilgamesh, Thor, Jason and the Argonauts are the foundation of all modern day heroes. Comics are riddled with such mighty protagonist. Novels, and cinema draw heavily from mythology. I have been a fan of all the myths from around the world since learning to read. But what is the message coming out of all of this? The easy answer; no mater the cost, you must stand and fight for something more important than yourself. Good will triumph over evil, even if that good is tarnished.

The secret subliminal message; there's a bundle of cash in sweaty male bodies bashing the crap out of fantastic monsters. The greedy capitalist that invest and produce these steroid injected stories in all their incarnations are getting paid well. The next time some rich celeb says they're a socialist you laugh right in their thousand dollar facial.

It's said often by those that claim to know that the male animal loves all this action and the hot babes that throw themselves at the muscle bound heroes. But allow me to divert your attention to a rapidly growing trend with sweet gentle liberal actresses. Yes they recycle, refuse to wear fur, support homeless puppies, demand more gun control and believe in “Man Made” global warming. They are also staring in Resident Evil, Aliens, Serenity, Buffy, Dark Angel, Kill Bill, Tomb Raider and the latest in hot sexy super-babe flicks, Lucy. And I don't mean a remake of the fifties sitcom. In fact the message now is you can be a bad ass green-skinned super assassin Guardian of the Galaxy and still have great hair. Yeah the women are kicking butt and getting paid bodacious loads of loot. Is that a bit of a conflict? Don't shoot me I'm just asking.

Back in the nineties when I had Kool Kollectables a Kick Ass comic shop in Las Vegas, NV. Bad Girl comics were all the rage. As much as I love the Big Bang Theory I must disagree with their premise that hot chicks don't hang out with comic geeks. We had scores of them in our store buying Lady Death and Purgatory comics. In fact girls made up near half our clientele. Surprisingly, girls are big fans of Bat-Man, maybe it's the mansion.

In the 1990's a live action role playing game, Vampire the Masquerade was sweeping the country. Guys and girls were dressing up as blood sucking vampires. The religious right were aghast. The news media were deluged with horror stories of real vampires that drank human blood. Critics of fantasy games like Dungeons and Dragons were even more concerned with this new obsession with goth and darkness. “If your kids were wearing black trench-coats over black clothes you should be very concerned. If they're wearing fangs it may be too late. The lines between reality and fantasy are blurred and weak minds can become lost in the fantasy world.”

Maybe in your fantasy pal but I never had one single person flip out and bite anyone unlike that soccer player at the World Cup.

Thousands of America's youth had gone completely over the edge wearing makeup, fangs and black Gothic garb. They haunted our Blood Moon Social Club seeking power and dominion over the mortals that knew naught of the monsters that lurked among them. Everyone wanted me to write them up an undead character; Men, women, gays, blacks, Asians it didn't matter. The allure of immortality, superhuman power and yes dark sadistic sex appeal is universal. The gaming world gave me tremendous insight into the minds of my actors especially the females. How they manipulate the male, how they destroy their female rivals. As a creature of fantasy ordinary humans change, they no longer respect the laws of civilization. They take their super powers and use and abuse them with abandon. Sex and Violence draws them like moths to erotic flames. It was glorious, I never had so much fun in my life.

After all that scare what do we have today? Twilight, True Blood, Vampire academy, and a host of series about, immortal demons, angels, witches, gods and werewolves. Sex and Violence permeate novels, comic books, movies, online gaming. Amazon.com allows anyone to publish their ideas thus creating a whole new media outlet for the average person. There is more Sex and Violence in the media than ever and amazingly in spite of gun sales at a high. Murder and rape has actually gone down. Maybe the thought of armed women watching Milla Jovoich has intimidated the bad guys. Or maybe we're all role playing out our sick fantasies at home on the X-box instead of running amok.

Those crazy conservatives have been preaching doom and gloom every since Elvis shook it in their faces on the Ed Sullivan show sixty years ago. Those loony lefties are just as bad. Back in the day they started the imported water craze when every celeb had a bottle of Evian or Perrier in their hand. Now hundreds of brands stock every store and the same people that got us all to drinking bottled water are telling us to stop it because were polluting the earth. Really?

Does the media hype left wing causes like global warming? Absolutely. Can they actually prove the world is hotter now than twenty years ago? No. Even if it was plastic bottles had nothing to do with it.

Do Republicans obsess over abortion? Most defiantly and dirty dancing, and dirty rap lyrics and gay marriage. Has Rock and Roll destroyed America? No and neither will that other stuff. I return to the big question. What is the over arching all consuming message from the Media? It's simple and tens of thousands of films have delivered it, please indulge me as I bring you to it with an illustration.

There once was a powerful German ruler that sat upon his throne and cast his coveting gaze over Europe. He set his mighty army to conquer all he surveyed. America came to the aid of her allies and sent many young heroes to fight the tyrant. One such fellow was a simple backwoods country boy. He shunned violence against his fellow man for it said in his bible, thou shalt not kill. Alvin York played convincingly by Garry Cooper saved his fellow soldiers when facing overwhelming forces. He took his trusty rifle and single-handedly stormed the machine-gun nests and killed the enemy in order to save lives. He captured scores of the Huns and delivered them to his commanders. This WW1 true story was remarkable and the 1941 movie was gripping.

A few years later another German ruler tried this ploy again only bigger and with greater ferocity. His goal was not just world domination but eradication of the “impure races”. Once again America came to the rescue with legions of young warriors. One among them not even eighteen found himself in a similar situation as Sargent York.

Audie Murphy a poor kid of the country too and an expert marksman for he hunted to feed his family as York did. He came upon a massive force of Nazi troops and tanks. His men were pinned down and dying he had only one option. He charged the enemy and blasted them to Hell and Back. He leaped atop a burning tank and mowed them down with the machine gun. Flames licking at his heels he held his ground and cut them to pieces. Their resolve shattered the Nazis surrendered.

Hollywood was so impressed with his story they of course wanted to make the move. When they met the shy good looking young man with chest covered in medals, they thought who better to play him than he. A new cowboy action star was born.

So is it clear now? Yes, the lines between reality and fantasy sometimes get blurry with the media but in real life when evil rises to conquer the world you don't appease, you don't turn your back, you don't bargain. You call up a country boy with a sharpshooter's eye.

Dirty Harry walked softly and carried a big 44. When you need a bigger than life persona to fight tyranny in your war film you call for a Duke Wayne never a Justin Bieber. When terrorists take over a skyscraper you pray Bruce Willis is with you. When your planet is being overrun by marauding space aliens you assemble the Avengers. When a snake worshiping wizard beguiles your only child you get a barbarian to kick his ass.

When the world's most terrifying super villain is hiding out in Pakistan you call Seal Team Six. They may not be the Avengers but every one of them is a Capetian America, and that's good enough for me.