Currently, a parody of a Miley Cyrus video is an Internet phenomenon. “Party in the FIP” is a take-off on Cyrus’ hit “Party in the USA,” which is on Hollywood Records, a Walt Disney Company. “FIP” refers to Fire Island Pines, a famously gay New York beach. The video features, in the words of MSNBC host Carlos Watson, “guys dancing on the beach in Speedos.”
In a segment on August 31, Watson said, “It appears that Disney is in on the joke, or at least they’re laughing at it too.” He turned to cohost Kerry Eleveld, of gay publication The Advocate. “What do you think about Disney, who doesn’t always seem to be the most progressive company in the world, seeming not only to be to be okay with it but making phone calls to the creator of it?”
“They might not be incredibly progressive,” Eleveld said, “but they’re smart business people. It never hurts to have gay men on your side.”
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The company has apparently figured that out. Disney World theme park in Orlando, Fla. has been hosting “Gay Days” since 1991.And for Disney to wink at the use of tween-idol Cyrus’ material shows just how important the gay market is to the company.
As Reason Magazine’s Jesse Walker wrote in 2000, “In one of the most famous copyright cases of the '70s, it successfully halted sales of Air Pirates Funnies, a risqué underground comic by Dan O'Neill featuring the Disney characters, even though the comic was clearly a Mad-style parody.” Disney was also at the forefront of lobbying for the Bono Act of 1998, which extended U.S. copyright terms by two decades.
As laudatory as Watson and Eleveld were of Disney’s selective progressivism, they showed a new respect for Cyrus, who has said she liked the parody.
“It is so interesting to me how Miley Cyrus, unlike the one-hit wonders who seem to fade away, she seems to keep getting bigger. She seems to keep growing into new audiences,” Watson said.
“Yeah, yeah, and of course, she's been on Facebook and Twitter talking about this particular video, saying how much she loves it. So – I can't remember what her exact buzzword was,” Eleveld replied. “She continues to grow. She may have an edge. Obviously she has a father in the business. It helps to see what kind of path he took. Maybe he's giving her a few tips.”
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In the words of my 13 year
August 31, 2009 - 15:04 ET by inquiringmindIn the words of my 13 year old son... Ugh, whatever.
Lovely. Just
August 31, 2009 - 15:05 ET by bigtimerLovely.
Just precious...more wisdom from msnbc...
Wha would we ever do without them?
Obama's a Community Agitator, a walking, talking destroyer. ~ Rush Limbaugh
Something Disney found out a
August 31, 2009 - 15:51 ET by deerjerkydaveSomething Disney found out a long time ago is that if you cross the path of the gay agenda that you will face their wrath along with the wrath of their friends in the Democrat party and in the liberal media. Wait a second, Disney IS the liberal media (aka ABC)!
Ironically the gay agenda demands tolerance and yet they are the least tolerant of all. When they say they want tolerance, what they really mean is they want mandatory acceptance!
WHAT??? This is news?
August 31, 2009 - 15:59 ET by RpeggioI just can't imagine why MSNBC is in last place and has dropped 26% in viewership since 2008? What a joke of a supposed news/commentary channel...the real question is who are the 400 to 800 thousands morons that still watch MSNBC?
Yes, it's obviously important...
August 31, 2009 - 16:10 ET by Trickletown..because Newsbusters is alerting on it.
Frankly, I do see much of an 'agenda' at work here, just some folks having fun with a catchy tune.
What's the crime?
There is no explaining American pop culture.
Trickle
August 31, 2009 - 19:32 ET by RpeggioNB is reporting on the ridiculousness of a cable news channel MSNBC reporting on it. No crime, no agenda per se, just the shining of a the spotlight on a failing news channel MSNBC that drips of far left ideology and has seen their ratings drop precipitously these past 12 mos.
Monkey boy the drooler with the thrill up his leg is beaten by the morning shows at Fox....matter of fact, you can add the viewers of a few of MSNBC's shows and still not total Beck's or Hannitys or O'Reilly's. That's embarrassing, and I just don't get why NBC executives don't wise-up and get some balance on their MSNBC network? Or start a centrist/more balanced network to compete with Fox? If I had the money I'd do it tomorrow and be beating the lefty losers on MSNBC within a week.
NBC Execs simply must be so ideologically driven, that they'll push the liberal message until viewership, ratings, and advertisement dollars are so low, that shareholders bail and they go bankrupt. It's just dumb business to be so ideologically blind in the news industry. The country is in the middle and polls still show more folks are center right than center left.
A COUPLE OF THINGS...
August 31, 2009 - 17:20 ET by danybhoyTheir numbers are falling like a cartoon safe, & Carlos Watson is gonna help stop this trend? No dice. C-Note my @$$, do yourself a favor Watson, take your C-Note & buy a clue. It's the least you can do.
I really hate to say this, but my dad is 1 of those morons. He's an old school democrat who does'nt really understand how far left the agenda MSNBC is pushing is. He is all about BDS, & as of now, I don't even bother talking politics with him too often.
"...How blind can you be, don't you see...
...that the gambler lost all he does not have..."
Nightwish
I am so glad that...
August 31, 2009 - 16:05 ET by PrairieSkyour daughter is past the "Disney age" now...We were a huge Disney family when she was small. Our daughter was into everything Disney, particularly Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid. We took her to DisneyWorld 3 times when she was small, and we all had a wonderful time. Today, I'm sad to say, Disney has changed so much, and not for the good. For starters, the cost of admission to one of the parks is $79 a day for anyone 10 years of age and older, and between that outrage and Disney's sponsored "Gay Day" that they started several years back, I'm glad she's not little now.
As far as MSNBC's reaction to this gay video parody of Miley Cyrus is concerned, it's just par for the course for them. The fact that Disney just shrugs at this particular bit of tacky sleeze, unfortunately, doesn't surprise me either. It's a shame to see what Disney has descended to...Poor 'ol Walt must be rolling over in his grave.
"The problem is not that people are taxed too little...the problem is that government spends too much." ~President Ronald Reagan
Wow!
August 31, 2009 - 17:16 ET by Tugboat PhilDisney is really bending over for the gays. Uh, backwards that is.
I haven't seen the video. Is Carlos Watson dancing on the beach in a Speedo? Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean that people aren't actually plotting behind your back.
lol!
August 31, 2009 - 17:25 ET by deerjerkydavelol!
Tug... I haven't either,
August 31, 2009 - 17:28 ET by bigtimerTug...
I haven't either, but Carlos does look mighty happy....
Obama's a Community Agitator, a walking, talking destroyer. ~ Rush Limbaugh
It never hurts...
August 31, 2009 - 17:54 ET by JPR1It never hurts to have gay men on your side.
Very true. Much better there than behind.
JPR1 LOL!! Although Walt
August 31, 2009 - 20:40 ET by Radical1979JPR1 LOL!! Although Walt is spinning his grave.
How dare Disney...shrug...at
August 31, 2009 - 18:47 ET by balboaHow dare Disney...shrug...at a gay Internet parody video?
Yeah, bal, how dare Disney...
August 31, 2009 - 19:11 ET by PrairieSkyshrug at a gay internet parody video, the subject of which is one of their biggest ever stars, Miley Cyrus, a 16 year old girl. Silly me...I just think that Disney would have a problem with that.
"The problem is not that people are taxed too little...the problem is that government spends too much." ~President Ronald Reagan
Prairie, was Miley the
August 31, 2009 - 22:19 ET by balboaPrairie, was Miley the actual subject of this video? I thought it was a parody of her song, not of her.
Idiots. All of them.
August 31, 2009 - 18:52 ET by someloudthunderderp derp Disney obviously is an evil conservative bastion of hate because i have no evidence to ever support this claim therefore it must be true and if you say otherwise you obviously love the Bible and go to church.
You want to really know why Disney doesn't give a damn? It's because people do this crap with media all the time. So a bunch of losers in speedos decided to sign a Miley Cyrus song on video at a gay beach.
From my point of view it's a crappy attempt at humor. There's nothing funny about the video and there's no political message behind it either. Some guys were just like, "Hey USA... FIP... let's make a video!"
The gays are the next group
August 31, 2009 - 19:50 ET by nyyankee55The gays are the next group under Barry's bus. He jerked them around about Gay marriage and Don't ask Don't tell- he can never allow gay marriage- he is devote Muslim- this would be the last straw for all his Muslim buddies in Iran and Egypt etc- wake up gays- he's a Muslim get over it!
to borrow from JWF
August 31, 2009 - 19:55 ET by katainkentdidn't Miley Cyrus already kind of ruin her "brand" when she started dating the 20 something guy? I doubt she'd blink twice about this parody.
As an aside - Did anyone read that Disney is buying Marvel comics?
___________________________________________
"Maybe you're better off not having the surgery, but taking the painkiller" Barack Obama (Dr. In Chief)
OH GOD YES.
August 31, 2009 - 23:51 ET by someloudthunderI can't wait until they force their crappy brand unto Marvel like Hanna Montana Meets Iron Man.
... “but they’re smart
August 31, 2009 - 20:12 ET by oldmanatee... “but they’re smart business people. It never hurts to have gay men on your side.”
I'd rather have them on my side than behind me.
It's a little to early to
August 31, 2009 - 20:43 ET by Radical1979It's a little to early to predict Miley Cyrus's future. Her attempt to be in on this joke doesn't mean a thing. She's trying to be cool and grown up. If anyone DOESN'T have an edge it's Miley.
How can
August 31, 2009 - 22:20 ET by oldmanateeanyone ever take Miley Ray Cyrus seriously when all most can think of is her daddy's mullett?
If, God Forbid, They "Disneyfy" Marvel Comics, I'll Eat My Mask!
August 31, 2009 - 23:19 ET by The7SticksToday, Disney announced that they would be buying Marvel Comics. That's Marvel, as in Spider-Man, X-Men, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Stretch Armstrong Marvel Comcis. The minute I see the mean, green Hulk or Frank Castle (who happens to be The Punisher), having a tea party with Tinkerbell or Mickey Mouse or Goofy, I'm going to be wondering if this is either a Howard the Duck spoof or something far more sick, twisted and insidious.
Of course that's what I'd be thinking if Michael Eisner was still in control of Disney. It could probably be worse, but this is pretty bad enough.
-"Oh no, it's Michael Eisner! Cover your heart!"
-Stewie Griffin the evil baby from Family Guy
OTOH, Disney did...
September 1, 2009 - 14:15 ET by skypilott2bring back the uncut and unedited version of 'Song of the South'.
http://www.onlyclassicmovies.com/songofthesouth.html
That movie was long ago supposed too have been suppressed, so I could not be happier to find it on DVD.
Now if only I could find Amos 'n Andy...
I read somewhere that Disney
September 1, 2009 - 14:20 ET by balboaI read somewhere that Disney has long wanted a bigger piece of the young male demographic, having young females covered pretty well. Marvel was a great way to get it, and as such, I don't think they can exert too much editorial control. They need to let Marvel keep being Marvel to hold onto the young male demographic.
Universal Orlando?
September 1, 2009 - 15:01 ET by TheDeuceSo, what happens to that other theme park in Orlando that prominently features the Marvel characters?