The Free Market: where nothing is free
Cory Monteith plays Finn on "Glee." Image from Wikimedia.
There is a finite amount of money out there and a seemingly infinite number of people competing for it. There is also no limit to the amount of said limited supply of money that each person wants. Thus, any time something becomes popular, the makers of that product inevitably try to think of ways to make more money off of it.
The down side is that we, the consumer, end up needing instant loans in order to be able to afford all the stuff we want. The upside is that there’s constant innovation going on and always new, better products and entertainment.
Innovation in television
The entertainment industry is one of the most lucrative on the planet, and television is a big part of that. Since the inception of “The Real World,” which now seems like ancient history, television has blurred the lines between reality and fiction. Reality shows started out as “real people,” as in not actors, being put into contrived but unscripted situations.
This idea has flourished and grown into a large, tangled web where reality and fiction are sometimes difficult to decipher. Way back in the ’60s, a real band, The Monkees, were incorporated into a fictional TV show. Today, the opposite seems to be happening. The fictional TV show “Glee,” starring the fictional glee club, seems to be spawning a real, live musical act.
Album and tour in the future
Did you know that the cast of “Glee” is going on tour? After millions of fans downloaded songs from the TV show, producers decided it would be a good idea to take the show on the road. So instead of live performers turning to acting after they become famous, these TV actors will become live performers. Also, after the season is finished, a “Glee” album will be released.
When the free market spawns wonderful, gleeful (snicker) entertainment like this, I applaud it. I am so glad to see that even though video game companies and filmmakers are making a killing off of violence, there is still a huge audience out there for positive messages and music. Sure, the TV show “Glee” has some rough moments and some scandalous themes, but at the end of the day it just leaves the viewer wanting to sing and shake her booty. And what’s wrong with that?
So, what do you think about “Glee”? Are you glad that more glee goodness is coming your way? Will you go see the glee club in concert?
Reality shows are real to a certain degree. They have to constantly come up with different ideas and concoct a drama queen approach in order to keep and please their viewers. For the most part it’s all an act. People find themselves fascinated by make-believe characters on television. For instance, I love The Simpsons and apparently a lot of people do too. Now, you can find erotic photos of dear ol’ Marge Simpson on the cover of Playboy magazine. Unbelievable. Another example is Hannah Montana. There really is no Hannah Montana (although a dozen of my nieces and nephews would beg to differ). Miley Cyrus became famous after winning the lead role in the Disney’s series Hannah Montana. From there on, the world of youngsters became extensively fascinated by the made-up character. Now you see Hannah Montana everywhere; movies, concerts, toys, shoes, clothes, etc. For Glee, however, I doubt I’ll be joining the group of make believe followers on this round.