Award Szn 2023 – what’s hot and what’s not?
If you‘re anything like me (chronically online, oops), then you’ve probably caught wind of the multiple controversies and sagas that have been unfolding this award season. And while you are more than welcome to be just another passive consumer of all this drama, I would strongly encourage you to use this tea-filled season to build up your knowledge repertoire. Take this time to critically examine how you can use all this information in your next GP essay!
So, sit tight, and get ready for Bubbles (me) to show you how GP can be so, so, so incredibly fun. Welcome to a crash course on pop culture in the eyes of the General Paper.
The First Asian Woman…
…to be nominated for an Oscar’s best actress.
Or was she?
Michelle Yeoh’s performance in the science-fiction film, “Everything, everywhere, all at once” has garnered her immense international acclaim, which makes it not much of a surprise that she’s been nominated for the Best Actress award at the Oscars. It is, however, nonetheless phenomenal because she is the first Asian woman to have been nominated for this heralded prize. Yet, some articles reporting on the matter have had to hedge such a title, dubbing her the first Asian-identifying woman instead.
And, why is that so?
Meet Merle Oberon – a biracial actress who was nominated for her role in “The Dark Angel” (1935).
Born in Mumbai, Oberon is of South Asian and British descent. She, however, obfuscated her birthplace and ethnic identity in order to survive in an industry that actively shunned people of colour. Back then, the existence of numerous doctrines and policies ostracised and penalised biracial relationships and people.
Oberon, resultantly, began to wear white makeup and used skin-bleaching materials in order to seem more “white”. She told people that she was born in Tasmania and that her birth certificates were burnt up in a ferocious fire. It was only after her death in 1979 that people started to find out about her exotic origins.
To me, the title feels like a mere matter of technicality. But, no matter whether you decide to dub Yeoh the first Asian-identifying woman or the first Asian woman, I compel you to celebrate her victory in remembrance of those who have come before us.
And now, some questions you can consider in response to the tidbits of wisdom I’ve endowed you:
‘The progress of a society is best reflected through the arts.’ What do you think?
‘The study of History is underrated.’ Do you agree?
‘The arts are a distraction from the problems we face today.’ To what extent is this a fair viewpoint?
Unless you live under a rock, I’m sure you’ve heard Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ song, “Unholy” at least once or twice before. At the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, Smith and Petras’ opus was awarded “Best duo/group” and, in line with years-long tradition, the duo then performed the song onstage.
The performance was a show of theatrics, for sure. With devil-horned headdress and prancing spectral characters, the performance seemed much like the fiery inferno we’d assume hell to be.
And while the audience at the Grammys seemed to enjoy this display, it turns out that many others on the internet did not echo this sentiment. From senators to podcast hosts, many have stepped forward to speak against this episode. They said that it was “evil”, “satanic” and just downright wrong.
I won’t comment on whether I find this to be “wrong or right”, because, surely, we agree that this matter cannot be force-fitted into a clear-cut set of binaries. Instead, I compel you to consider the entire episode from the GP point-of-view (ah! there’s the magic).
For one, many incensed individuals approach the matter from a religious point of view. Think: Does religion still have a role in the modern world? (A-levels 2023). Others speak of how there’s a need for us to sanitise and monitor what we put on TV, lest the impressionable future generations emulate exactly what they see. Think: Is censorship ever justifiable?
So, the next time you hear the distinctive lyrics, “mummy don’t know daddy’s getting hot” (willingly, or otherwise), I hope you feel more ideas flowing through that gorgeous mind of yours.
Out of Style?
On the night of the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, Harry Styles brought home three gramophones – one for Best Pop Solo performance, one for best Vocal Pop Album, and one for Best Album of the Year. And, the last one left people infuriated.
Following the reveal of the awardees, many people took to the internet to criticise the fact that Styles had taken home the trophy for the Best Album of the Year. Many then looked to Beyonce, who has been nominated for the award four times but yet has not ever won it. Some even alleged that Styles’ win was contingent on a number of biases, such as the trend that such award shows typically tend to award white men.
Furthermore, Harry Styles’ questionable comment during his acceptance speech, one which left a sour taste in many people’s mouths, was only fuel to fire. He said that “this doesn't happen to people like me very often“, which seems to be rather untrue considering that he is the 33rd white man to have received the award. But, no matter whether you’re a die-hard fan of the former one-direction member, or cannot stand his ostentatious displays, I once again, compel you to consider the matter with your GP lenses equipped.
This is a great example of the power of the masses. So, where does the authority lie, nowadays? (Does power lie more with the people or the authorities?)
Plus, if it weren’t for platforms like Twitter and Instagram, I must ask: would such an issue even come to light? (Consider the role of the media in the world today!)
I hope that the 3 events I’ve highlighted in this article have been extremely helpful. And above that, I especially hope that I’ve shone light on how you can consider new and current pop-culture events from an even more refreshing point-of-view.
Keep learning,
Bubbles
