The latest in the breast-feeding wars comes all the way from South Korea and involves the epitome of American snacktime: the Oreo cookie.
An ad from Agency Cheil Worldwide pairs the crème-filled treat with an unlikely image: a super-cute baby holding the cookie while nursing on his mama’s breast. The accompanying slogan: “Milk’s favorite cookie.” (It's unclear if Nabisco, maker of Oreos, is actually using the ad or if the agency just created it.)
It’s one thing to cheer when other cultures portray breast-feeding as normal. But isn’t there something kind of... icky… about the way this ad blatantly sexualizes breast-feeding?Let’s begin with the obvious: Breasts don’t look like that when you are nursing, all air-brushed and perky and perfect. (At least, mine sure didn’t. Apologies for the TMI.) Where are the stretch marks, the cracked nipples?
Not that breast-feeding is not beautiful, and natural – it is. But it’s hardly glamorous or sexy, and by looking at this ad, you’d think some model just left the catwalk to feed her child. If that actually is her child: Is this even a lactating mother?
The photo also conjures up the image of some ad genius – we’re betting it was a guy, or a group of them – sitting around thinking, “How can we make a cookie look sexy?” Cookies. Milk. Kids. Breast milk. Boobs!
Sure, the ad is provocative, which in itself makes it effective. But it’s textbook juvenile. Just skim the comments of a Huffington Post story on the ad (which is where we first read about it; hat tip) to see the male reaction.
"I am now going to buy a case of Oreos," writes HuffPo "Super User" Jack Davies.
And poster Builderman55 comments: "Lucky baby...."
It’s extra ironic that the ad targets a narrow audience – families with babies – that is likely to respond, knowingly: “Well, that baby is way too young to eat a cookie.” (Then again, maybe it is geared to a demographic of dudes who eat Oreos and like pretty breasts and cute babies.)
On an Adsoftheworld.com’s post, a commenter named Hadrons said:
“Simply not pleasant. Nor appealing. (Are you going to have a nice warm cup of mother’s milk with your cookie now?)”
Another commenter, Tom Megginson, said he likes it and points out that “the idea of paralleling cow’s milk and human milk is hardly new…Let’s not forget that La Leche League in the USA partners with the California 'Got Milk?' people.”
He also says he is amused by “how shocked and offended adults are by just seeing a breastfeeding image. I guess this is the reason nursing women are still subjected to social apartheid by anti-nature prudes.”
An anti-nature prude? Not so much. An anti-women-being-objectified prude? I can live with that.
Jeremy Jordan!
AKA: Jack Kelly in the Broadway production of Newsies. (he was also in that Joyful Noise movie)
Glee star Darren Criss made his Broadway debut earlier this year in the revival How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Since then, Broadway fans have been eager to get Criss back onstage (and for longer than three weeks this time!) In a recent interview with Billboard.com, the Glee star discussed catching the new hit musical Newsies and the likelihood of him donning a newsboy cap and selling papes on Broadway.
"I'm a huge Newsies fan, and I love that show,” Criss said. “I wouldn't deign to think I could be in that show because I can't sing or dance like those kids. They put me to shame.” (well at least he's somewhat self-aware)
Criss went on to gush about Jeremy Jordan, the show's leading man and rising star. “Jeremy Jordan, who plays Jack Kelly, knocks it out of the park,” Criss exclaimed. “I added him to my long list of people who I wish I could sing like. I was so blown away by that guy.”
Good taste, IMO.
NBC has done some shuffling with their Season Finales.
The network has decided to move an episode of Community to May 17th. That’s added to the already scheduled 2 episodes of the Community, meaning that there will be THREE episodes to air on the same night, ending the 3rd season.
Confused yet? Here's what the schedule will look like on May 17th:
--COMMUNITY: (08:00PM - 08:30PM)
"The First Chang Dynasty"
THE STUDY GROUP MOBILIZES TO TAKE BACK GREENDALE - With Chang (Ken Jeong) in control of Greendale, the study group develops an elaborate plan to infiltrate the campus without being detected. While Chang becomes distracted planning a big birthday bash for himself, Jeff (Joel McHale) and the study group launch their sneak attack. Meanwhile, Troy (Donald Glover) enlists the help of the Air Conditioning Repair Annex to help with their break-in plan but knows he may be selling his soul to the devil.
--30 ROCK: (8:30PM - 9:00PM)
--COMMUNITY: (09:00PM - 09:30PM)
"Introduction to Finality"
JEFF GOES UP AGAINST HIS FORMER LAW FIRM COLLEAGUE ALAN CONNOR IN GREENDALE SUMMER FUN COURT - ROB CORDDRY AND JOHN GOODMAN GUEST STAR - When Shirley (Yvette Nicole Brown) and Pierce (Chevy Chase) have a disagreement over their sandwich shop, Jeff (Joel McHale) agrees to argue on Shirley's behalf but much to his chagrin, Pierce retains Jeff's former colleague Alan Connor (guest star Rob Corddry, "Hot Tub Time Machine") and the two must square off in "Greendale Summer Fun Court." Meanwhile, Vice Dean Laybourne (guest star John Goodman) makes one last ditch effort to win Troy (Donald Glover) over to his Air Conditioning Repair Annex.
--COMMUNITY: (09:30PM - 10:00PM)
"Digital Estate Planning"
PIERCE AND THE STUDY GROUP PAY A VISIT TO HAWTHORNE ENTERPRISES - GIANCARLO ESPOSITO GUEST STARS - Pierce (Chevy Chase) is summoned to Hawthorne Enterprises to discuss his inheritance with his deceased father's former right-hand man, Gilbert Lawson (guest star Giancarlo Esposito, "Breaking Bad"). The study group goes with him for moral support and must all pitch in to play the video game of their life on Pierce's behalf - or risk losing his inheritance.
--AWAKE: (10:00PM - 11:00PM)
TV Land will honor Aretha Franklin this weekend when the network presents the Queen of Soul with its Music Icon Award, airing Sunday April 29 at 9 p.m. ET. John Legend was on hand to serenade and present the singer with her award during the awards' taping April 14 in New York City. Franklin also performed a nearly 20-minute set for the room of classic TV legends that spanned R&B, classical and gospel, from hits "Chain of Fools" and "Respect" to Handel's "Ombra Mai Fu" to a spiritual finale of "I Came To Lift Him Up."
As I said on-stage, like John Legend said, "we're just ordinary people." When I come off stage I go home and do the same things everybody else does. It is indeed an honor and a pleasure to receive the icon award. Professionally, it's wonderful.
Who were some of your personal icons when you were starting your career?
Oh, some icons, OK. Sarah Vaughan, Ella. Let's see… Judy Garland, one of my favorite singers. Sinatra, Tony Bennett - and he's still doing it. Miss Etta [James]. Etta was wonderful -- we came up together. When I first sung out in California she was out there at that time I was a teenager and she was quite young herself.
I also understand you've reunited with Clive Davis for an upcoming album. What can you tell us about that project?
Yes I have. Ahhh, I can tell you its gonna be better than its ever been, I can tell you that. He's talking to the great writers now. We're looking for the great songs. And we're going to do it again one more time.
Do you have a wishlist of collaborators or songwriters?
I'd love to get some Ne-Yo songs on there. Kenny Edmonds I've been talking to and he has some songs that might be a good fit.
Another project that's been in the works in awhile is your biopic, which you put on hold recently. Where does that stand currently?
It's actually still very active, we've just been having a lot of conversations about who would play my dad and my family. So, right now it's a Mexican standoff.
So, maybe another year or two before we see some movement?
Oh no, it won't be that long. I've got another call on the biopic so it won't be that long if we're going to do it.
Any other projects coming up that we should know about?
I'm recording with my son Eddie [Franklin] -- he's got a terrific R&B CD coming out I'd expect in July, and I produced some of it couple other producers out of Detroit who did a couple of things.
You've been flirting with doing another gospel album for quite some time. Might we see a gospel project from you one of these days?
Oh no honey, I don't flirt with gospel. Gospel is a mainstay. That's my background, and those are my roots. Oh of course, you're gonna always see another gospel album.
Stroll Down Memory LaneCOMMUNICATION is crucial to the success of any relationship.
Leandro is Argentinian and grew up in a culture packed with machismo and some pretty different ideas about women’s roles.
They will have a lot of talking to do about how they see their long-term future together — and how to handle Leandro’s relationship with Katie’s children Harvey, Junior and Princess.
A change of relationship is always tricky for children. Accepting Leandro as Mummy’s friend is one thing.
Him taking on the role of step-dad will take careful negotiating — with the kids and also with Peter Andre, who is heavily involved in their lives and happiness.
Maybe Katie could organise some premarital counselling for them. Relate are there to help everyone enjoy happy relationships (0300 100 1234, www.relate.org.uk).
The term "MILF" (Mothers I'd Like To...) is totally out. Don't even use it. It's the sexist equivalent of describing something as "the bomb" or when square adults in the '60s used the word "groovy." However, if you want to drop a contemporary, mom-flavored meme, give "mommy porn" a whirl.
"Mommy porn" is a relatively new concept that's redefining "tying the knot." Thanks to E.L. James and her erotic novel / bestselling e-book called "50 Shades of Grey," millions of mommies – and non-mommies – are devouring detailed accounts of a BDSM (bondage and discipline; sadism and masochism) relationship that takes place between an inexperienced female college student and a dashingly dominating and disgustingly rich dude.
So far, the book has sold 2,000,000 copies to date and the Kindle version is selling even better. Currently, there are 357 holds on it at the Milwaukee Public Library. Women are passing it around in social groups like high school students passed around Judy Blume's "Wifey" and "Forever" a few decades ago.
"Fifty Shades of Grey" is the first in a trilogy and was originally written as "Twilight" fanfiction. James took the Stephanie Meyer's G-rated characters of Edward and Bella to X-rated places, but later, decided to write the book with her own characters.
Like with the "Twilight" series, some readers complain that the "50 Shades" series is poorly written, and yet others, well aware of the flaws, continue to enjoy it for what it is.
"It's completely crack-like in its addictive properties," says Laura Hoffmann Stratte, a Whitefish Bay-based mother of two school-aged kids who is currently reading the second book.
Kelly Hoglund, 31, says she could tell it was her first novel, but it didn't bother her either. She read it in about a week after receiving it on April 15.
"I feel that she's honestly portraying how women feel and react in emotional or sexually charged situations, as well as during sexual intercourse itself. Because of that I find it's easy to overlook any simplistic writing," says Hoglund. "Also, the author does not take herself too seriously. There are no horrid metaphorical pitfalls like, 'He had hair as black as a raven's wing . . .' and for that I am very grateful."
The series is believed to be particularly popular with mainstream moms because it offers such an extreme break from their daily diaper-changing lives. Of course, this phenomenon is nothing new and the "Fifty Shades" series could be seen as modern-day Harlequin romances born from bondage fantasies. Ladies have been hiding smuts in apron pockets for generations.
But maybe there's more to it.
These books could represent the backlash of educated moms who are privileged enough to make the decision to stay at home and care for their children, but once there, long for the excitement of youth, freedom, work and the sex they had many years ago or never experienced when they had the chance.
James admitted writing the series was a part of her "midlife crisis." And indeed, they appeal to many women undergoing, or on the brink of, one of their own. Some women, even though they love their partners, secretly struggle with the finality and lack of bedroom adventure that sometimes comes along with long-term relationships.
Despite the alleged sexual revolution, there is still a belief among many women that sex beyond a few positions is just not something most people do. Not only does the Anastasia character give permission for kinky sex, the book also serves as a how-to guide for anyone considering such stylings in the sack.
Of course, "Shades Of Grey" is not everyone's cup of tea. Tammy Kolbe, a mother of two young children living in suburban Milwaukee, read the first book but has no intention to read the second.
"Although it certainly was erotic, the girl annoyed me too much to consider reading the next two," she says.
The overabundance of sexual content is what's both raising skeptical eyebrows and recruiting readers who don't have to read very far to get to the "good parts."
"I don't typically read romance novels because the few that I have bought, I hoped for a lovely romp in every chapter and ended up having to drag myself through one dull character-building chapter after another just wishing for a juicy sex scene," says Hoglund. "Nothing like a good BDSM novel to take your mind off of the worries of your day!"
Wanna read the juicy parts? Go here.
source
