pop culture
Female pop-culture icons, women in the media and the depiction of women in the entertainment and pop culture sphere.
Meet 5 Beauty Queens Representing Africa at This Year's Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty pageant run by the United States based Miss Universe Organization. It is by far one of the most watched beauty pageants in the world with an estimated audience of over 500 million viewers across over 190 territories. This year’s edition, the 69th edition – Miss Universe 2020 will be held on May 16, 2021 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
By Jide Okonjo5 years ago in Viva
90's nostalgia...
I grew up around tie-dye, yin yangs and the Spice Girls. I grew up in a decade where the advances in technology were so important that we couldn't imagine life today without them. Imagine living without the internet, mobile phones or PlayStations... you can't can you? Everything about those 10 years had a shiny, loud, teetering-on-the-edge kind of feeling to it. The music was loud, Liam Gallagher's vocal in Wonderwall, the violins in Bittersweet Symphony, the beat in 2Unlimiteds' No Limitz, the techno-banjo in Cotton-Eye Joe, Mariah and Whitneys massive vocal stylings, the amount of feel-good feminism packed into every Spice Girls song, all larger than life. Ladies turned into ladettes, traditionally masculine heterosexual men turned into metrosexuals, eyebrows that started the decade thick and fluffy ended as thin lines, jeans that started off high-waisted and baggy, ended up super low rise and skin tight. And I lived, laughed and loved my way through every single second of it. I can't pick one trend that I would bring back from the 90's, so here's my top 10 nostalgic feels. (all images are from Google)
By Angie Tailor-Joice5 years ago in Viva
Kicking Sass and Taking Numbs
Kicking Sass and Taking Numbs Ode to the Kick-Ass Heroines of Yesteryear and Today By R.C. Mantley Kick-ass heroines are all the rage these days. From Olga Kurylenko (Sentinelle, Netflix) as the brooding, pill-popping, Special Forces operative who is determined to avenge the rape of her sister. To Queen Latifah, as the latest incarnation of an ex-CIA operative named McCall—in her case, Robyn McCall—who is an Equal Opportunity Avenging Angel otherwise known as The Equalizer, now doing her shtick on CBS Television. But no matter the guise or who plays the role, or where these Idols of the Cave flicker, the tradition of the nose-busting, butt-whupping, take-no-prisoners distaff destroyer is alive and well— kicking. Or nannu, nannu, as Robin Williams as Mort, from Mort and Mindy, would say.
By R.C.Mantley5 years ago in Viva
To The Cheesy, the Love-Struck and the Naïve
I always had this innocent, chivalrous, heroic view of love. Probably it was because I was raised by a very conservative and religious family and that most of my upbringing was in one of those far-flung areas where tightly-knit communities thrived away from the “liberalistic” influence of the big cities. But don’t get me wrong! Now at 33, happily married and blessed with one child, I think I now possess a more mature, yet probably still flawed, perspective about love.
By Louie Jhon Lunaria5 years ago in Viva
Dear Wonder Woman
Do you remember when you were small and felt like you were so weak and incapable? Have you ever had a moment where you faced a situation and thought, “I don’t have the strength for this”? It’s easy to see you on screen and think that you have it all, but I’m sure you’ve struggled too. You wouldn’t be called Wonder Woman otherwise; your very name speaks to a legacy of triumphing in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.
By Jillian Spiridon5 years ago in Viva
Pepe Le Pew Is the Mascot of Sexual Harassment: A Retrospective on Growing up With Rape and Consent Culture in 80s Pop Culture
Anyone familiar with Pepe Le Pew from the Looney Tunes cartoon menagerie will get the same image in their head. A male skunk merrily bouncing towards a terrified female black cat who had the misfortune of somehow getting a white stripe painted along her back. The premise: Pepe thinks she is a female skunk now, which apparently makes it okay to relentlessly harass her, despite the most desperate of refusals and uber-clear non-verbal cues from the cat. Each episode is the same: Pepe nonchalantly stalks her for the whole show, flirting with a French accent, tries to hold her against her will and kiss her, while the cat scrambles out of his arms time and time again, scrambling for sanctuary from her insistent, clueless pursuer. It doesn't help that Pepe is a stinky skunk whose scent wilts flowers as he walks by. Occasionally, the cat will retaliate by laying in wait around a corner with a large mallet, or maybe perhaps rig up an Acme anvil to drop on Pepe’s head. Even after being smashed in the head by the cat, Pepe doesn’t get it. He smiles and says in his thick faux French tones, “flirt.”
By Richard Wright, MA5 years ago in Viva
Polish Barbie and a Deeper Authenticity
Growing up, it was easy to know the things I thought I wanted: a dog of my own, pointy crayons, stuffed animals, a diary with a lock and key, and real Barbie paper dolls. Of course, I look back on this grand desire of wanting authentic Barbie paper dolls and I know why. Who wouldn’t? This wonder woman with the impossible figure, perfect hair, and such a vast array of careers that she alone could blow up LinkedIn? Barbie was, and very well might still be, the paragon of Cool and Smart. A model of Beauty and Sophistication. Fun and Adventure. Confident and Talented. What’s not to want?
By Kennedy Farr5 years ago in Viva
