Disney So Screwed Me Over!

Ok before I start on my Disney rant. Here's a kind of harsh break-down for you:

Snow White=pretty much a blithering idiot "Oh yea I'll eat this random apple creepy old lady, gee thanks" like WHAT!

Cinderella=Zero-Backbone

Aurora=Ungrateful brat who couldn't take direction

Ariel=at least she had her own opinions and interests

Belle=Finally a semi-intelligent independent girl who saw inner beauty, she actually owns and reads BOOKS what an idea (Thanks Disney for finally getting with the program of giving girls an actually role model)

Jasmine=Kind of a bitch at times but she stood up for shit, broke rules to follow her heart, marry for LOVE (Disney finally preached a message of NOT marrying for money--> novel concept)

Pocahontas=Based very loosely on history (take artistic licensing to a whole new level), she really stood up for her love.

Mulan=What a BADASS!, again loose interpretation of the real story (a theme with disney, butcher original fairy tales), teaches girls they can do anything and make a difference.

Giselle=unofficial princess, sees reality, and Disney finally acknowledges that the fairy tales leave a lot out, and they are actually pretty unrealistic

Tiana=Most recent "official" princess, hard worker, knows what she has to do to get her dream, (a real role model for young girls), make your own destiny

Rapunzel=Most recent princess, she is the heroine, she saves Flynn's ass multiple times, and she reads.

So there is an idea that has been seriously bothering me lately. The idea of true love/love at first sight/the Disney ideal of love. Disney makes it seem pretty straightforward: Once Upon a Time...Happily Ever After...that's supposed to be the story. But life doesn't subscribe to the "Disney ideal". Shit happens that no one could see coming, death, infidelity, but that would be a bad message to show young kids. This crap about "happily ever after," thats the ideal, but it's never quite as easy as Disney makes it seem. Disney skips over the dating phase, the fights, the break-ups, the getting back together, the baggage that is ALWAYS there. All those princesses married the first guy who looked their way, except maybe Pocahontas who didn't get married in the first movie. Disney idealizes love, and makes it all look simple. Meet, fall in love, get married, happily ever after. That's a great concept, however people are disappointed when they get involved with someone thinking it will be all great and happy, and then it gets hard. Disney gives individuals false expectations about love.

Despite all that, I still find that I want the fairy tale as told by Disney. And I don't think it is wrong to want that as long as you aren't ignorant about reality and the fact that it won't always be perfect. But I firmly believe that if anything should be idealize it is love. Romantic Comedies seem to say it best, "Love is the only shocking act left on the planet." So you know what while I curse Disney for giving kids and young adults such unrealistic expectations of love, I thank them for teaching people to be open to finding love.

Everyone's A Little Bit Racist

The Broadway musical is stereotypically fluffy and sweet with happy songs and spontaneous dance numbers. However, that is not always the case. Though Disney would have you believe otherwise. In fact often a musical takes on issues of the time and makes a social commentary on it. One musical that is a perfect example is Avenue Q, which is musical with puppets. But not just any puppets, muppets, except these Muppets aren't as warm and fuzzy as the ones we know and love. These muppets are actually facing real life modern issues, with songs such as Everyone's a Little Bit Racist, If You were Gay, Sucks to Be Me, and There's a Fine, Fine Line. The idea that musicals don't make statements is incorrect. In many cases theatre and musicals are a light-hearted way of showing people their short comings, in a non-threatening manner. The songs in Avenue Q tackle issues pertinent to today's society without chastising people or getting on their case. The song Everyone's a Little Bit Racist, makes the point that there isn't really such a thing as being "color blind",  but as the song says that doesn't mean all people go around committing hate crimes. The show makes serious/"taboo" subjects, such as racism, and homosexuality more accessible, in an attempt to open lines of communication. The song If You Were Gay, is all about tolerance, accepting people for who they are no matter what. Fine, Fine Line is about relationships, and how when you cross the line of friendship into something more things can get messy. While there are other musicals that handle social issues, Avenue Q is the one that does it very bluntly and like Dane Cook says, "It is so true, that's why it's funny..." People see the show and get a good laugh, because it is relatable. There are very few mediums that can call people out for their short comings and not offend and/or chastise them. And the idea, that theatre just has to keep people happy, and go along with what the audience is comfortable with is complete BS. Musical Theatre has consistently pushed people out of their comfort zones. Shows like American Idiot, Chicago, West Side Story, Memphis, and even A Chorus Line deal with subjects of war, murder, intolerance, racism, and A Chorus Line deals with those and more. From the outside Broadway Musicals look like all sequins and fluff, but almost all deal with deeper issues. So the next time you groan and criticize show-tunes, remember that those songs could be making just as big a statement, to a possibly larger population, as your protest music.