Category Archives: Anatomy

Funny thing about the internet: you cant smell anything on it, but certain stories sure can cause a stink.

Two days ago, we told you about the meteoric rise of the latest viral video, Kony 2012, that didnt make the rounds on the internet so much as it grabbed the internet by the eyeballs and forced everybody to look directly at it. In the four days since it was uploaded to YouTube, the video has amassed nearly 58 million views while viral news of it has no doubt permeated your Facebook and Twitter feeds.

The video, in the impossible case it that hasnt yet osmosis-ed itself into your brain from at least one kind of media outlet, was created and released by Invisible Children, an organization thats been trying for years to draw worldwide attention toward Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony and his Lords Resistance Army. The Lords Resistance army is a special breed of awful because, aside from being Konys personal army, its made up of kidnapped children-turned-soldiers responsible for horrors ranging from hacking apart victims bodies to using abducted girls as sex slaves.

At any rate, you can see how theres high emotional appeal that would likely resonate with most people containing even a sliver of sympathy. More, as with all things that finally have A Moment in the media, there is now the inevitable backlash against Kony 2012 criticizing Invisible Childrens approach.

So it goes.

Whats odd about Kony 2012s success, though, isnt that it went viral so quickly but rather why it went viral in the first place. Invisible Children has been trying to raise awareness about Kony since 2004 when the eponymous Invisible Children film was released, the groups first attempt to bring attention to Konys atrocities. Invisible Children have released 11 films in all yet this is the first one to truly achieve a viral, nigh-zeitgeist status. In fact, its taken Invisible Children so long to finally land a hit with their films that Joseph Kony isnt even in Uganda anymore (he reportedly left in 2006).

Some of the success has been attributed to Invisible Childrens goal of enlisting the help of culturemakers. Others have asserted that Kony 2012 succeeded due to clever marketing on social media. Both of these belie Invisible Childrens previous efforts by assuming such endorsements and technologies werent used to propel their videos into the limelight. For one, Lady Gaga endorses a ton of things but not nearly all of them catch on the way Kony 2012 has. She and others have got a magic, but its far from being a true Midas touch.

The most salient difference between Kony 2012s world and the world of Invisible Childrens previous videos, I believe, is something far more simple: timing. The towering success of the anti-SOPA movement, Planned Parenthood supporters organizing to turn back Susan G. Komens decision to de-fund the organization, or even the recent backlast that has sent supporters fleeing from Rush Limbaugh due to his misogynistic remarks about Sandra Fluke all have helped build and fortify the edifice of social medias power. It could be argued that Kony 2012 was a beneficiary of those previous campaigns that, one, established the social media political infrastructure, and two, demonstrated that it works.

As these movements cycle more regularly and enjoy an ever-quickening ascent-descent with the worlds favor, though, do we run the risk of diminishing the potency of the viral campaign-as-political device the more these campaigns happen? Im in no way saying that itll be Invisible Childrens fault were viral campaigns to falter in the future whatever your feelings about the groups methods, good on IC for finally getting the world to pay attention to how horrible Kony is but rather highlighting the fact that these viral campaigns seem to be happening an awful lot lately.

Indeed, you can have too much of a good thing and so I fear that, after eventually growing tired of the endless parade of Next Big Things from the internet, instead of catching wind of political campaigns that really deserve our attention, the public will begin to simply hold their breath until the trend passes along and disappears into the trunks of internet fads.

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Kony 2012: The Anatomy Of A Viral Success

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Kevin McKidd and Chandra Wilson

Grey's Anatomy stars Kevin McKidd and Chandra Wilson are returning to the director's chair.

The duo will each direct one of the remaining Season 8 episodes of the ABC medical drama, The Hollywood Reporter has learned exclusively.

McKidd -- who first stepped behind the camera last season and directed the sixth episode of the Shonda Rhimes drama this year -- is set to take the lead on Episode 21. Wilson, meanwhile, will mark her sixth time at the helm when she directs Episode 22 of Grey's 24-episode season.

STORY: 'Grey's Anatomy's' Kevin McKidd: Owen and Cristina Have 'Brushed A Lot Under the Carpet'

"In a way, it almost feels like there's more pressure the second time because people are going to cut you some slack the first time," McKidd told THR earlier this season of the experience. "But the second time people expect you to really know what you're doing, and you should."

STORY: Shonda Rhimes Talks 'Grey's Anatomy's' Live Musical Benefit

An airdate has not yet been determined for the episodes.

The duo join a growing cadre of stars who have stepped behind the camera for their respective series, including Parenthood's Peter Krause, Royal Pains' Mark Feuerstein and Mad Men's Jon Hamm, who will direct the long-awaited season premiere.

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'Grey's Anatomy's' Kevin McKidd, Chandra Wilson to Direct Again (Exclusive)

If youre looking for courtroom drama, you dont have to look far, with thousands of hours of Court TV, Law & Order reruns and plain-old courtroom news on your television.

But if youre looking for a truly great courtroom drama, one thats complex, funny, smart and surprising, you need to watch Anatomy of a Murder. Released way back in 1959 and featuring a one-of-a-kind cast, its no kidding the greatest courtroom drama ever made.

Based on a book by a Michigan Supreme Court judge (writing under a pseudonym), Anatomy of a Murder follows a small-town Michigan lawyer (James Stewart) as he defends a young lieutenant (Ben Gazzara) on murder charges. Where things get complicated is when Stewart examines the motive: Gazzara claimed he killed the local bar owner for raping his wife. But as Stewart gets to know the wife (Lee Remick), he begins to wonder if there was a rape or if, down deep, even Gazzara believes there was a rape.

Pretty adult stuff for 1959, and Anatomy of a Murder doesnt stop there. Theres much discussion over the word panties being used in the courtroom (again, scandalous stuff for 1959), but on a deeper level, Anatomy of a Murder hints that what really happened doesnt matter what matters is what the jury thinks happened. It might not be justice, but its the law.

Masterfully directed by Otto Preminger (a guy who loved pushing the envelope, content-wise), Anatomy of a Murder is full of elements that make it a classic film. The cast also includes a young George C. Scott as the big-city prosecutor, Eve Arden as Stewarts world-weary assistant, Orson Bean and Howard McNear (Floyd the barber from Andy Griffith) as expert witnesses and lawyer Joseph Welch, the man who brought down Sen. Joe McCarthy, as the judge. Whats more, not only does jazz legend Duke Ellington supply the music, he also has a cameo as Pie Eye, who for some reason is playing piano in a tiny Michigan tavern. That Michigan atmosphere, incidentally, is one of the movies biggest stars. Preminger filmed the movie in the Upper Peninsula, and it gives the film a feeling like no other Hollywood picture. Heck, even the opening credits iconic images created by legendary Saul Bass are memorable. Its just a great, great movie.

Thankfully, Criterions new edition does it justice. Besides a remastered print of the film, it includes footage from the set; segments on Ellington, Bass and Preminger; the trailer and more.

The Town

Someone at Warner Home Video must really love Ben Affleck.

I mean, The Town is a fine film, with solid direction and acting from Affleck and a strong supporting cast. But its not a classic though you wouldnt know that from the packaging of The Town Ultimate Collectors Edition. The boxed set includes multiple versions of the movie on Blu-ray and DVD, a feature-length documentary, a map of the Charlestown area of Boston, a folder full of files about the films characters, a hardcover book of photos from the set, a letter from Affleck and, believe it not, temporary tattoos exactly like the one Jeremy Renners character sports in the movie (and that you only see on-screen for a split second).

Quite a package for a movie thats pretty good but not great. I liked a lot of The Town, including the well-staged robberies and the simmering tension between the various thieves. But I thought it was another example of a movie let down by its ending, one that does right by its star but not by its main character. I dont want to spoil anything if you havent seen it because it is worth watching but the final scenes make no sense. The idea that the FBI would just quit surveilling the one person with a connection to their fugitive, then ignore the expensive and public! gift made in the name of that fugitives mom is ridiculous.

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Movie Man: 'Anatomy of a Murder' is top courtroom drama

A particularly savvy media campaign by a nonprofit group called Invisible Children has pushed a debate about Uganda and rebel leader Joseph Kony into a very bright spotlight.

Without getting into the arguments about the political motivations of the nonprofit and the consequences of its campaign check out coverage from The Washington Posts Elizabeth Flock for more information on the situation and its history its astonishing that the groups members have been able to draw this much attention now to a conflict thats been going on since the 1980s.

So how did they do it?

The group launched a campaign called Kony 2012, an effort to raise awareness about Kony and the small force the Obama administration sent to Uganda in October with the intent of killing or capturing him and combating his Lords Resistance Army (LRA).

To get the campaign off the ground quickly, the group had users send messages to 20 culturemakers and 12 policymakers with influential Twitter accounts urging them to support the effort. The list included names such as U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and former President George W. Bush, as well as celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Mark Zuckerberg and Lady Gaga.

The message that users could send to those people included a hashtag, #Kony2012, that gave the Twitter community something to galvanize around. It read: Help us end #LRA violence. Visit kony2012.com to find out why and how. @rickwarren Join us for #KONY2012

The group also made a well-produced short film that encouraged people to use social media to raise awareness about the movement, which spread quickly over Vimeo and YouTube, where it has garnered more than 57 million views.

The video boils down this complicated issue into a simple one, with a compelling narrative that tugs on the heartstrings and prompts outrage. And it gives users an easy way to take action: Share the video, share the story and dont stop speaking up until they get the result they want.

The group was also able to tap into an already strong social media presence on Facebook and other sites to get the message out in a big, noticeable burst.

And it certainly has worked. The hashtags #stopkony and #kony2012 have been on the list of trending topics worldwide on Twitter ever since launched its campaign Tuesday. Its been a fixture on Googles list of trending topics, and even the debate over the groups methods and message have kept its message afloat.

Read more here:
Kony 2012: The anatomy of a viral campaign

By John Mcgarry

PUBLISHED: 20:52 EST, 8 March 2012 | UPDATED: 20:53 EST, 8 March 2012

When Dave King opined on Wednesday that the liquidation of Rangers was now 'inevitable', the task of saving the club from going under seemed akin to doing a jigsaw puzzle while blindfolded.

Whether the Rangers director simply saw no reason to hide his honest opinion any more or was attempting to light a fuse under someone, only he will know.

Regardless of his motives, he will have felt the shockwaves emanating from his powderkeg message all the way back to his temporary base in China.

Sign of the times: Rangers are in crisis and are fighting to save themselves from liquidation

As ashen faces digested the words throughout the world, perhaps for the first time the prospect of the club actually ceasing to exist in the near future finally hit home.

A man who has built up a reputed personal fortune of 200million in South Africa, King could scarcely be accused of being naive. It's just conceivable, though, that the man who made the doomsday prediction did so without being privy to everything that is currently going on behind the scenes.

Yet, for all the journey to a safe harbour still has a long way to go, Rangers are by no means holed below the water line.

Indeed, developments on Thursday and several that look set to come to fruition in the coming days, can only be seen as positives by Paul Murray and other interested parties as they seek to successfully take over the club.

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EXCLUSIVE: Anatomy of a rescue plan - Rangers administrators are close to a deal

When I did a online search of Jeremy Lin this morning, many of the headlines that popped up were pronouncing an end to the so-called "Linsanity" - that would be the media and cultural frenzy set off by the NY Knicks point guard and his outstanding performance.

Lin is the rookie basketball player who allegedly came out of nowhere to help ramp up the Knicks' season. But beyond the team's future, pundits and fans alike have seized on his accomplishments to ask questions about diversity in sports, how Asians and Asian-Americans are represented (or not) in popular culture and more.

Lin may not keep racking up points, but I doubt the media interest in him is going away - another recent headline promised to reveal "What Jeremy Lin can teach us about dating."

Yeesh. Whether you're into sports or not, you've likely caught wind of this story. The folks over at the Illinois Humanities Council certainly have. They've commissioned a number of people - from the arts, media and academia - to write out their thoughts on the cultural swirl around Lin. I'm going to feature some of their posts in this here blog over the next few days.

Of course you're invited to join the conversation as well. You can weigh in below with your reaction. And why not meet up with the IHC crew at Jane Addams Hull-House Museum next Monday evening for the conversation Linsanity: What's Beyond the Hype?

The "Feel-Good" Story in the Racial Frame: Jeremy Lin and the Same Politics of Race, by David Stovall.

Before any type of deep analysis on the recent rise of Jeremy Lin in the National Basketball Association (NBA), its important to state the facts: In 2006 Jeremy Lin was Northern Californias Player of the Year in Basketball at Palo Alto High. His hometown university of Stanford wouldnt offer him a four-year scholarship and instead offered him the opportunity to play basketball as a walk-on. Coach Dawkins former backcourt running mate at Duke (Tommy Amaker) decided to take a chance on Lin at Harvard.

In 2010 he graduated from Harvard with a degree in economics. Fast-forward six years and you have all the makings for a made-for-TV movie. Lin goes undrafted in the first two rounds of the 2010 draft despite numerous inquiries on his ability to play the point-guard position by NBA scouts, his All-Ivy selection and him being in the top three in assists in the country. His hometown team (the Golden State Warriors) takes him as an undrafted free agent, and he makes the roster. He sees limited playing time as a rookie, gets cut, gets picked up by Houston, gets cut, goes to the NBA developmental league, gets picked up by the Knicks on a 10-day, sleeps on his brother's couch for a couple of days, surfs to another teammate's house for a spot on the couch, and leads the Knicks on a 8-0 winning streak in the process. I know whod a thunk it? All of this is great for the ESPN documentary, but its also absent many of the racial realities of the day. Despite the fallacy of a post-racial society, we still try to obfuscate the realities of race. Without question, Lin is a great talent who deserves to be on the court. Simultaneously our oddity addiction in the U.S. could easily make Lin a caricature of himself. With all of the new monikers that roll off the tongue (Linsanity, Linpossible, etc.), we have to grapple with the fact that Lins individual journey takes place in a social, political and economic context.

Part of that context is the fact that the American mainstream media has an extremely limited number of themes in its repetoire: tragedy/disaster, triumph, scandal or oddity. Commentary with any type of critical analysis is relegated to the fringes as we become engulfed by Lins feel-good story of triumph. Never to discount his struggles, but Lin would have been all right without the NBA. An econ degree from Harvard goes a long way.

Excerpt from:
Jeremy Lin: Anatomy of a Sports Star and Cultural Sensation