| Author | Message | ||
     U4euh |
So my wife and I are in the car the other day cruising to pick up a new HDTV. She ponders for a moment and ask,Who does our generation have? Well what do you mean? She says, Our grandparents and parents had Marylyn and Elvis, your generation(gee thanks) had Madonna, but what about the last 15 years? Who do they have, that no matter where you go in the world, people would know who you are talking about. I said I didn't know really, a few names came to mind, but not really in a class as those others. Who do you all think fits in this category? I can think of some iconic figures from the (my generation and beyond) but this was her question. (Message edited by u4euh on July 31, 2008) | ||
| Cityxslicker |
for the short attention span theater, I would say right now its Miley Cyrus, and in true James Dean form, Heath Ledger I dont think we have an iconic author, at least nothing I have read lately | ||
| Thumper74 |
Iconic author? Chuck Palaniuk General celebrity? No one that comes to mind... | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Thanks Thumper, in true form to the age, I saw the movie, missed the book | ||
| U4euh |
Heath was on my short list, as was Michael Jackson(I know, I know, but he was good). | ||
| Tramp |
'iconic author' is a loaded, erratically-inaccurate gun. Every yay-hoo will suggest the name of some limited phenom who appeals to the reader's own inner Mitty. The Van Gogh effect will likely come into play, posthumously, for contemporary icon status. Frankly, I see J.K Rowling (NO, I've NOT read any of the corpus of her labours) as being the most *iconic* author of the past 15 years. | ||
| Rainman |
I've got to agree with Tramp. If you look for an author who has set the stage and influenced an entire generation or more (my kids have read all the books, my wife has read most of them and my mother-in-law has read them as well. I've seen the movies...) it would be Rowling. That doesn't mean I think she's the best author, but she's had beaucoups influence. | ||
| Bads1 |
Mariah Carry just this year has sold more CD's then any female artist. If you want to look at it as money made or popularity. | ||
| Cowboy |
As I was born before WW2 and I dont see any thing that the intertainers have did good for the world I have to say the one person that has been my idle and role model is General George S Patton he did not beleave in political correctness or brown noseing a real American. | ||
| Bads1 |
Our world has changed sooooo much since before WW2. | ||
| Tramp |
Cowboy- The OP was asking about the past 15 years. Were we discussing the past 60 years, the list would take up too much bandwidth. Indeed, our world has changed much since before the US' involvement in Viet~Nam. | ||
| Buellfighter |
Tom Hanks | ||
| Spiderman |
Fire Fighters, Cops and soldiers... | ||
| Hr_puffinstuff |
but what about the last 15 years? Who do they have, that no matter where you go in the world, people would know who you are talking about. George H.W. Bush | ||
| Hammer71 |
I dont give a crap about the last 15 yrs or the me generation much. My opinion... John Lennon trumps Elvis and Madonna. | ||
| Xl1200r |
The past 15 years: I'd say Bono would be at the top of a short list of musicians. Along with maybe Brittany Spears and Justin Timberlake. Actors like Tom Hanks and Johnny Depp come to mind. I'm sure Currently that Will Farrell and others like him are recognizable about now as well. We have our "icons", no doubt. But the "mainstream" really isn't that so much anymore, in that what's popular has become so broad that the people aren't so much less recognizable as they are only part of a longer list. That said, however, you would have Elvis, Marylin, James Dean, Buddy Holly, and a slew of other actors and muscins that defined the era. | ||
| Miamiuly |
More importantly, who is the new Steve McQueen?? Michael Jordan? sponsors a team and rides but no racing. Charlie Sheen?? Pretty cool in my book, love 2.5 men. Brad Pitt?? he rides. No one like Harvey Mushman though (McQueen and if you didn't know, go watch "On Any Sunday" again) .... maybe Travis Pastrana but he isn't famous to the average person. He is kind of the modern Evel Knievel, double back flip and all. "Your either a Steve or a Stu."- The Tao of Steve. (Message edited by miamiuly on July 31, 2008) | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
Zane Lampre | ||
| Spiderman |
John Lennon trumps Elvis and Madonna. Hell yeah! | ||
| Kyrocket |
Why do we have to hold someone to iconic status anyway? In my opinion we'll never come across the likes of Marilyn, Elvis, Humphrey, Lennon, Joplin, Taylor, Garcia or any of that generation again. The world was a, well, a different world. Hollywood was Hollywood and not Hollyweird. Granted you still had the drugs and alcohol back then but it was kept behind closed doors and actors weren't paid ridiculous amounts of money for flop movies, they had to actually be good actors. To me actors back then were more real not some entourage of bodyguards, accountants and choreographers. Let the chips fall where they may. No one is going to set out and "make" an icon it just has to happen. Although there are things that can help make it happen but they won't be made. Just my opinion. | ||
| Jaimec |
Bob Dylan | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
Isn't Bob Dylan dead? | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
"Why do we have to hold someone to iconic status anyway?" Don't ask us Wisconsinites about that. Right now our praise of BF is biting us in the ass and leaving tooth marks. | ||
| Greenlantern |
Spidey! Uhh...Both of them? | ||
| Regkittrelle |
The problem with selecting a recent icon is that we know too much about them. In the past our so-called icons were more a product of media isolation, studio cosseting and public ignorance than they were representative of sterling human beings. Subject them to today's highly intrusive media scrutiny and you'll kind they are... just human. I can think of no single person that I truly respect in toto. I recognize the curmudgeonly aspect of this, but I think it healthy to view people... and most certainly yourself... as they are, not as we wish them to be. So, do I have personal "heroes?" A very few, and with the aforementioned firmly in place. A current few of the few... Motorcycles? Dick Mann Music? Dylan Books? Edward Abbey, T.Coraghessan Boyle Movies (I have trouble with this as an art form)? Michael Caine, George Cloonye. Each, not because of any craft greatness but, rather, because they fully understand what movies are and their place within them. Politics? Surely you jest? | ||
| Bott |
madonna in the same sentence as elvis and lennon? | ||
| Jaimec |
Deborah Harry. She made Madonna possible. | ||
| Miamiuly |
Gotta love Debbie Harry. Blondie the group. | ||
| Greenlantern |
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| Bads1 |
I'd say if you want look back at just 15 years??? I'd say as a male artist it would be Kurt Cobain. He led us into grunge music. It put Pop way down on the charts and wiped out Heavy Medal pretty bad. If we were going to name a female artist?? It would be Brittany Spears. Here career was huge and I think it still is with the bad press. Remember Madonna back in the 80's broke all barriers with her way of life and music. Just my 2 cents. |
