Martha Thomases: You Say You Want A Resolution…
New Year’s Resolutions aren’t for me. When I was a kid, my parents would sit my sister and me down with paper and have us write some. I suppose it helped their hangovers. Since I had to do it, I hated it.
For most of the last decade, my only resolution has been to drink more water. If that.
Still, there is a new year ahead, and that means twelve months of possibilities. It would be foolish not to have a plan to take advantage of them. So here, for better or worse, is what I want to do. We’ll see if I have the resolve to follow through.
• Try new things. When I go to the comic book store on Wednesday morning (hi, gang!), it’s easy to just pick up my usual. But just as that’s a boring way to go to a restaurant when there are so many other choices, it’s no way to approach the rack. Last year, for one example, I took great joy in Resident Alien. If you didn’t see it, I highly recommend the trade. As for me, I’m going to look for more than a DC bullet in the corner.
• Don’t support what I don’t like. As I said above, I have a tendency to just look for the DC bullet. And while I’ve expanded my repertoire over the decades I’ve read comics, I tend to add titles more than subtract them. Why do I do this? Am I afraid I’ll miss something? The Internet means I can always catch up. In the meantime, I’ll save myself time, money, and indicate my displeasure to publishers.
• Proselytize. When something is good, I’ll say so, especially if that thing isn’t getting enough attention. For example, American Horror Story: Asylum is the best television show I never hear anybody talking about. It has everything you could want in an entertainment – Nazi doctors, serial killers, demon-possessed nuns, crusading lesbian reporters, aliens from outer space – and it’s from the guys who bring you Glee, so you know everybody looks good.
• Shut up, occasionally. It’s easy for us Baby Boomers to talk incessantly about how much better we had it, back when rent was cheap, there was no HIV, and there were no rating systems. We had great movies, great comics and music that still moves us. But most of us forgot our ideals, and sold out our legacy. Patti Smith is doing Levi ads. We are in no position to tell younger people what to do.
It’s my fondest hope that I can stick to these, at least through Groundhog Day. And to keep my water bottle handy.
SATURDAY: Marc Alan Fishman
Jefferson Airplane did Levi’s ads back in the 60s (well, maybe the 70s)
The Who did a bunch of ’em. Coca-Cola, I think. There’s money in them thar hills; I don’t see the difference between doing commercials and recording for Sony or any of the others. One thing is clear for me — I’d much rather hear, say, George Thorogood on a Burger King commercial than some bubble-headed pitchperson.
(That’s a song title, isn’t it? Bubble-Headed Pitchperson?)
It’s the choice of the artist — particularly if they own their material. I respect Neil Young’s decision (and, even, snarkiness) as much as Patti Smith’s. But, you know, Patti Page didn’t sell doggies from puppy mills. Artists have to stand behind their endorsements.
What i meant is that the Airplane did radio Levi’s spots while they were still doing their “Revolution is Cool! Smash the State! Right ON!” routine.
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Looks as if it was 1967.
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Rather earlier than the others you mention. And they were originals, i think, not just slightly modified versions of existing material.
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A quote from There’s a Riot Going On: Revolutionaries, Rock Stars, and the Rise and Fall of the ’60s:
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Oh – you can hear the spots here.
“In order to survive, we steal-cheat-lie-forge-fuck-hide-and-deal. We are lawless-hideous-dangerous-dirty-violent… and young.”
But, you know, not labor activists…
I actually like the Patti Smith commercials a lot. They are brilliant. And I have no doubt that Patti personally endorses the product. Still, my dreams went further. And, as I said, I should get over myself.
Your editor responds to the latter statement: “Not if it affects your writing style.”
I’m far, far more amazed that any commercial entity would endorse Patti than vice versa.
Just got the first season of American Horror Story on DVD for Christmas. I presume this isn’t the “Asylum” season but nevertheless, it is genuinely scary.
The first season is good, but the second one spins totally out of control. In a good, thoroughly excessive way.
My resolution for this year is the same as for the previous years…..Not to make any.
Never disappointed myself since I started that resolution.
Just take each day as it comes. Learn from my mistakes. Apply what I learned from those mistakes to make me a better person.
My New Year’s resolution? Same as last year, 1280 x 1024.
Martha, regarding “AHS: Asylum,” how could you leave off the out-of-nowhere musical fantasy sequence? Jessica Lange and cast doing a musical number based on the old Shirley Ellis song, “The Name Game” and filmed in vibrant color? This past week’s episode has GOT to be the season’s highlight. (Well, okay, it’s right up there with the season opener with Evan Peters’ backside on full display.)
Joseph, when I wrote my piece, that episode hadn’t aired yet. And, yes, that episode was so awesome that I had to watch it twice. In a row.
Okay, Martha. You’re forgiven for the omission.
The biggest sellout to me was hearing songs by the Beatles in commercials.
That was Michael Jackson, who owned the publishing rights to much of the Lennon-McCartney catalog. Yoko later jumped on the bandwagon.
And the Three Stooges didn’t endorse MasterCard — that was Bela Lagosi Jr. acting on behalf of “their” holding company.