Sunday, November 6, 2011

They Work Out

I have to admit that I have bought both singles by LMFAO that have been released thus far.  I watched the video for the first, "Party Rock Anthem" and then spent quite a bit of time researching YouTube for instructional videos on "how to shuffle".  My brain now completely understands what needs to be done in order to shuffle (and to dougie, thanks to my last dance-related research) but where the spirit is willing, the flesh remains awkward.

I had seen a few people on Facebook mention the video for the next single, "Sexy And I Know It" but it took a while to get around to watching it.  I'd like to discuss the video a bit, so please check it out if you have a moment.  Don't look at it if you're at work or church, though.


OK, so now you've seen that.

My first reaction was along the lines of "Yikes!" and "I wonder how much therapy costs." upon reflection, though, I realized that they aren't doing anything in this video that women have been doing in music videos since the dawn of MTV.  In addition, lots of people make a point to spend their Super Bowl half-time watching women (sort of) play football in their underwear.  How different is that from rival underwear gangs posturing at each other at the beach?  Aside from gender, it's pretty much the same thing.

So, I'd like to know what you think:  Do you think LMFAO is just trying to be silly and a little disturbing or are they spandex-clad geniuses making a prescient statement on how numb we've become when it comes to female almost-nudity in pop culture?


3 comments:

  1. I'd love to tell you that I think it's the latter: that they are boldly but cleverly making an ironic statement about the use (and abuse) of sexual imagery in pop culture.
    But, nah -- ain't buyin' it.
    It sells, because it draws attention, and the need to (occasionally) do something new usually means pushing the boundaries juuust a little farther out than they were before. And while there might be a little bit of knowing, wink-wink irony in LMFAO's video, it's not there to comment on our numbness; it's there to create a (psychological) link between the video and the viewer -- wink, wink: you're in on the joke with us.
    Which of course only makes it more popular.
    IMHO.

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  2. OK, after a second viewing, I'll give you a .... . The parody didn't register as much the first time -- the burnt retinas may have had something to do with that.

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  3. Kevin, your reaction is not uncommon. I showed this video at a party last weekend and got a lot of initial reactions that were very much in line with the idea that they're just being silly. Without prompting, though, some of these people started to think it was so over the top there simply HAD to me some kind of point to it.

    I'm still not sure about that but I have to admit it's catchy.

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