Showing creativity

Iain Duncan Smith, while Conservative leader, once appeared on the Johnny Vaughan chat show (now cancelled), and was asked if he would every perform rap to get in touch with youth voters; his answer was an enthusiastic yes: he intimated he would try anything! Perhaps luckily we in the UK have not been given the treat of watching politicians trying to rap; John Redwood miming badly to the Welsh National Anthem was damaging enough to his public image.

In Singapore no such problems seem to exist. The Media Development Agency, a conglomerate of the Singapore Broadcasting Authority, the Films and Publications Department, and the Singapore Film Commission (so kind of like a merger of the BBC and BAFTA) have decided they need to promote their creativity to a global audience using a rap song and video. What do you think?

My favourite bit is CEO Yeo Chun Cheng in a superman outfit, but they all look like they are having a good time; but like Boris Yeltsin when he played the spoons alongside a rock band there is something a little incongruous about it. On their website they state that "The raison d'etre of the MDA (so thus the video) is to develop Singapore into a vibrant global city so as to foster a creative economy and connected society". Critics would call it dumbing down and trivialisation; others would call it engaging, creative and memorable; hinting at its success. But who is right?

All together now Yes Yes Y'all We don't stop... and who else could get 'My tasks include internal systems integration HRFIS, PMP to iTRAX' into a rap song - so is this available on iTunes?

You sound like a really useful guy.... any good with leaks?

Parkinson is the chat show for political party leaders, I think Harold Wilson was the first to guest but I may be wrong. The latest was David Cameron though. He told the story of being introduced to Kate Moss at a charity dinner and being unsure what to say. He recounted the conversation going thus:

"I remembered she actually has a house in my constituency and we'd had these terrible floods in West Oxfordshire and so I said, 'Very nice to meet you, very sorry about the flooding in your house... I know your local pub has been flooded, I've been to see the publican and I know you like to go to the pub and so I know it's going to reopen in six months... So I went on like this, twittering on, and she turned around and said, 'God, you sound like a really useful guy, can I have your phone number?... "I went back to my table and said 'The good news is, I met Kate Moss and she wanted my telephone number, the bad news is I think she thinks I'm something to do with drainage."

It turns out she assumed he was a plumber; apparently!

I would be interested to here Kate Moss's side of the story, if she has any recollection that is. It does strike me as unlikely that she believed she was meeting a plumber at a flashy charity do. Though it is believable that she had little idea who David Cameron was, and that is no slur on him but her social awareness generally. But why tell this story?

It has a wonderful self-deprecating style, Cameron positions himself as being a little tongue-tied in the face of such a famous celebrity, much like the average guy in the street; he also plays down his own importance quite jokingly. Since the criticism that Blair received when talking about his religious convictions surrounding the war on Iraq, this perhaps is the correct tone for the chat show and Cameron's performance seemed focused on being likeable, normal and average. The permanent campaign is on!!

Don't mess with rock 'n' roll

In 2002 Ozzy Osbourne was George W. Bush's guest at the White House and, despite widespread condemnation among America's religious right, Ozzy was clearly guest of honour with Bush claimed to have announced "The thing about Ozzy is, he's made a lot of big hit recordings: Party With the Animals, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Face in Hell, Black Skies and Bloodbath in Paradise, Ozzy, Mom loves your stuff". It seems the respect and adulation is not reciprocated as Ozzy has launched a rather scathing attack on the Bush regime's record.

Listening to his new album Black Rain, I was struck by the sharp political message, one that is almost a personal message to Bush, in the song The Almighty Dollar; take the following verse for example:

Burn into the air and atmosphere
Watching the rain come down.
Turn your head away, ignore the fear.
Watching the ice crash down.
Our father’s justice gets closer,
How could you screw us all over?
Rape, steal, and murder,
God bless the Almighty Dollar.

While the comment is on the lack of care for the environment shown by the Bush administration, the 'how could you' reference almost suggests that Ozzy expected better. It is not the first time that Ozzy Osbourne has offered anti-war or pro-environmental messages within his lyrics, my favourite remains the opening of the song War Pigs:

Generals gathered in their masses,

just like witches at black masses.

Evil minds that plot destruction,

sorcerers of death's construction.

The new album may have a wider audience due to Ozzy and his wife having a high profile. Equally his apolitical image may mean that the message can break through the clutter of persuasive messages and have an impact on his new fans. Whatever it is a message that is constructed in an interesting way.

Taking Liberties

What Michael Moore did to Bush, unknown film producer Chris Atkins has done to Blair. Whether the film will have the same level of impact is a big question, however the medium of popular culture appears to remain an important way of making political points while also entertaining. Not only that, the accompanying website and blog is designed to encourage discussion of the issues and to get the audience involved. The site is worth a visit, and maybe the film is even worth going to the cinema to watch!

Can popular culture shape society?

The above scene from Disney animation Aladdin shows the hero defeating the evil Jafar; Aladdin is characterised as American, Jafar as Arabic, is this a parable for the clash of civilisations or simple a harmless remake of an ancient tale of heroes and villains? Michael Carmichael's article Propaganda and the Politics of Perception argues that not only does it reinforce anti-Arabic sentiments but that this movie would have had a profound influence on the attitudes towards Arabic peoples possessed by soldiers now serving in the Middle East. Using cultivation theory, Carmichael explains that the media encourage a pro-Western, Islamophobic mood to prevail within US and other western cultures that breeds distrust and discrimination. While not the first time that Disney has been accused of racism, Carmichael uncovers an interesting insight into the role of popular culture in shaping modern society.

I would suggest that this does not start or stop with the promotion of Islamophobic notions. Popular culture plays an increasingly important role in shaping perceptions of various groups within society. Think of the potential cumulative impact of programmes such as The Thick of It, My Dad's the Prime Minister, Spooks, Judge John Deed; all BBC programmes, but the BBC are not alone, that offer a view of politicians as stupid or manipulative. While all could be said to reflect a view of society, they also popularise that view so making popular culture an important tool of political communication. If you take the above clip from The Thick of It, filmed in fly on the wall style, what impression does it offer of the workings of government? Yes it is very funny, and I personally loved it, but can it also feel public cynicism and contribute to low public engagement in the same was a the characterisation of Jafar breed mistrust of people who appear Arabic? True, television, film, music etc can have a positive role; the cultivation of positive black role models like Floella Benjamin is testament to Children's television playing a social role, but whether that role is still being pursued as vigorously seems to be open to interpretation.