Like anyone else, I grew up being influenced by several means of media. Being in the age group that I am (I am currently 22 years old), most of this influence came from the internet. In my childhood, I spent a lot of my time on youtube. This included watching the YouTubers/Channels: Cryaotic and Jenna Marbles (to name a few), whose videos I’ll still watch every now and then.
However, when thinking of influences that shaped me as a person, I think of the channels that I used to enjoy watching as a child before realizing that the racist/sexist/homophobic/etc content that were the used as the main jokes, were NOT as funny as I thought. This includes channels such as Pewdiepie, Onision, and Rooster Teeth. Looking back, I feel a bit remorseful that I held any interest in these channels, but I am also grateful that these channels served as a medium for me to practice analyzing the media I consumed.
This being said, after going through the list of theories and criticisms on the Purdue OWL site, I found that a near-perfect theory to use as an analysis for my media influences is the Gender Studies and Queer Theory, which I think could intersect with a number of the other theories such as the Critical Race Theory or Feminist Criticis due to the general deconstruction of gender and what that looks like in different cultures before being able to criticize in media.
We then circle back to a Ryan Reynold’s vodka ad that we were asked to watch. The ad is a response to a Peloton ad which featured the same female actor in the vodka ad. After the Peloton ad aired, social media was quick to compare the ad to a horror film and the actor to a domestic abuse victim. This is what Ryan Reynold’s ad is a continuation of. I would say that it is understandable to see the criticism towards this ad. The portrayal of an abuse victim drowning her troubles in vodka is played off as humorous and is at the very least disrespectful to those who themselves were/are a victim.
Lex Analyzes Mass Media 
Welcome to class, Lex. Another semester, another blog about media. I get the charges about the Peleton ad but what interests me more is the social situation created (by media) that positions this discussion about women, gender role, fixation with fitness and the wild swing to the other end of the pendulum — alcoholism. Really, our advertisements are appeals to our search for happiness, for eudaimonia, to recall our media ethics discussions. Will an exercise bike result in human flourishing? That’s the question of the day.
Blissful blogging to you!
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Hi Alex! I always find it important to reflect on your past, especially your interests or entertainment, and being able to identify when things are problematic. Reflecting on these problematic things, yes, but also realizing the ways you’ve grown. Humor and comedic trends are definitely snapshots of that moment in time. When we look at movies/TV from the 1980’s, the 2010’s, and now, we see what was socially “acceptable” as joke material. Making fun of domestic abuse, sexual orientation, race, culture, etc. for a long time seemed to be easy laughs in comedy. One could slap a woman out of context and get a laugh. One could call someone gay, and then follow with “no homo” and get a laugh. I remember YouTubers definitely keeping this tradition going because most of them self identified as comedians, and YouTube was the outlet that they gained following, but the internet gave them a chance to be raunchier or skirt the line more, but the internet also gave them such free reign away from news media outlets, that there was really no one catching the things they were saying, except commenters/trolls, but we all know what happens to them on the internet. I believe comedy should skirt the line, but not in an abusive way. I, too, remember YouTube videos I watched, or trends I participated in, that I realized later weren’t something I should have been doing.
Anyways, good post!
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Hi Lex, thank you for the sharing your thoughts. I can relate to how you looked back at some of the shows/channels you used to watch and realize how toxic they are. I look back at some of the stuff that I thought was cool, like some heavy metal and other heavy bands, that were sending really negative and depressing messages. At the time, it was cool because my friends also listened to the same music, but I hear it now and I realize why we couldn’t stop being angry or emotional. It takes a strong mind and heart to finally say, “this isn’t cool.” Look forward to reading more of your posts!
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