and another thing
Another idea that percolated in my mind as I was watching Notes From the Underbelly that I have to share: how do people who have never lived in L.A. stand to watch shows that take place there and constantly drop references to obscure things?
In one scene characters talk about Arclight. Some guy says he loves their popcorn, especially the caramel corn they make fresh there. Why the name dropping really? Is this a new type of product placement (with limited sales possibilities, since most of the audience will never go to Arclight)?
Or the street and freeway name game. Actually, Allie makes fun of me all the time for talking that way so maybe it is a very L.A. thing.
The show is very westside, though. At least the commercial streets are.
Labels: social/cultural critique, the absurd
posted by Ridiculous Authenticity @ 9:32 AM
4 Comments:
No. It's not necessary product placement. Honestly, I think it's their attempt to make the show as "authentic" as possible. Name-dropping will give viewers the impression that the show is very lived-in, that the characters are a part of their environment as much as the environment is a part of the characters.
Reading your example, I was expecting you to get excited about the caramel popcorn. I hear about it all the time from you. If I hadn't had it before with you, yes, I would be annoyed that you talk about it all the time.
Take the 105 to the 405 to the 10. Whatever.
I can't believe she said it. The possibly one word that is the unspeakable for me!
And I don't really buy that argument. If you've never been to L.A. that stuff wouldn't necessarily resonate with you as being very lived in (what does it all mean?). And if you live here, you start to wonder about the alternative universe they live in where certain streets are near certain freeways.
This concern doesn't make much sense to me. Would you rather them make up places that don't exist? There are many shows that discuss the food at "x" made up restaurant. Whats the difference from discussing the arclight popcorn. I think it does give it authenticity and don't you think LA residents would cry bullshit if the places and roads were fabricated?
Of course I wouldn't rather them make up things that don't exist, but I suppose my point is that it all feels a bit forced. Shows that don't take place in L.A. don't seem to make such obvious gestures at locating themselves in obscure details that would only matter to locals.
And they do make up bullshit stuff. Does Westside General Hospital exist? That was featured in the same episode as the preferred place for celebrities to give birth.
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