Getting Ready for the Red Carpet

Getting Ready for the Red Carpet

            As we know there are many steps that it takes to get ready for the red carpet. It’s not just beautiful people wearing gorgeous expensive clothes. It takes days and even weeks for celebrities to look the way they do on the red carpet. Most celebrities have rituals they do before getting ready for the red carpet. According to the Celebuzz, George Clooney plays basketball while his companion, Stacy, gets ready.

            Like I said before, it takes days and even weeks to prepare for the red carpet. Of course, one of the first steps to getting ready is making sure that the dress and tux fit. Celebrities spend many hours in the gym to get that extra weight off to ensure that their outfit fits. It costs $110 for an hour-session at the Goldberg at Peak Performance in New York. Not only do most celebrities work out to get fit, they also do things like spray tan, teeth whitening, facials, and even plastic surgery.

            After, all the physical work is done; celebrities focus on getting ready the night of the red carpet event. The women hire hairstylists for their do’s. Lindsey Lohan and Ann Hathaway spend $2,000 to $4,000 for Sam Leonardi to do their hair for the red carpet. Make-up also cost about $4,000. Last, but not least, the outfit must be perfect. Angelina Jolie pays her stylist, Jennifer Rade,a whopping $7,000 a day. There must be no wrinkles, snags, or tears. The shoes must shine and the star must be beautiful. That night the celebrities will walk out onto the red carpet and fans will cheer them on as media snaps pictures.

           

References

Celebuzz. (2007, February 27). Retrieved April 29, 2012, from http://www.forbes.com/2007/02/22/cost-oscar-carpet-forbeslife-cx_hp_0223redcarpetready.html

Celebuzz. (2012, January 13). Retrieved April 29, 2012, from http://www.celebuzz.com/2012-01-12/george-clooney-reveals-red-carpet-ritual-with-stacy-keibler-at-2012-critics-choice-movie-awards/

The Blues

Blues is a genre of music that has been around for many of years. Riley B.B. King was a professional blues singer who was born in Itta Bena, Mississippi on September 16, 1925 (Adelt, 2011, 197). Before he became a musician, King was a tractor driver and worked as a sharecropper. In Memphis, in 1948, King started his career as a radio disc jockey at a local radio station. While in Memphis B.B. began to play his guitar and sing at local clubs and bars. He picked up the nickname “Beale Street Blues Boy,” which shorted to B.B (Adelt, 2011, 198).

B.B. King had then become a star. In the 1960’s, King’s career began to fail. He tried in the 1950’s to play for white audiences, but it was not a success. He also failed at black, older, and well-off audiences (Adelt, 2011, 198). King had an opportunity to play in San Francisco at the Fillmore West. During the time her played, majority of the audience was black. It later grew to mostly white. B.B. (Adelt, 2011, 199). King then became a famous blues singer with mostly white audiences. Blacks listened to mostly soul music during this time period.

Most people do not know that before the Civil Rights era, King sang in the south for the whites. He made an appearance at a rock festival in Macon, GA. He was in the south and wasn’t sure how to act. All the theaters he played at in the past were all once black, but this had changed. Majority of them were white. In the 1970’s B.B. went on 10-day tour with the Rolling Stones. This tour was a change for him. All the music was rock and roll and he had been exposed to one of the largest audiences he has ever had. B.B. states that he wasn’t comfortable (Adelt, 2011, 200).     

During B.B.’s career, he had a “crossover.” In the 1960’s, he had continually talked about how he was not happy with the blacks and their music change from blues to soul music. Young black audiences booed him. Bobby Shiffman, the manager at the Apollo Theater, stated that “blues represented, at the time, misery.” Blues came out at a time of slavery and was a black man’s lowest point in history (Adelt, 2011, 203).  B.B. continued to wow other audiences. White hippies found purity in blues music. He then began to travel to other countries and sing. ABC Records later took over King’s label in 1962. In 1968, he broke the pop charts and won his first Grammy. After that; he opened for Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley (Adelt, 2011,204.).

The 1970’s was a time when white performers began to emerge. Elton John Billy Joel climbed the charts (Adelt, 2011, 207). B.B. King began to grow even more popular and was acknowledged everywhere. By 1970, King released his third album which made number 26 on the charts. This was the highest he had been. His cover also won a Grammy for the Best Album Cover (Adelt, 2011, 208). King continued his career under the production of Bill Szymczyk. . they used “white” sounds and images to charm white audiences. Finally, in 1969 and 1971 he used “black” sounds and fewer images to charm the same audiences. Even though B.B. was now a hippie rock star, he was still related to the black audiences (Adelt, 2011, 210).

Blues was a big part of the white culture. Blacks seemed to like soul more at the time. B.B. King had mostly white audiences during this era. His first mostly black audience was played on September 10, 1970 in front of 2117 inmates (Adelt, 2011, 212). King’s music was made mostly of “white” sounds and images. He affected many different kinds of audiences. He is an inspiration to a variety of ethnicities and continues to be a very successful musician.

                                                                                                                                

             

References

Adelt, Ulrich. (2011). Black, White, and Blue: Racial Politics in B.B. King’s Music from the 1960s. The Journal of Popular Culture, Vol 44, No 2, 195-214.

Red Carpet Fashion Heroes

When I hear the word “Hero,” I think if someone who risked their own life to save someone else. This is normally done without thinking about the danger that could be caused to them first. An example of could be a person pulling someone out of a burning car. We also have heroes who know of the potential danger and chose to risk their own life. Firemen, police officers, and soldiers are all examples of heroes who risk their life every day.

            CNN host an annual Heroes Awards in which honors people who work all the time in order to try and change the world. Carolyn LeCroy is an inspiring woman who helps children stay connected with their parents who are incarcerated. She received a CNN Heroes Award in 2008. Another CNN hero is Diane Latiker. She is listed on the top 10 CNN Heroes. She allows yound children to come into her house to keep them off the streets. She lives in one of Chicago’s most dangerous neighborhoods. There is a lot of gang violence in her neighborhood. Diane provides food, helps with homework, or just listens. She is determined to keep the young children off the streets and out of gangs. Diane also set up a memorial to all the kids who lost their lives since 2007. Some of the celebrities that were seen on the red carpet in 2008 were Miley Cyrus, Charlotte Ross, and Brooklyn Decker. Many other celebrities attend these awards to honor the heroes.

            As we can see heroes become celebrities. I would have never heard of Carolyn LeCroy or Diane Latiker if it had not been for her heroic actions. She is now a celebrity in trying to make the world a better place.

             

References

Gach, PJ. (2011, December 12). Best and Worst Dressed: CNN Heroes Red Carpet Style. Shine. Retrieved April 22, 2012, from http://shine.yahoo.com/winter-style/best-worst-dressed-cnn-heroes-red-carpet-style-184800684.html

Grandparent Helping Chicago kids ‘off the block.’ (2011, April 17.) Retrieved April 22, 2012, from http://www.cnn.com/2011/LIVING/04/07/cnnheroes.latiker.roseland.youth/index.html

Program helps imprisoned parents stay connected to kids. (2012, April 19). Retrieved April 22, 2012, from http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/19/living/cnnheroes-lecroy-robinson-peete/index.html

Red Carpet Fashion Rituals and Stereotypes

Red Carpet Fashion Rituals and Stereotypes

            There have been rituals and stereotypes in red carpet fashion for years. A ritual can be something that is done repeatedly over and over. Red carpet fashion is a ritual in itself. Every year at the Golden Globe Awards or the Oscars, women and men walk out onto this long stretch or red carpet to show off their expensive night gowns or tuxedos. Another ritual that is involved in the red carpet fashion is that the spokesperson always asks the celebrity, “Who is the designer of your outfit?” For example, Carrie Underwood wore a gown designed by Badgley Mischka carrying a Swarovski clutch to the 68^th Golden Globe Awards.

            Not only is there rituals, but there are stereotypes. A stereotype is something assumed that may not be true. One stereotype of red carpet fashion is that if the outfit worn on the carpet isn’t as expensive as most, then they are not that big of a celebrity. Red carpet celebrities wear pretty pricey outfits and some of them are not as famous so that can be stereotypical. Another stereotype was that because of an outfit that Taylor Swift wore at the Grammys, people were saying she looked homeless because of the style of the outfit. Rituals and stereotypes are everywhere we go, even on the red carpet. We build rituals and stereotypes based on our own experiences.

References

Fabulous Buzz. (2011). Retrieved April 15, 2012, from http://fabulousbuzz.com/2011/01/16/68th-annual-golden-globe-awards-red-carpet-fashion/

Indy millennial. (2012). Retrieved April 15, 2012, from http://indymillennial.com/2012/02/13/red-carpet-comments-what-does-it-mean-to-look-homeless/

Icon Analysis

The first thing I think of when it comes to an icon is a person. People who have made themselves famous for acting, singing, or just being inspirational. Also, I think an icon can just be something that is popular. Websites or electronics can be icons. The three icons that I have chosen are Carrie Underwood, Justin Bieber, and Facebook.

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Carrie Underwood, as we know, was a winner on the popular show American Idol. She sings country music. She is a very spiritual person who is very real. Her attitude has not changed because she got famous and neither has her look. She is a very beautiful woman who lives her life for God. She doesn't have fake breast for fake hair. She stayed true to who she was and I admire her for that. 

Justin Beiber is a new pop star, who became popular overnight. I myself do not have Beiber Fever, but many young girls today do. He is the new Justin Timberlake who has girls hearts stolen. Justin Beiber is the new generation of pop stars.

Facebook is the 21st Century social network. It has thousands of fans and the number is growing each day. Facebook is pretty much something that most people can't live without. It can be accessed from anywhere. It is the leading social network over all networks.