There’s a pretty funny gag that runs through director Paul Verhoeven’s otherwise dark futuristic thriller Robocop.
Whenever a TV set appears onscreen, the same show is on, a Benny Hill-style bit of numbskullery with a shrimpy host whose whole riff is to ogle big-breasted women and say: “I’ll buy that for a dollar!” Gets a laugh every time.
The message, of course, is that the more technologically sophisticated we becomeand the more attention-span-depleting toys are at our disposal–the dumber we become in terms of what amuses us.
In many ways, the future is now. But as Chris Rock points out, we ain’t the Jetsonswe ain’t even the Jeffersons.
Still, we are rather easily amused, don’t you think? And when it comes to entertainment in the digital age, one option’s as good (and as disposable) as the next. That includes music. Maybe that’s why so much hard rock music these days sounds like a PlayStation soundtrack, or maybe it’s made for demonstrating car stereos at Circuit City. Cross-marketing rules!
In these pages, we discuss not only the inanities of rock, but of corporate hip hop, country, and that good ol’ T&A marketing strategy. And, oh, yeahGREED. Can’t forget greed.
We also entertain the notion that stupidity in music is not necessarily a new, or even bad thing. Hell, I’ll buy that for a dollar.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a Justin Timberlake CD to go listen to.
