Regarding The Jonas Brothers
Joe Jonas displays his package while brothers Kevin and Nick play with their instruments in a way that would make even Freud blush.
I am angry that I am writing about The Jonas Brothers on this blog.I am angry because their existence as a "musicians" does not deserve recognition. 'N Sync was a manufactured "band," but they also made adult pop songs (if aimed at teens), several of its members displayed exceptional vocal talent (Timberlake especially, of course) and their existence in pop canon can be justified. At the time, as a teenager listening to late 90's "socially conscious" hip-hop, I hated 'N Sync. As a thoughtful adult today, their legitimacy is obvious.
But the Jonas Brothers are worse, a cultural sin of much greater, more significant magnitude. If 'N Sync was a punk rocker's Abu Ghraib then The Jonas Brothers are the punk rocker's Auschwitz. They were bred in the Corporate Disney Clone Vats. Their music is unadult and yet mainstream media outlets cover them as though they were U2. They represent some of the worst hypocrisy of our society.
The subtext of The Jonas Brothers is an American morality horror. They were child performers at single-digit ages, indicating the tradition of greedy parents who use their children to obtain a fortune and vindicate their own professional failures in adult life. The Jonas Brothers wear purity rings, an ignorant contrivance of the same backwards, healthy sexual attitude-damning, radical evangelical culture that champions Purity Balls, a twisted ceremony where a father asserts his dominion over a daughter's virginity and sexual freedom until a time of his choosing. The life of a Jonas Brother is never publicly presented to their fans as anything other than a life of material wealth and glamor. (And in fact, they reportedly made $62 million dollars in 2008.) And nothing about The Jonas Brothers suggests the rich ethnic diversity of America.
The Jonas Brothers are a flagship weapon in the culture wars. They feign conservative social values while romping around the bizarre hyper-sexual Disney meta-verse where young kids dress like Madonna and Mick Jagger and live the rock n' roll lifestyle, promising to America's young, malleable minds a life of glamor and cool that can never be obtained, while diverting these child automatons from healthy creative engagement, imaginative play, and intelligent thought.
(This is the same sexual dynamic that occurs when Ann Coulter flashes leg while decrying sexual promiscuity, or when Fox News is so horrified at a "disgusting" sexual photo or video clip that they decide to show it to you over, and over, and over.)
Little girls' hands innocently reach toward the Jonas Brothers' crotches.The ubiquity of the Jonas Brothers is so enormous that parents are left with little choice but to submit or ostracise their child. The Jonas Brothers, Hannah Montana and The Cheetah Girls (The Pussycat Dolls for tweens) are the only mainstream option for preteens to participate in rock culture and though I am focusing on the way this is damaging to young girls, let it be said that Disney's hyper-sexed musical offerings and the confusing sexual message they carry are no less dangerous to young boys.
Disney is selling sex to kids, pretending they're not, and making a fortune while forcing their audience into cultural bankruptcy. South Park covered it quite well:
When I saw South Park's dressing-down of The Jonas Brothers I did not for a minute believe that the Jonas Brothers sprayed their fans with white foam canons. I just assumed that was a hyperbolic joke of sorts, an outrageous caricature.
Oh, no. It is quite real:
My mind reels trying to accept that as reality. It is Idiocracy made true, something that should come from the sick and twisted minds of Warren Ellis or Grant Morrison and presented in fiction, not a factual reality.
After subtly massaging the budding sexual urges of thousands of pre-teen worshipers who have worked themselves into a lusty frenzy, The Jonas Brothers ejaculate their horrid metaphor into the gaping maws of their Hannah Montana harem who have now completed their souls, having received the warm, foamy jism of their young male slavemasters.
And the hyper-conservative adults who were outraged -- outraged! -- that the word "SEX" might have appeared for a half-second in The Lion King look on with glowing approval and happily shell-out hundreds of dollars to provide their kids with "wholesome" entertainment. At it's core this is no less sexual or subversive than commercial hip-hop, but you know, it's not... (whispers) black.
The problem is not that The Jonas Brothers are making their young fans sexually aware; I would praise The Rolling Stones for accomplishing the same feat. (And doing so with important music that displayed exceptional proficiency and intelligence.)Quite the contrary; teenage life is sexual emergence and rock music often times is sex. The problem is that The Jonas Brothers conceal sexuality under the guise of sex-free fun.
When the Rolling Stones came to prominence (when the music mattered) there was no purity pretense to their promiscuous metaphors. They may have been lyrically subtle as to pass censorship, but there was no question as to what Mick Jagger was about. The Rolling Stones (and most other, real rock bands) confronted sexuality with honesty, a moral trait that supercedes any kind of sexual restraint. They took a part in a sexual revolution that has led to a liberation and better understanding of our sexual nature.
The Jonas Brothers are lighting sexual fires with ignorant sparks, hypocritically extinguishing the flames of knowledge, the wealth of understanding we have about ourselves as sexual beings. The 'Stones never once sold a lie. The Jonas Brothers have sold their fans the world -- their fans' world, their bodies, their minds, their souls. And Disney's young stars have made a promise that no purity ring can keep.
135 comments:
Right after I read this, I was in the car, flipping stations, and I heard a woman win Jo Bros tickets. She was excited to take her niece to her very first concert. Her niece is five years old. I don't even know how to speak to that.
I bow before awesomattuide. Write a book already. I would buy it!
seamus
You really think that the Rolling Stones' music displayed proficiency and intelligence?
Hm...
I think the official party line (in case you were curious) is that in the Lion King it didn't say "SEX" it said "SFX" and was an in-joke by the FX animation team. But I suppose Disney in a way, accepted guilt when they didn't have to, since they removed it for the DVD release. Lame. I still like the minister's erection on the Little Mermaid best.
the stones never sold a lie? mick jagger is a "street fighting man"? mick "can't get no satisfaction"? hrmmm.....
hey look i'm not a crazy fan of jonas brothers but don't you think that you see only the bad in them? you know what? they are the best and why? because they are normal kids that are living their dream... what is wrong with that? If there weren't The Jonas Brothers i wouldn't have a dream... and if you don't have a dream you can't have a purpose! so stop criticise them... what is wrong with you?? oh my God could you tell me something an tv that don't contain SEX?? LOL!! if you hate The Jonas Brothers save it for yourself! and you know what? thanks to JONAS BROTHERS i am steel a virgin!! so back up!
Yeah, I can't think of a healthier expression of sexuality than "Under My Thumb"...
Maybe you're reading too much into the foam shooting, Freudianism is bunk
Amen, brother.
to anon at 6:38.
yes...the intelligence in the rolling stones music is pretty evident and is a well established consensus amongst thinking people who take their pop music seriously.
that you dont see it doesnt say much good about your intelligence.
right on post about the jonas brothers btw... ive long marveled at disney's ability to craft its message in way that does maximum harm. it seems that some of the most proficient cultural technicians in the world are in the service of degrading our collective experience. i am in awe of the efficiency and banality of evil.
to anon at 1:06am
are you up a bit late little one?
btw- thanks for the phrase 'steel a virgin'
thats gotta be a title for the best nurse with wound song ive never heard.
That's not Freudianism; that's just suggestion.
@anonumous 2:11 - You don't need Freud to understand what it means when healthy young dudes shoot white goo into the mouths of screaming girls.
On the whole, it is the case that the Jonas Brothers are a detriment to an enlightened society. The are to music what high fructose corn syrup is to nutrition.
And they both make a sh*tload of $$$ for heartless a$$holes, and are therefore wildly successful.
I think what you mean to say is that when the Christians are pushing sex on kids, it makes it a lot harder for it to seem transgressive when you do it.
This whole situation would be a lot easier if they went back to playing their assigned role of prudes so you can be the liberator from sexual oppression.
You should read Twilight. It's even worse.
I'm pretty certain you're blowing the Jonas Bros. thing out of proportion. I don't like them, but I definitely do not see them as selling a sexually repressive message. And so what if they are? Telling kids that it's okay NOT to have sex before they're married??? Holy crap! What a novel idea? I think it's great of them, even though I'm sure that since they're teenage boys, they're not as pure as they think they are.
I agree with the clone monstrosity of Disney exploiting their child stars. It's absurd and pathetic and it works, sad as that may be. But why can't the young generation have their own music? You think kids should listen to adult themes because YOU approve of it? You're an idiot.
The only thing you got right in your post was that the Jonas Bros. suck. Everything else was pathetic and asinine.
hey look i'm not a crazy fan of jonas brothers but don't you think that you see only the bad in them? you know what? they are the best and why? because they are normal kids that are living their dream... what is wrong with that? If there weren't The Jonas Brothers i wouldn't have a dream... and if you don't have a dream you can't have a purpose! so stop criticise them... what is wrong with you?? oh my God could you tell me something an tv that don't contain SEX?? LOL!! if you hate The Jonas Brothers save it for yourself! and you know what? thanks to JONAS BROTHERS i am steel a virgin!! so back up!Just from reading this I can tell you're a typical underage fan that doesn't understand punctuation, grammar or even the contents of what you just "read".
Now as you would probably say: GTFO.
hart <3
You probably would have never formulated these ideas about the Jonas Brothers is it wasn't for South Park.
I was under the assumption the Jonas Bros were gay.
RT
www.anonymity.ru.tc
My God, the Tweeners are taking over! Someone actually defends the Jonas Brothers? They are the epitome of what is wrong in this country - the dumbing down of America. Disney is nothing but corporate greed personified. I think they have some media wizards who tap into some subconscious nerve in young teen girls. Why else would anyone listen to this crap? I weep for the youth of today.
I don't think anyone has a problem with Christian musicians being sexually progressive except Christian audiences. It's just hypocritical to encourage to kids wear purity rings, and then go around sexing them up and tempting them. It's deliberately giving them values they can't live up to, which I don't think is any kid's "dream". And although I'm fine with music being sexual, I personally think the pre-teen audience is a bit early to be dousing people with white foam. And anyone who doesn't see that as a sexual metaphor is stoned.
Ugh, I'd like to respond to the "they're just living the dream" assertion. Um, no, their parents are living the dream, and these kids subsidize it.
Don't worry though. Soon enough the facades will begin to crack, it's inevitable. At least one of them will turn out gay and another one of them will probably have a break down. Disney kids all rebel because they can't shelter these musicians from real people forever.
The Jonas Brothers and the rest of the Disney goody goodies drive me nuts. Only showing Americas youth the finer things in life and nothing important that can help them throughout life. But hey, I really could careless, in two to three years Disney will get rid of them and bring in a younger group to continue the trend, all I know is my kids aren't going to listen to the garbage.
And I give mad props to South Parks depiction of them. Thank you Matt and Trey.
I am not defending the Jonas Brothers. But let's not forget that the Rolling Stones also sang "Sympathy for the Devil".
@ the Anonymous who is so clearly a youngin'.
"because they are normal kids that are living their dream" - do you honestly believe that they are "normal kids"? As pointed out in the article, these kids have been child stars since before they were 10, which is not normal. Normal kids go to school, play soccer or baseball or whatever, hang out with their friends, etc. They do not play to sold-out arenas spraying foam cannons on barely pubescent teens. If that is what you think normal is, please take a good hard look at yourself for your own sake.
The Jonas Brothers are famous because Disney decided to make them famous. Most music acts take years of playing bar after bar and club after club slowly building up a fan base until they finally break out. Thus, the Jonas Brothers have no musical credibility (especially when you listen to the crap that they "write").
Finally, whoever doubts the intellectualism of the Rolling Stones needs to sit down and listen to Sympathy for the Devil, which is consistently rated as one of the greatest rock songs ever. And not just because it is musically catchy, but because the lyrics effectively move through centuries of man's evilest acts all while speaking under the guise of the Devil. Sure they wrote some silly and shallow songs too, but to be able to effectively do both ends of the spectrum is just another reason why they were and are so respected.
@anon 5:24
They are playing their assigned role perfectly- They need to be seen as "Prudes", even though their music, and actions, advocates the total opposite.
Though I still disagree with the author on some points, mostly the intelligence of Jager (he wrote excellent lyrics- lets leave it at that), all in all this is a very well argue opinion.
All in all however, Nick's corn syrup metaphor is right on.
Great post, I've always held the Disney manufactured pop groups in contempt but never really considered the subversive nature of the Jonas Brothers. I was completely unaware of the whole foam gimmick, that was a real eye opener (gotta love the "it's in my hair" comment at the end of the second foam vid)
and to Anonymous 1:06
If your idea of a dream is having a large corporation decide for you how to live your every waking moment in order to become temporarily rich and famous, then perhaps you need to brush up on your Faust. And being a virgin is not something that should be shouted out to the world in order to assert moral superiority over others, it is a completely personal choice.
These kids should be getting their morals and decisions about sex from the teachings of their parents and as a personal choice. What happens when the Jonas Brothers are no longer popular? Doing something because some disney pop star says to and not thinking about it will leave a horrible moral vacuum in the lives of these children when the band is gone.
Ok, so
1) You're taking this a bit seriously, mate. You don't have to get so worked up about some little 14 year old boys.
2) I feel like you read between the lines more than necessary, turning irrelevant things into conspiracies, making things look hypocritical when there just.. there because they're there.
3) I don't think the Jonas Brothers are selling sex. I think they're truthfully selling purity. I remember the first person I was sexually attracted to was Scott Weiland from the Stone Temple Pilots, STP wasn't "selling sex", I was just attracted to their lead singer. Maybe those little girls are just genuinely attracted to them, ever think that?
You're a very good writer. Keep up the good work.
Well said. If you want to claim to be "pure" (no matter how stupid I find that whole subculture), that's fine. But if you're going to do that, you sure as hell can't go around singing songs that talk about sex. Or that have suggestive lyrics...
"I fell so fast
Can't hold myself back
High heels, red dress
All by yourself, gotta catch my breath"
Right, we get it. You're getting aroused. But, that means you aren't thinking pure thoughts any more...
On a totally unrelated note, you might want to look into making the body section of your blog a little wider. The videos are cut off on the right side.
They are just a fly by night cheesy boy band of the day. It will be someone else soon - age will chew them up and spit them out. It's not just Disney who is selling sex to little girls. It's also NICK JR, MATTEL, clothing mfgrs, ALL companies with their marketing....on and on we go. Ultimately it's the parents responsibility to keep crap from their kids. I manage to do a pretty good job of it considering my daughter is 7 and has no interest in boys and could care less about the Jonas Brothers being "hot". She would rather read a book that listen to crappy music.
Wow. I had no idea the foam thing was real. And to anonymous who said the author was reading too much into foam shooting: el-oh-el.
I do wonder about the "harm" that you think this is doing. I mean, I agree with you this is fucked up, and certainly a symptom of a society that is in many ways broken, but I'm wondering how the "victims" are harmed. I mean is there real psychological damage being done here, or is there just going to be some young women talking about how "fucked up that was" in ten years or so? I think it's the latter. As fucked up as this is, I think it's essentially (thankfully) harmless.
Another point: studies show purity rings and other 'pro-abstinent' jewelry actually have an opposite effect. Seeing something that constantly reminds someone to not have sex keeps their minds on the topic of sex.
first of all...why did you feel the need to write this blog? and second you dont know ther life you only know your info because of the media and the media twist things to make a story. so you cant judge until you know first hand
First off why the rolling stones are even being brought back in to the comments is beyond me, atlest the music was worth something insted of recycling some pop garbage. The purity rings are bunk, Disney is rolling in rooms full of money while our society hits the skids. And btw at the end of the second video some young girl yells, "it's in my hair!"
Freud would be proud!
IM GONNA CUUUUUUUUUM!!!!!!!!
Although I strongly agree that Disney is exploiting the budding sexualities of young girls for profit and hiding it behind a guise of "purity" and "innocent" fun, I simply cannot accept the claim that the Jonas Brothers (as 3 young males) are to blame. Yes, their songs may be cheesy and perhaps even unfit for comparison with "real" music, but really, how often do educated adults enjoy music written by children? After reading this post I felt as if the outrage was aimed towards the boys themselves rather than the ones who control them. Should the boys be blamed for going along with Disney's plan? Perhaps partially for ignorance, but not completely for being successful.
As a white male marxist librarian this offends me, as there are people with different thoughts than mine, and those thoughts should be eliminated, so we have diversity of ONLY progressive thoughts.
I'm going to go blog about it on my journal, and write about it how much I want to kill white people like myself, even though I'm anti-war.
Dude, you have one thing right, the Jonas Brothers suck. I also agree that the main reason is their hypocrisy of selling sex and wearing purity rings. But you lost me when you compared purity rings to these "purity balls." This is standard liberal v. conservative slander. Its obvious to see that the purity rings are consensual for the people involved, and purity balls are not. If you want to discuss hypocrisy, don't try to promote individual (sexual) freedom, and damn individuals for choosing to have their sexual relationships mean something other than a good time.
Wow. Take a cold shower. What a load of overheated and under-researched and illogical tripe, well written enough to fool your readers.
The brothers write music about obviously romantic/sexual/emotional feelings they themselves are aware of this aspect of themselves as writers and performers - things they are very good at doing. It's not a secret, it's not a mystery and it's not something that is not understood by the majority of their fans or fans' parents. It represents their own honest POV, which happens not to be a debauched one at this point...And?
You assume too much about them. You don't know (and might be surprised by) the politics held dear by some of the band members.
You assume they have nothing of depth to say or present about themselves - then you're the one paying the most superficial of attention (and why not since you don't like them) but don't suppose they don't discuss or represent lives of cultural interest and charitable service, which they engage in frequently. More than any of the indie bands I've followed rabidly for years.
No representation of ethnic diversity? Are you kidding? They may not wear it on their sleeves, but when asked their ethnic makeup they are quick to offer a laundry list as long as any other American often can. They have a family friend known to fans as essentially their sister, who is Asian-American, and when they did smaller performances, they frequently brought out their step-grandfather, a North Carolina blues musican, to perform with them. He's African American. Feel free to google him - "Bayou Butch" Lucas. The same surname their characters are using on their television show.
Your issue is with their marketing. If you can't separate the artist from their marketing, that's really your dysfunction, not theirs. It's a problem, even (especially) in the punk rock world, when an artist is judged more by their marketing (or supposedly noble lack thereof) as a measurement of their artistic value. That's not discerning at all.
Don't try to justify a disdain for this band with anything deeper than your own irrational resentment towards them. it's fair, it's your opinion - maybe they're too upbeat, too good, too clean for you. Fine. But everything you think you know about them and their fans is skin deep. Worse...it's as shallow as the publicity and media reports surrounding them, which, if you were as smart an analyst asyou think you are, you would know to dismiss as indicating a fraction of the real truth about them.
Try not letting South Park do your thinking for you...especially when you weren't apparently even able to comprehend the whole essential point of that episode of South Park which had much more complex things to say than what you *got*.
Terrible, nonsensical piece.
I will say quite bluntly that I am a 19 year old college student and I am a fan of the Jonas Brothers. I don't deny for a second that they are selling sex. It's quite obvious, as it was with Backstreet Boys, New Kids on the Block, and all of the boy bands before. As a fan, I've seen the concert antics; the spraying of the foam hoses, one of the jonas brothers rolling around on the ground in the foam, the girls throwing their bras on stage, sexual offers being yelled at the boys by their fans. The whole sexuality of their image is there and the fans do feed off of it. I think it's silly and naive for people to deny that. However, this is the OLDER fans who are feeding off of and reacting to the sexuality of their image. Fans who already have an understanding of sexuality and gender relations. Young fans are NOT morally conflicted or sexually turned on by the Jonas Brothers and I find the insinuation incredibly off putting.
I honestly don't see what makes the Jonas marketing so different then that of prior boy bands that it justifies such an intense dislike. They have purity rings and apparently sustain from sexual intercourse. Younger fans take this at face value and do not think of the jonas brothers in a sexual way. If you've ever talked to them, they think the Jonas Brothers are "cute" and "funny". Sex has no place in their logic. In fact, any insinuation that the jonas brothers are sexual beings annoys them. This is simply the innocence of youth. This will not negatively affect them or leave them "morally conflicted" in the future.
Also all of this talk of "societal downfall" and "moral corruption" is ridiculous. The Jonas Brothers may be a result in some ways of corporate greed which is a sad fact of society (and also an issue having to do with Disney itself, not the Jonas Brothers as people), but they will not be the cause of moral confusion and emptiness in their fans as they get older. If anything, the younger fans will look back on their intense admiration for the jonas brothers as a a funny quirk in their past. They'll look back on it fondly and smile about how silly some of it was. It's not a serious societal issue that will have harmful psychological effects on them as they get older. That's really blowing things out of proportion.
Oh and to the person who mentioned playing in small venues and working to get recognition, The Jonas brothers DID start out in small clubs. They didn't start at Disney. They'd been around before that. Though, I will agree that they got recognition sooner than many who work for years, they were not made by Disney. They had a small but intense fanbase prior to Disney,
A few things....I work for Disney, I'm a Christian and I've spent a decent amount of time with the entire Jonas family. While the whole thing isn't a perfect scenario - the Jo Bros are just trying to give a few positive role models to todays kids while living their dream. Mom, Dad & Frankie (the baby brother) are basking in the glory & success of Nick, Joe & Kevin. Wouldn't you be proud of them too if you were related? The white foam - probably not the best idea...but I'm sure it wasn't meant to be offensive. Anything can be objectified and turned around to be vulgar (that's what she said!) - see what I mean! ;)
Point is - I see kids everyday that are ENJOYING Nick, Joe & Kevin for the basic purpose of putting some music out that does talk about smacking up dat hoe or makin love in a club. It's about being unpopular, dealing with diabetes, only going to school to see the popular girl, hanging out with your friends and respecting your family.
It's not a perfect world - but that doesn't mean you have to piss all of the gum drop bushes and lollipop trees!
What a waste of time. I dislike the Jonas Brothers and co. as anyone with decent musical taste but criticizing them for "not being diverse enough" makes you look like the smug liberal douchebag you are. Therefore, your opinion sucks.
why attack just Disney? how bout all media!? Would you rather have your kid listen to now "mainstream hip-hop" like t-pain or little Wayne or Jonas brothers??
Disney tries to cover it up, yeah cause that's what they are selling an "pure" image. but would you rather have them not? what's worse? having it not controlled or controlled?
Mainstream is all 90% sexual related. find me one thing mainstream that doesn't have sex in it.
BARELY NONE
long gone are the days we're parents thought they could rely on others to raise their children. They have to do it themselves on all issues or the media basically has control of their kids lives.
The sexual revolution brought better understanding yes, but then it also made the issue more tolerable and created this "sex sells" idea today that you are now saying is bad when Disney tries to hid it yet show it so blatantly.
If we want to change Disney, we have to change everybody. and that might not ever happen.
I think you're over analyzing all of this. Not all people can equally agree what can be regarded as talented. This blog has so many controversial issues. However, it is certain that the Jonas Brothers are enjoying themselves as celebrities and their fans are enjoying their music. I don't see any reason to bash on them.
HORRIBLY overanalyzed. Not everything in the world is meant to have a sexual meaning, contrary to your belief.
Anyone see them at the Grammys? One of them completely forgot his line during their rendition of "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder...with Stevie on stage with them.
If you're playing Superstition WITH STEVIE WONDER, you don't forget your lyrics. Plain and simple.
These are the "musicians" who are making 62 million a year.
I give you credit for extending the audience of the rant that South Park ran against the Jonas Brothers but, really, all you've done is repeat their conclusions. Which is fine---you cited the episode and did not claim to have originated the issue with the concept at hand.
Now, interpret what you will from this objection but, the racial element that you injected is absolutely ridiculous. Decrying the Jonas Bros. lack of diversity would be akin to insisting that the Jackson Five should've had a white member. And, no, as insidious as the sexuality of the Jonas Bros. may be, it is several orders of magnitude less than the majority of mainstream hip-hop.
It's not edgy to make this about race, it's just wrong.
You say "At it's core this is no less sexual or subversive than commercial hip-hop"
Should be "its" ;)
Other than that, I totally agree. I hate them. I hate them so very very much.
Spot on!
It's typical South Park to side with far-right, Protestant fundementalist concerns about "selling sex to children".
You hit it right on the head. The Jonas Brothers are nothing more than Plastic Dolls, specifically designed to make money for Disney. All of their Songs, if you can even class that trashy junk as music, is made to brainwash young children, and stupid adults. They are mere Playthings, and when the almighty Disney become bored, and they no longer earn money, they will be tossed aside into mediocrity.
idiots...they shot foam into the audience because it was during the song "burnin up" and they were supposed to be like extinguishing the fire if you've ever heard the song.
which tells me you've NEVER given them a chance.
get your facts straight before you decide to be heartless and obnoxious.
no offensde but your a fucking idiot. their amazing people. maybe if you knew a thing or two about them you wouldnt say thier greedy. and performing at single digits had nothing to do with thier parents. nick wanted to do broadway from the time he was born. and guess what he was on broadway. um last time i checked you have o have talent to be on broadway.
seriously go check your facts dumb shit
I used to work for the company that supplied the stage machinery to the Jonas Brothers. They decided to include the "spray the audience with foam" stuff, so we brought them the machinery. When we did, the corporate office was horrified. Apparently, nothing in the disney universe can be called a "gun". These were not foam guns, but "foam squirters". They made us change the name on all the tech., and alter our planning and performance methods so that we had to call these huge, phallic peices of machinery spraying white foam on pre-teen girls, "foam squirters"
ok
the captions of the pictures, seriously.
omgsh! joe is standing up! he must be of course showing off his crotch. so what people aren't allowed to stand up straight any more
and in case you didn't notice, that is where guitarists hold their guitars.
so are you suggesting that every guitarist sus
those screaming girls aren't reaching for their "crotches" they are trying to hold their hands, because they hi-5 the audience and things like that.
the purity rings are a statement that they made with God,
if you don't believe that, then you are questioning their faith.
Their parents aren't looking to sell out their kids. they were discovered early because they are extremely talented. and disney is just an outlet for their talent to be shown.
the spraying of foam. it's a bit of fun! they aren't suggesting anything by it. it is simply a fun idea to interact more with the audience.
and yes i am a jonas brothers fan.
if you once looked at this from a neutral view you would see that they are good boys standing for what they believe.
i praise them for being as strong as they are with all of this negative media.
THEY ARE NOT SUGGESTING ANYTHING SUSPICIOUS OR SEXUAL!
When I watch the Jonas Brothers my jiny feels funny.
...Shall we go into the way that so many of those acts touched by the Disney clone vats -- Britney, Lindsay, et al -- seem to become hypersexualized (and arguably, talentless) screw-ups in adult life...?
They, oddly, are victims too. And Disney Corp may have become a cultural satan...
I cant believe people here honestly think that they are "musicians." Or even call it thier music, they probably havent written a single word for any of thier songs. Its producing companies like Disney that create the music, ever wonder why most things Timbaland produces do well, but the artist's other music isn't that great? How about every other Disney Artist? Ashley Tisdale sings so horribly you can hear the computer trying to fix it. I dont respect studio artists, especially when its obvious they have to use a machine to keep in tune.
Two mentions of racial bias. Methinks you're the one with the racial issues....
Fantastic!
That is really disgusting and rude. Fine if you don't like them but keep it to yourself. They are fabulous role models and they are only young they don't have to appeal to an old audience and one of the reasons they don't is because they are such good boys and don't do anything stupid like most celebrities do! I think this is a totally unnecessary and very stupid article. Keep your opinions to yourself!!!!
while im glad that you are using your right to free speech legitamatly, you most likely dont know what you are talking about. music is music, as long as it has a beat, rhythm, and notes. so treating the jonas brothers like they arent musicians is uncalled for. oh and 'Classical Geek Theatre' ???? with this opinion and the title of your blog, i have a strange suspicion that you live at home...with your mother... and are only angry at the jonas brothers because you are jealous :)
have a nice day!
Everything you said is true. However, I don't see any reason for you to be upset about it. It's stating the obvious. All the Jonas Brothers are is a microcosm of the entire music entertainment industry. It's been happening since the 80s - since MTV. There's nothing you can do about it. It's the natural evolution of our society to create this monster.
I also think you're jumping the gun by implying that the Jonas Brothers are not doing anything good for America's youth. I firmly believe that if the Jonas Brothers can convince any amount of kids to pick up instruments and write their own songs at a young age (unlike N'Sync/NKOTB/Jay-Z), then that tremendously increases the intelligence and confidence of young teens. You can do a lot worse than the Jonas Brothers.
Also, sex is real, man. In other (smarter)countries they don't hide sex from any age. The problem in this country is that we are scared to teach our children about it, so it becomes something far more outrageous than it actually should be.
This was awesome. Write a book. Or at least a part 2:Hannah Montana. Please.
"Ooooh I'm old and remember when the Rolling Stones made music that mattered. Not like these young people today and their foamy Disney noise. Back in my day we made songs about sex and drugs, for kids. Drop out, tune in and turn on, we would say. I remember when I walked to Shelbyville with an onion on my belt to see the 1910 Fruitgum company. That was music. Not like these little virginal mouseketeers". Oooh. My bowels moved and didn't leave a forwarding address...where's my Kindle?
Wow. You are ignorant. What did you do, just watch South Park and then elaborate with poor grammar and misspelled words? Yeah, it seems so. So point one. Yeah, they are selling sex, in a clean way, though, how in the world is that bad for young girls? Secondly, the white foam thing, ARE YOU SERIOUS?! You think that's bad? That's because you're probably a sick pervert who just wants to relate everything that is nice back to sex, obviously. You seem to have done no research about them. It seriously seems like you watched South Park, and just summarized it and added a bit. I'm not saying your opinions are wrong but some are way out there. Did you know they write all of their music? They play their own instruments as well. They put on an amazing show and provide thousands of teenagers with joy. How is that bad? The boys don't run around shirtless on stage, they don't wear provocative clothing, and they don't speak in a negative light. They are setting a good example. Is it really a big deal that they are attractive and Disney uses it to their advantage? No. You're ignorant and have not seen both sides of a situation. I suggest you read some things girls say about them, some of the things are really amazing, because these boys have provided many girls with not just joy, but hope. A lot of girls get hope from their music, and some maybe even from the story of Nick Jonas and his struggle with diabetes. I bet you didn't know he had diabetes, did you? You're ignorant. Have fun with that.
"The Jonas Brothers are famous because Disney decided to make them famous. Most music acts take years of playing bar after bar and club after club slowly building up a fan base until they finally break out. Thus, the Jonas Brothers have no musical credibility (especially when you listen to the crap that they "write")."- To this person. Did you know they struggled and did not make it on a different record label? They were dropped from Columbia Records. Then they signed with Disney when there was no hope of them getting the dream they wanted. So I guess, yes, in a way Disney did make them famous. But not like you think they did.
I just find it funny that the music is still going while they have the foam shooters (not instruments) in their hands. Then they pick up the guitars and start "playing" along with the music that was already going during the whole foam spray ordeal. And nobody notices or cares that this whole "performance" is clearly a pre-recorded fraud.
I think you only posted this to get more hits on your blog. Wow.
Does anyone here in their late teens and twenties remember when Britney Spears came out with Hit me baby one more time....and that they called it "...one more time" in order to make it seem less guilty? I remember my own personal reaction, as a 10 year old boy thinking "Why does she want to get hit? Does she like getting hurt?" Then, upon realizing it was sexual, I came to the understanding that girls like being hit during sex! It all made total sense!
I may have been a stupid kid, but it was my innocence which led to my confusion, and for a group with such sexual undertones to be marketed specifically towards children who are innocent, even promoting that lack of sexual understanding as a good thing....is terrible, and inexcusable.
Great post!
you guys honestly don't have a life..
you are wasting your time bashing the jonas brothers. is that all you haters see in the jonas brothers is that they are just trying toget ourmoney. those boys are living their dream and you guys need to leave them alone. just because the boys aren't having sex and alking about like all the other bands are today doesn't mean their music isn't good.
This blog post wasn't great, but c'mon. The Jonas Brothers are a terrible band with hardly an ounce of musical talent. Not only that, but it's clear to see that they are hypocritical in that they preach an anti-sex message and yet are marketed so sexually towards young girls. I don't think they're some terrible affront to society, but if you don't think Disney doesn't market their image to make tween girls feel funny down there then you're naive and know nothing about marketing.
hmm lets see... I used to love Nsync. Was totally obsessed with them. Never thought anything sexual about it though. I wished theyd be my boyfriends but as a kid sex never came to my mind....now a days sex is everywhere and its scary how 11 and 12 year olds actually think about sex. someone commented about how the "foam squirters" are to extinguish the fire since its during burning up and i thought it was funny.... what fire? the fire in the girls pants for the jonas bros? haha nah only kidding some kids are still innocent and dont think anything dirty...they just see them and think..."they are soooo cute i wish they were my boyfriend and we could hold hands and go eat ice cream." and i dont think the jonas brothers are to blame for everything...but i dont think they are as pure as they claim to be either.....you should look at some of their "fake" myspace pages which most are hilarious.... most of them refer to joe as "Joe The Hoe" or say "save a horse ride Nick"..
dont ask me how i know that.
ohhhhhh even crazier stuff happens in there chatzy's sneak into one sometime thats where you can find out all sorts of naughty stuff about them like joe and demi almost getting caught and kevin getting mad at joe for doing it in the car or something...
anyway i think the only jonas brother with any talent is nick. the rest were just added for show. disney thought...one kid will sell a few cds but THREE??????WE WILL MAKE MILLIONS!!!!
this was a great read...now enough about jb and back to the parson redheads.
I blame the dumbing down of the USA on Madonna and MTV...you know, things in existence long before Senior Jonas' bonus ever saw the light of a lady's day. Don't blame dumb on JB....they're products of our society. Don't like it? Don't listen. Like Kate Smith sang "God Bless America!"
you're retarded.
SO what if their music isn't aimed towards adults?
it is possible for bands to make music for teens and younger kids.
It's ridiculous that you strive off of picking out the bad in them, even though some of it isn't even true.
They're good people, and not disney clones. They didn't start off with Disney, they had another record label before that.
and their parents don't feed off of their fortune, they had careers of their own and we musicians themselves. just because they didn't make it big time, doesn't mean that they weren't successful.
They had three kids that were also talented who worked hard to get to where they are now.
and just because they don't promote sex, means that they suck?
really? because many of their fans respect them for that. and since their music obviously is more popular amongst younger generations, it's not a bad thing. they have good morals, and are good people. they donate alot of money to charity, and they even have their own foundatio that raises money for children.
maybe do some research before you
go and try to tear apart a band with good morals and music.
Capitalism is killing us, Disney is the Devil, and Jonas Brothers are demons. Take all of Disney's and anyone who makes money off 'PoP' music and give it to the local college radio station. The only people smart enough to know what we should listen to.
It should be a law.. sheez.
Oh yeah, and telling kids not to have sex is weird.
I think the point the author was making is that they do promote sexuality. They sell sex while at the same time they're trying to sell abstinence. It's ridiculous nonsense made to appeal to both kids who are awakening sexually and their prudish sexually oppressed parents.
Seriously, since when is not having sex moral anyway? The abstinence plan promoted by the nauseating calculated pop of bands like this is obviously a resounding success for the Palins and a legion of other families.
Just another nail in the coffin that quality music is buried in.
Yup.
I am amazed by how many people disagree with anything you wrote. More proof of what an unbelievable amount of complete idiots there are in the world.
Trivial self righteous indignation at something that is just a blip in the radar of human existence. I wrote something like this about Britney Spears once, just an exercise in masturbatory self righteous prose.
Interesting... but what are you saying that South Park didn't already?
In my view... Rock does not equal Sex I get the feeling that you believe Rock can not exist without sex, and one could almost argue that culturally they are fused. But so was drugs... and that's no longer the case.
Is rock worse for divorcing drugs? Is it not rock if it refuses to make everything sexual?
Disney may be after money but I don't think they are doing it by selling sex. I think they are selling the history of Rock and Roll (excitement, music that spoke to a generation, and celebrities) while trying to remove the destructive qualities. Drugs and Sex.
I don't blame them... I applaud their effort, even if to me, the jaded viewer, it seems juvenile and subversively sexual, but I've been trained to see it.
Anyone seriously believe girls think they're being "jizzed" on or even make the connection? or are reaching up towards their crotch? Sure they have crushes... but they're not hoping to get pulled back stage for a hookup.
Give it up, sorry grandpa if you don't like the new music... it's purer... not like the old stuff.
"I just find it funny that the music is still going while they have the foam shooters (not instruments) in their hands. Then they pick up the guitars and start "playing" along with the music that was already going during the whole foam spray ordeal. And nobody notices or cares that this whole "performance" is clearly a pre-recorded fraud."
-Hey, funny story, they have a backup band with a string section, guitar, keyboard, bass, and a drummer behind them always. So even when the Jonas' are not playing, the band is. Way to know whats up.
"So point one. Yeah, they are selling sex, in a clean way, though, how in the world is that bad for young girls?"
If a 30-year old man posted this, how fast would he be labeled as a sex offender?
Next, the foam-shooting and the purity ring wearing and the salacious lyrics. If Prince did that (and, let's face it, he did it before these kids were born), wouldn't he be banned from the networks? Wasn't he banned from the networks, for his guitar wanking?
Let's face it, the Jonas Brothers are Prince dumbed down, as Britney was Madonna made puerile and jailbait. Disney's business is to give an excuse to parents about why their kids can rock and dress like skanks and sluts but it's OK, 'cause Mickey or Tinkerbell or Daisy Duck's on the clothes. Disney ruling over sexy images is no better than Playboy or Hustler -- Disney just has psychologists on call to make excuses for it.
As for the fans posting here, we should make it a requirement for you to state how many of your friends have had pregnancies under 18, or have caused pregnancies while they were under 18. Let's get real, shall we? Purity rings are as real as clapping hands for Tinkerbell to revive, and just as useful. Even if the Jonas Brothers were raised as poor black children, even if their songs make the angels weep, that does not excuse their talents being used for so ill and crass a purpose as a brand for male virginity.
As for you showpeople behind the scenes, well, I'll wait for the brothers to tell their tales on you, in due course. Child stars always remember the ones who took the money and did nothing as they were harmed; we'll know your names, soon enough.
It's interesting that the Jonas fans and supporters commenting here have one thing in common: atrocious spelling and grammar.
Perhaps the real indictment here is that they aren't teaching their fans to go to school and pay attention? An "intelligence is cool" message from pre-packaged corporate pop groups would go a long way toward legitimizing them.
Finally! Somebody had to say this and you did it quite well.
The Jonas Brothers are one of the worst products that Disney has created. They are just a lot of bullshit and lies conceived to manipulate the minds of millions of silly teens.
These kids came recently to Peru and tickets costed much more than Oasis or Iron Maiden, real super rock bands. How's that possible?
Music is not what it used to be. Even worst, people aren't what they used to be.
@cgeye
Great points. I think the kids getting defensive about their musical taste need to check the point. If these guys want to sell sex to kids, that's fine (see the original Mick Jagger argument), but you cannot package it in "purity" and "abstinence" the same way you cannot package cigarettes as vitamins. If they want to act like horny teenagers and sing about love and lust, then they need to drop the purity bullshit and allow busy parents the chance of saying, "no Suzy, you cannot listen to music about fu*king, you're too young." The kids and the band love this lie because it makes the issue too complicated for most busy parents to investigate thoroughly. The band gets rich and the kids get to do something they would otherwise be told not to.
You obviously don't know enough about the Jonas Brothers, so shut up. Go write an article about something you do know about. Jealousy is a very dangerous path, didn't anyone ever teach you that??!!!!
I just feel the need to say this about the foam guns. This WAS NOT something set up by the Disney corporation in order to sexually excite little girls, as you are insinuating. The Jonas Brothers managers actually did not want them to do the foam guns. They weren't keen on the idea. Presumably, because of how it could be misconstrued. However, the fans at the final dress rehearsal for the show thought it was fun and so the brothers decided to make it apart of the tour. It was not a sexual thing. I'm sure the thought crossed some people's minds in the early stages but for most of the fans it was harmless fun. The 12 year olds in the audience were not thinking "Oh my goodness, the Jonas Brothers are metaphorically jizzing all over me right now. That's so hot. I'm turned on."
Honestly, it disgusts me that this is what people are assuming.
Also I have to step in now and say something about the blatant and ignorant stereotyping of Jonas fans. Do you think calling a wide and varying group of people "idiots" and insinuating that they are ridiculous and naive makes you a better person?
I am a Jonas fan, but I am not incapable of typing a coherent sentence. I recognize that there is subtle sexuality being marketed by them, however I also realize that this is the fault of Disney. This is not something to rip Kevin, Nick, and Joe apart over. I am not naive enough to completely miss the blatant marketing schemes that their people use. Nor am I a naive little girl who is being corrupted and confused by a gigantic corporation. Another point I feel the need to make is that I love all sorts of music. Just because I like the jonas brothers does not mean I am naive and musically inept. I listen to everything imaginable. Some of my favorite songs are by everyone from the Jonas Brothers to John Mayer to Etta James to Nirvana to John Lennon. It's ridiculous to base someone's intelligence off of something as silly as the music they listen to. It really makes you no better a person because you think the Jonas Brothers are "evil, pop crap."
Also, all of this talk about "good music" is ridiculous. Music is a personal thing. What sounds good to some, does not sound good to others. What may be amazingly beautiful to one group, may be boring and dull to another. There is NO universally good music and to assume that what you listen to is the ultimate in musical perfection and legitimacy is incredibly egotistical.
Jonas fans need to back off, and those of you that like to jump on bandwagons need to take a breather.
Seriously? Its an article thats using the concept of the "Jonas Bros." with delicate satirical undertones to address the fact that yes, the media is selling sex to children, and yes, the projected age group keeps getting younger and younger.
The Jonas Bros. no matter what anyone says though, they are in fact being controlled by Disney and it saddens me that there aren't real bands around anymore, because these kids commenting think that those boys are "living the life" and "writing" their own music.
Even if they are writing the lyrics, those lyrics are subjected to rigorous review and "suggestions" by Disney.
I don't think the Jonas Bros themselves are a threat, but all the same I do see them as a symbol of what's to come. I don't think seven year olds should be "appreciating" the same thing a nineteen year old admits to finding "arousing" because the band is in fact trying to be arousing.
Thats like trying to justify your kid watching softcore porn because they don't "show" the sex, and the kid probably doesn't even "get it".
What I think the author was really getting at was that Disney is monopolizing the entertainment industry for that age group, and social dynamics are funneling most kids into that whether they want to or not for one reason or another.
The purity rings, are also BS. Not only are they doing reverse psychology, but they're preying on the fact that parents don't have a whole lot of time to be parents. "Well this seems wholesome, they like virginity. Guess I'll buy my kid some of that."
I don't think children's entertainment should even have to address that. Parents and community should be creating wholesome children, and they aren't.
And I agree too with children being lost when disney jumps to a more profitable venture. Wearing a ring because the Jonas Bros were doing it is completely different from wearing it because you have a firm sense of self and beliefs which are going to support you in a more chaste lifestyle.
Actually what we really need to do is catch our messages up with the time. Unless Jesus descends to say hi, our society isn't going to revert to the piety that keeps people virgins until marriage.
It just won't happen.
Rather, we need to be focusing on telling teenagers that its okay to wait to be loved before putting out, that protection is a good idea, don't have sex just to keep someone around, just because you've had sex with that person it doesn't mean you have to stay with them, and you can wait at least a few dates before having sex- because if you want a longterm relationship its scientifically shown that you need to hold off.
We should be happy that we're in a sexually liberated society that isn't so retardedly christian that sex is just a means to procreate.
HOWEVER. Children still need to be children. Don't let your kid wear make-up until they are in high school, don't make breast implants a gift for the 18th birthday, keep an eye on your kid for christsake.
Kids need to have a reason to grow up, those little milestones mean something, and caving to their every whim because they want to be a part of the grown up world- parents are slighting their kids from being able to roll around in the mud and be kids.
Sigh. I ranted, excuse me.
Well, sure - the Jonas Brothers seem to be pretty shitty (based on the two songs I saw them perform on SNL not long ago), and I don't doubt that there's a lot of innuendo going on in their lyrics/stage performance. But what's new there? Leif Garrett was making the cover of Dynamite magazine 30 years ago and people were saying the same thing. 90% of people grow up listening to crappy, sexually charged music, then grow up and out of it and aren't the worse for wear. Doesn't mean you or I have to listen to it, and it's not the end of civilization as we know it.
This is possibly the greatest thing I've read all day long on the internet. I have tweeted it like crazy. I have slapped it in the face of my friends like a huge wang of truth.
To be completely honest, you all make terrible arguments. It's obvious those kids are just making it rich off the writing of a huge multinational corporation who used its marketing to propel them to the top instantly.
Do I hate them? No
Do they deserve any of it through their talent? No
Do they help with any of the complete cultural decline America is going through right now? Not at all.
I could go on, but its pointless to argue against like minded people going back and forth. But I do have to say, to all the ignorant posters saying:
"Would you rather our kids listen to rap ect. ect." - stop digging yourself into holes. This country is so upset by its deep seated fears of race and sexuality it automatically uses the rap industry as a scapegoat.
Hundreds of artists put out albums each month with music including no vulgar content, yet you act like the only way for your child to listen to music is through popular radio stations. Go and buy him classical music if you're that deafened by the beats of rap and r&b, just get off the internet and learn to accept the new age.
If you guys hate them so much then why do you waste your time writing horrible things and worrying about what they do? Let people like who they want to and mind your own business.
okay, i think that some people forget that dinsey didn't alwasy used to be this way. i remeber movies like tru confessions and life size, that had meaning to them,and i will admit, i am a 14 year old girl who does listen to the jonas brothers, but at the same time, i listen to more than just them. i listen to everything from classical to underground rap. i think honestly the jonas brothers are amazing people and if you've listened to their early stuff it was so much better than the cookie cutter pop stuff. and they chose themselves to wear purity rings, they wore them before they signed on with disney, their father is a pastor for crying out loud. and it's the parents own fault in my opinion. if they're buying this stuff for their kids just because they think that it's cool, then that's ignorance on their part.
i also think that maybe some people look at things and just intemperate them as dirty because that's were their mind set is, but how you take this in is how you take it. and i think that's the most important factor is how you take it all in. i think that people should stop trying to look at the jonas brothers as a bad thing, because if you really look at it. they're just teenage guys living in a way that most people wish thy could, and i'm not pointing the jealousy finger because that would be the fault on my part.
im just saying, stop trying to look at in in a way that really isn't helping anyone in the long run, just complaining about it isn't going to do anything. if you want this stuff pulled or if you really don't want your kids to be influenced by this kind of stuff, then get together and do something about it, because i am so tired of hearing people complain about it. why don't you people start a petition telling people not to buy disney products, start an orgaization for disney corp. "dislikers"i don't know, it's just that i've seen too many blogs, volgs, podcasts and crap saying how evil the disney corp is. stop mouthing and fricking do something about it!! i bet if enough people got together to stand up for it than it'd work. idk... it's just irritating hearing someone say "omg i hate the jonas brothers/hannah montana" every 5 fucking seconds. (excuse my language :\)
most of my friends don't even like the Jonas brothers themselves, but we're all open to the different types of music and we don't just stick to one kind of lifestyle. and if people want to live their life off of what they see on t.v., that's their business, they choose to be a follower.
and i never thought of the Jonas brothers in a sexual way ever, not until people started bringing it up...
umm.... the guy was like i want you to have my babies.... and i was like ummm ok but i am a dood
It's obvious you are confused by your sexual attraction to the JBs
Just another old dude yelling at kids to get off his lawn.
Ahh, I remember back in the old days yelling at my parents that they just didn't understand the intricate lyrics and moving melodies of such songs as Madonna's "like a virgin" or J. Geils band "my angel is a centerfold". I guess no one remembers 9-13 year old girls dressing up like Madonna and holding her up as a role model. Or The Spice Girls and their "girl power" message (which was also highly sexualized).
Hell, older folks have been getting a touch of the vapors ever since Elvis was shaking his pelvis to most of gen y's grandparents (or great grandparents).
And comparing the Jonas brothers music to The Rolling Stones? Let's at least compare apples to apples. The Monkees would have been a bit more relevant. A bubble gum pop band that was completely manufactured and spoon fed to the masses (with great success at the time).
And finally to the Jonas brothers fans. Lighten up a bit. The "living their dream" crap starts to sound like cult group speak. Unfortunately I do have some bad news for you. You also will grow up, see the Jonas brothers for the bubble gum pop crap band they truly are and wonder WTF you were thinking about way back when. Then you'll get on your own blog (or whatever is around in 20 years) and complain about how all the new music out there is crap and tomorrow's youth is circling the bowl of humanity.
Now excuse me while I go yell at some kids to get a haircut and stop blaring their devil music so loud.
I get your point and I agree that the Jonas Brothers are selling sex in some way, but you're acting like this is a new development. Boy bands have sold sex for ages. Is how the Jonas Brothers are selling it worse because they aren't blatantly sexual? Are people who grow up listening to blatantly sexual musicians better off? No. Not at all. I grew up with Nsync and their songs about cyber sex and making love, however as a kid I didn't realize what they were singing about. Their gyrating on stage at concerts and what not didn't mean anything sexual to me. I was a kid. And these kids who like Jonas now are the same way. They're kids. As an adult, you may have seen the hidden sexuality of their image but the kids don't. Let them listen and enjoy. It's honestly doing them no harm. It's adults stepping in and trying to impose their "wisdom" and knowledge on something as harmless and care free as kids pop music that makes the situation a potentially harmful one. These kids don't see the sex. They aren't being harmed or sexually confused. Just let it be.
Anonymous @ 6 am ... you totally missed the point, dude
Most of your observations are insightful and I agree about the veiled sexual innuendo in today's "entertainment".
However, in choosing The Rolling Stones as a band that "did it right" (so to speak), you've gone off the deep end.
Do you honestly believe that the Stones were not trying to sell the idea of a glamorous rock & roll lifestyle that could never be obtained by their fans? In fact, they *must* sell that idea; it's part of their product. They have to sell the whole product to survive.
Furthermore, selling the notion of conspicuous consumption, actions without consequences, and youthful sexual exuberance (again, without consequences) *is* the very essence of rock music. It's what the entire industry is about, and virtually every band from the Beatles to the Stones to the Jonas Brothers are guilty of it.
This post reminds me of back when they used to spin records backwards to find the "devil" music. In the mean time Judas Priest had the devil's picture right on the cover of Sad Wings of Destiny. It's really easy to find the sex out there...and it isn't the Jonas Bros.
who's Grant Morrison?
hey look i'm not a crazy fan of jonas brothers but don't you think that you see only the bad in them? you know what? they are the best and why? because they are normal kids that are living their dream... what is wrong with that? "If there weren't The Jonas Brothers i wouldn't have a dream... and if you don't have a dream you can't have a purpose! so stop criticise them... what is wrong with you?? oh my God could you tell me something an tv that don't contain SEX?? LOL!! if you hate The Jonas Brothers save it for yourself! and you know what? thanks to JONAS BROTHERS i am steel a virgin!! so back up!"
I lol'ed so hard. You are a moron. They are not normal at all...they are disney stars, dumb ass.
Being an Australian, we're more aware of the Jonas Bros as a US thing rather than completely inundated with them here. They are surely just the current boy band- mainstream thing. From Elvis to the Beatles to Stones to the Jackson 5 to the Monkees to Madonaa to Britney, history tends to sort out the important from the novelty and the manafactured.
With Disney, I think the animation films and gradual redrawing of female characters over the years is a much more insidous change. Look carefully and Snow White became Pocohontas/Beyonce/Bratz somewhere along the way.
Finally, yep the foam is a bit creepy. But has our western thinking debased so much that we can't just enjoy it for what it actually is rather than what could be a dirty tongue on cheek joke amongst the no longer inncocent? (For the record I can't think of a single Jonas song and am very happy about that.)
Dude,
Contradiction is fascinating. You can add unoriginality to their crimes. They're doing exactly the same thing Britney did 10 years ago: I'm a virgin, dressed like a whore. How can that be!?!
I'm shocked that you're shocked.
The Jonas Bros are awful, vapid pablum, but you are not nearly as clever or insightful as you think you are. What a total crock of made-up shit.
OK, I doubt that anyone is actually going to read far enough down the comments to get to mine (I certainly didn't read the dozens and dozens in-between).
I am not that familiar with the Jonas Brothers or their music. I haven't knowingly heard more than maybe a minute of it, and only accidentally, whether online, on tv, or as background music somewhere etc.
So, I haven't really sat down and analyzed their songs, musically (NOT lyrically like everyone else does), to see if I think they are any good.
I guess the lyrics are all that anyone listens to anymore, which is why hip-hop is so popular... it's just the lyrics and the beat, and maybe some background riff for a change of timbre (which is the only other thing that pop and rock critics seem to care about).
That is not to say that I think the brothers' songs are good (I would be surprised if any are very musically interesting); what little I have heard did not grab me enough to want to hear any more, and believe me, it does not take hearing a tune for very long to like it (the first time I heard Steely Dan, I knew I liked them about 10 seconds into the tune).
Anyway, leaving all that aside, I agree that the whole thing about the "purity rings" and the weird white foam being shot into the audience is somewhat disturbing. I know some people who work at Disneyland and apparently they want everybody to act the same way all the time, and even recite lines off a script rather than coming up with their own wordings to answers (however G-rated they are) for visitors' questions.
Psychologists will tell you that kids experiment with sex. It's true, they do. They have for as long as we can guess (although, naturally, there have been some times when this sort of thing was not talked about nor written about). It is part of growing up. Most people find out about sex naturally and are curious about it. People aren't magically born sterile and without a single genital-oriented thought until they turn 18, when they (again, magically) instantly become extremely promiscuous or whatever some overly-worried adults think.
The whole age-18 thing (or, in some states, 21; different in other countries), is a legal device used to get some sense of order and sanity into the courts and instill some kind of manners and standardized morals in the population (whether you agree with that or not).
There is no question that as people grow up and get into puberty, they are going to have questions, and they are going to fool around with people their own age. This is now starting to be considered reasonably normal and healthy.
It is NOT normal IF one person is coercing the other, and it is considered, colossally, massively abnormal if an adult is fooling around with a kid, regardless of how much the kid knows already (this is where the word "molester" comes into play). In fact, this might be considered the ultimate taboo in Western culture, right up there along with torture and murder.
[anyway, kids should be told about sex as soon as they are old enough, and as accurately and comfortably as possible, so that they don't get other kids urban legends, or worse, bad adults, messing with their heads, etc. etc.]
As the video points out, the Jonas Brothers, however much (or little) they contribute to the songs they write and perform... are currently an arm of a large multimedia corporation which is built upon its obsessively squeaky-clean, non-sexual image. You can consider this a good thing or a bad thing.
Personally, I think Disneyland, the early- to middle-period cartoons, animated feature films, songs, and even some of the early live-action stuff are OK, although of course you can bring up the racism of the time up through the Civil Rights Movement etc. etc. [there's an argument everywhere]
What it all boils down to is that, gradually, somewhere along the way, after Walt died in 1962...
[and various other people took over the company and made making tons of money the number-one priority rather than making people happy in an innocent manner and gently pushing the creative envelope in addition to the money, yeah I know, debate debate]
...they screwed up.
As somebody said (I forgot who, if anybody can find out their name please please post it here):
Disney basically has made their one great failure not in just trying to make money above all else, but in putting real people (who are going to grow up, and generally want to be who they really are, not who Disney wants them to be) out there as their representatives, rather than animated characters who, of course, can do the carefully controlled and censored bidding of the animators, and have no lives off-screen.
That isn't to say that the animators haven't rebelled in various subtle, creative, and humorous ways over the years, only that they have the option of punching the clock out at the end of work, hitting the bar with the guys (or girls), coming home to relax, working in relative anonymity, etc.
Miley, Jonases, whoever else is out there, do not.
Our modern parasite, the paparazzi, and their feeders, including the overweight mid-American housewives with half a brain cell and even less of a personality (who buy the crap at the newsstands and watch the trashy TV shows that keep the paparazzi parasites in business) have been keeping a constant watch over these toddling tweens (who are now actually teens, although Disney downplays this) to make sure that they never step out of line, even while they sleep. They rarely have privacy, and it is kind of like what has been happening to Britney, Christina, etc. etc. with the extreme invasion of privacy.
However, Britney, Christina, and all the rest do not have the added pressure of kids' role models that these other kids do. These kids, however happy they are (and I seriously doubt they are having fun anymore) are in possibly the most unenviable position of any American; a merchandised, mass-marketing, socio-political tool used to advance the image of a giant mega-corporation.
The Disney of today is light-years away from the Disney of 50 years ago, and is even very different from the Disney of 10 years ago, when _I_ used to watch Disney channel, and they seemed to have a shred of heart (and creativity) left in them.
A sincere and heartfelt LOL to:
1. The people who have somehow convinced themselves that the foam gimmick isn't sexual. I wonder what you would say if I rubbed my scrotum on your face.
2. The person who thinks that the fact that the jonas brothers were fired from an earlier 'label' legitimizes their artistic integrity. If someone is fired, it is because they suck... n'est-ce pas?
-notice my insertion of cool little french dialogue?
This means I am culturally elite.
3. The people comparing the jonas brothers to acts such as T-payne and Little Wayne. Whilst still largely manufactured commercial products, in case you have not noticed, these acts are not marketed towards pre-pubescent children. Double LOL to you.
4. To Anon at 8:30pm, who is attesting to the cultural diversity of the jonas brothers by asserting loudly and ignorantly that they have a "step-grandfather" (what...? divorce?) who is "african-american". I would just like to address at this stage, your use of the term african american.
I am not american, so I do not know if this is a frequently addressed issue where you come from; however, it seems to me that the use of the term african-american IS FUCKING STUPID.
The man has black skin. Apart from African he could also be Jamaican, Australian Aboriginal, Dominican or perhaps a Black Israeli.
Many Africans do not have black skin. Take for example that little group of people known as the country of Egypt.
But i digress.... TRIPLE GOD DAMN FUCKING LOL TO YOU.
And I am just wondering what some of you people think is actually going through a 14yo boy's mind. Having experienced this phenomenon recently (being a 14yo male) I would guess that no matter how much disney may try and suppress this natural and progressive process, I bet those horny little bastards would give their right arm and most of their millions just to get their processed little hands on some sweet 14yo giney.
God bless you for having the courage to stand up to the evil right-wing soccer moms that plaster this shit onto their kids.
i think that you have nothing better to do with your time, "little gives innocently reaching there hands to there croch", grow up please, like little girls are thinking of that, its sick, twisted adults like you, who ruin everything, so what if they are part of Walt Disney, it is one of the best ways to get recognised. they young, hot and can sing, can you ask for anything more in a star. you are obviously are jealous, and self centered. i hate people like you. take the innonce out of everything, and spoil it.
Well, I'm about to take one for the team of Jonas Fans.
But, first off. To the little teenie girls who like them, coming on here, and making every fan sound like an ignorant, uneducated asshole-stop. You're proving this man right. Okay? Sweet . I like the Jonas Brothers. I'm 19, and I guess maybe that's why, but I've liked them for a couple of years now. But don't assume that I only listen to the Jonas'. I love so much more music. I am a musician. And I have been basically all of my life. So I will admit sometimes the music is not really as musically "inclined" as it COULD be. But they can only get better from here, they're young, so it takes awhile. (I guess I'm in the same situation). The foam. Seriously? Who cares if it was sexual. That makes it even funnier. To the fans under 13, they really are not going to take it as some kind of sexual innuendo. And to the selling sex thing, I think someone on here said it already. The sex is being sold to the older fans, (like in my case). My friends and I are the kind of fans who scream vulgar language and them and want them to take off their clothes. Will the fans under say..14 do that? No.
So yeah, they are selling sex, duh, sex sells. But it's clean. Which I don't see why you think that is such a negative thing. I think I sidetracked a bit too much in this..
This is the stupidest thing I've read in awhile.
Are you supposed to take off the purity ring for your 'bating session?
So let me get this straight? They wear purity rings which are suppose to be a commitment to wait before marriage and this is a bad thing? Yeah the blogger is a loser folks don't worry about him......
The JONAS Brothers are very over-rated!
OK. Let me get this straight. You hate the Jonas Brothers but you take what I'm guessing is about an hour of your time writing out why you hate them. That's really pathetic of you. They are hard workers and Nick Jonas is seriously an amazing musician. The last concert I was at, they saw the cool outfits my friends and I were wearing and they invited us backstage and thanked us for all of our support. They are refreshingly kind and genuine people, especially considering that assholes like you are wandering the world looking for sex and only sex. There's nothing wrong with people having standards so shut up about their purity rings. I'm actually done here because I hate the negative energy. Peace.
first of all, jonas brothers are a pop band not a rock band. nd they sing their songs about break ups and other relationship problems, not sex. they wear purity rings because they believe in them and not cuz their parents or disney tells them to. i listen to them all the time. and what is the big deal about the foam? IT'S FOAM FOR CHRISTS SAKE. so shup up untill you know the whole truth of the story.
Wow. No matter how often I see it, I'm always shocked by the hatred and vitriol that people feel empowered to spew over the internet. To be fair though, I've noticed an increase in the blatant disrespect shown on the television as well (Chelsea Handler, anyone?). Maybe I should just accept this as our "cultural sin" and move on? I'm not calling into question your right to form and voice opinions. What I am questioning is the way you choose to voice them.
I don’t care if you or anyone else doesn’t like the music that the Jonas Brothers write or perform. I don’t care If you shout your dislike from the rooftops. I don’t even care if you prevent your own children from listening to them. What gets me are your baseless attacks against their character and lifestyles. Why baseless? Your entire argument is based on the belief that the brothers are Disney manufactured robots—in reality, the band struggled on their own, often without a record label, for many years before Hollywood records (Disney) picked them up. This one fact proves that you didn’t do your research and every other point you make is suspect. If you’d turned this blog in as an essay, almost any professor would give you a big fat F.
If you judge the Jonas’ musical ability (or lack thereof) without ever listening to one of their cds (which seems likely)—that’s fine. I dismissed much of the “late 90's socially conscious hip-hop” as trash because a few songs in that genre were on the radio were disrespecting women and praising the so called “thug lifestyle” that was/is ultimately more harmful to our society than three boys who choose not to have sex until marriage. Again, my ire is aimed at the content and direction of your attack, not its existence. First and foremost, the Jonas’ are a band. Take away the purity rings, Disney and their physical appearance and they’re still three teenagers who write their own songs and play their own instruments, which is much more than you can say about most of today’s artists and many from the past.
Let’s judge our musicians on their music, not their ability to raise and be role models to our children.
Seriously, why do you even care? You are taking the time to write this, but you hate them? I believe that the only people that have something negative to say are the people that are jealous. There are probably a lot of people that hate you and they keep their mouths shut, so keep it to yourself. The Jonas Brothers are just normal teens living their dream and they are actually some of the few guys in the world that know how to treat women with respect and they have morals. Grow up and learn how to respect other people...
If you think the Jonas brothers are selling sex, then what are all the rappers doing in their songs like "lick me like a lollipop?" You serously need to reconsider your morals and standards... The Jonas brothers are passionate, young, and somewhat talented, respectable boys that are just like any other boy band in the past. They are famous because they never gave up their dream of wanting to share their music with the world, not because Disney is making them. As for the "sexual image and selling sex thing", what doesn't revolve around sexual image these days? Hannah Montana has her own line of cherries and Miley cyrus is dancing on a stripper pole connected to an ice cream cart on national television and you're singling out just the Jonas brothers? You obviously have way too much time on your hands and need to reconsider where your life is going...
in response to the person that said "thanks to JONAS BROTHERS i am steel a virgin!!"
jesus christ what the hell! if you are relying on a bend to determine whether or not you decide to have sex, then you need help.
i agree with the nature of this article, because bands left right and centre are no longer getting signed because record companies are just manufacturing bands themselves. which means that people CANT live their dream.
I'm sorry, but you've managed to find all the very few potentially bad things about the jonas brothers, when I bet you have'nt got a clue about what they are actually like. This THING that you wrote is a load of crap. Have your own opinion, but don't oppose it on everyone else!
Ok...they was so cute in the second picture, but I think that they dont have anything to do...hahahaha...but I love Us...they are so amazing....
what kind of sick twisted mind do you have? seriously? THERE TEENAGERS. their just living their dream. yea people joke about purity rings. but its just a JOKE. selena gomez wears one too, but no one makes a huge deal out of that. ur so stupid! i mean seriously, all of yous r like "there selling sex! and "i thought they were gay!" and things like "they suck!" i bet none of you know what real talent is! and why are you all sayin the tweens are taking over and stuff??? so r yous like adults? what is going on here? seriously? do u emos live in box? the jobros r amazing guys. the way yous put it is if someone gets a backstage pass their gonna get raiped(sp?) by the jonas brothers! i love them and they r amazing people, actors, and singers. if thats not talent, i dont know what is. PEACE, LOVE, AND JONAS!!! <3
It was very interesting for me to read that article. Thanks for it. I like such topics and anything that is connected to them. I would like to read more on that blog soon.
It is certainly interesting for me to read that blog. Thanks for it. I like such themes and anything that is connected to this matter. I would like to read a bit more on that blog soon.
Bloody hell, I've heard it all now.
They're 3 young lads, they're having a laugh, they're making themselves a few quid. *shrugs* Who cares if it's crap? Really? I've seen and heard worse.
I'm 33 years old and both my daughters are big fans of JB. Me? I can quite happily take it or leave it. Some of their tunes are kinda catchy, some are a pile of shite. Sexual? Maybe, mildy. A big deal? Not really. Do I think my children are going to be corrupted? Nope. They have crushes. That's it. They don't look at them and dream about ripping their clothes off and ravishing them.
Stop taking it so seriously, because it's really not. The foam thing is a joke, a bit of fun. To the majority of their fans it's simply a giggle to get sprayed with foam, to them it doesn't represent Jonas spunk in their faces. It's we as adults that choose to sexualise it.
I was a big NKOTB as a kid, huge. Did I imagine them naked between my legs at the time... hell no. Did I imagine meeting them and hugging them and probably blushing and being all silly and giggling a lot? Yeah, I was desperate to. Same thing for the fans of Jonas.
For crying out loud their a cheesy teeny pop band doing their thing for a few years til their bubble bursts. This sort of thing has been around for years and years. I'm not a fan of JB, but why they deserve such a huge and somewhat irrational bashing is beyond me.
Get a life.
What da hell?!?!?!?! Did you grow up living in a little box?! you stupid shit the Jonas brothers are just 3 brothers living up their rock n roll careers!!!! get a fucking life you douse!!! And I am a PROUD SUPER FAN OF THE JONAS BROTHERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So go fuck yourself with a jonas brothers doll you piece of shit!!!!!!!!! And FUCK YOU SOUTH PARK you fucking producers probably have small fucking dicks and a small pathetic little ego.
AWW POOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRR THING YOU MUST HAVE AN EXTREMELY SMALL DICK TO SIT HERE AND BASH ON TEENAGE BOYZZZZZZ HOPE YOU FUCKING BURN IN HELL YOU STUPID SHIT!!!!! ^-^
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"Seriously, why do you even care? You are taking the time to write this, but you hate them?"
Why do *you* take the time to write here, a place where the precious JBs are hated -- or, more precisely, their kabuki-guided role as cogs in the Disney Machine is criticized as the heartless, cynical exploitation of teen desire and parental hypocrisy about abstinence that it is?
Someone can hate another's actions without being jealous of them. Just saying that brands you as a teen in the land of Meen Girls, who only hate because they envy or wish to control through disdain. Adults get the break of getting past that, and to finally judge things as wrong even when they don't have a personal stake in the outcome. It's not wisdom; it's the experience of being scammed.
Every star will fail you. Every dream they promulgate, if it's backed by a corporation, will become a sham once you fall for the pitch and give that corporation your cash uncritically, instead of doing your own thing and finding your own strengths. If the Jonas Brothers are that good, they need no special pleading from angry fans. And, if they suck so profoundly until their own realization of this plunges them into Britney/Lindsey-level scandal, then no fan's apologia will save them.
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