James Wolcott (Photo: Vanity Fair)
James Wolcott’s take on pop culture is clear cut and acerbic on a routine basis. Some critics, myself included, too often hem and haw as to our views on certain matters. Not Wolcott. Consider the following excerpt from the December 2009 Vanity Fair:
There was a time when idealistic folksingers such as myself believed that Reality TV was a programming vogue that would peak and recede, leaving only its hardiest show-offs. Instead, it has metastasized like toxic mold, filling every nook and opening new crannies. Idiocracy, Mike Judge’s satire about a future society too dumb to wipe itself, now looks like a prescient documentary.
I wish I could quote more of Wolcott’s analysis, but to fully appreciate his insight you need to read the whole thing yourself. To a certain extent, I’m saddened by the weight of his perspective. I hope he’s wrong and fear he may be completely right. On the bright side, there are critics that care about the state of affairs enough, that with any luck his critical eye can bring more folks along to his line of thinking.
[Hat Tip to NY Times' Idea of the Day for pointing me to this item]
#1 by Hisham Zubi on December 1, 2009 - 12:57 am
I had forgotten what a pleasure it can be to read Wolcott’s commentary.
The sad part is that I’m familiar enough with some of those shows that I could fact-check him on some details. Maybe I do need to give up television.