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I heard previews of the song a week or so ago, but just saw the video tonight. It’s crap. BUT! …and I’ll get to it.
The song is undoubtedly stupid. It’s unoriginal in content and sound, the lyrics are as facile as most of her other songs, the chorus isn’t even catchy, etc. The video, while marginally better, doesn’t do much to redeem it. Britney is sweaty and not wearing a bra! Britney wears wigs! Britney seduces a skeezy dude! Feh. Give her an umbrella and a Frappucino and it’s B. Spears ‘07. BUT!
And here’s my big but (hee). How amazing is it when she stares into the camera and says, “You say I’m crazy? I got your crazy.” On one level, it’s typical scorned-woman “he’ll never even see it coming” threat you hear in songs that don’t sound like real women. Below that, it’s a lame attempt to be all meta about her behavior the past two years; it’s fine to be naked and wear wigs and admit you’re crazy when it’s being filmed in HD. Seriously, though, that can’t continue; there’s no way to class up the shit that went down, so quit while you’re at least breaking even.
There’s a level underneath it, though, that’s far more interesting, and it’s encapsulated in the line I quoted above and the image at the end, when the doors open and she’s a whirlwind of women. It’s not until then that he recognizes who they all are, and isn’t that just perfect? How much of herself did she leave behind when she followed him out of love or lust or misguided hope? There’s a message in our society, constantly broadcast, that tells us how unloved we will be if anyone gets to know us, so cover it up with clothes and make-up and technology and self-help books. This applies moreso to women, and it’s partly from the outside, but partly from the inside, too. So bury all the things that make you a bad girlfriend, a bad wife, less than the ideal woman – strike a balance between being a best friend, a stripper, his mother, a psychiatrist, whatever you are being told is perfect until the second that it’s not.
And he doesn’t get you, because he doesn’t know you, because you’re hidden somewhere, so the problem is on both of your ends but he’s giving it all to you. So why not give it back? Why not be crazy, if you can? Why not dig up all the parts of yourself that you pitched in a deep, dark grave, and why not claim them again? The best thing about this video is that it has joy. This is not a woman destroying cities with lightning and high heels, though there’s a time for her, too. This is a woman swinging her hair and jumping on the bed and rising, rising, rising till she’s engulfed in flames and it makes her laugh and say, “Since I’m here, why not burn the motherfucker down?”
What’s up, bitches?! This is the funniest show on TV, period. 30 Rock and The Office are close, but It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia makes me do a spit take at least once an episode. It might not be fair to compare a cable program to anything from a network because cable allows for much more room to maneuver (think a chicken coop versus Versailles), and in all honesty, if you took out all the dirty and controversy of It’s Always Sunny, you probably wouldn’t be left with much. However, that’s not to say that the show’s sex, drugs, violence, alcohol, and just general lack of principles is gratuitous or overbearing; it just happens to be the ethos of the whole operation. Bless its amoral little heart. This Philadelphia seems to be located in the same parallel universe as Seinfeld’s New York; any given set of circumstances starts out normal enough before deviating into a situation that isn’t exactly impossible but far from probable, helped along by each character’s perpetually self-serving agenda. It goes without saying that innocent bystanders are taken out along the way, which is why this show’s motto could be “It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt…and then it’s hilarious.” While it’s spiritual predecessor may be Seinfeld, It’s Always Sunny, for my tastes, far surpasses that show’s admittedly formidable comedy. This could be said to be another apples-and-appletinis comparison because of the network/cable difference, but Larry David has proven with Curb Your Enthusiasm that his brand of humor translates well to a less-restrictive outlet. However, it and Seinfeld possess the same sort of wry, aloof perspective that I think is completely blown out of the water by It’s Always Sunny’s manic energy and borderline slapstick atmosphere. Dry irony definitely has its place in my affections, but I can’t resist a glam-rock duet about superhero Dayman and his powers of karate and friendship. If Arrested Development was still on the air, I would say that my belusted Philly crew would have to take a backseat, but since the Bluths live on only in our hearts and DVD collections, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia reigns supreme. The fourth season begins September 18th, which happens to be my birthday. Sadly, I will be in New Jersey during its airing and not in my Philly suburb (yet another reason to love the show; hometown pride, holla!) but I will be watching anyway. I suggest you raise a shot to it as well.
Okay, I know I post waaaaaay too many videos, but C’MON, this one has so much goodness: support for the writers’ strike, fluffy animals, and Tobias Fünke as a Furry. I’m afraid I just blue myself.
My favorite small Canadian does a monologue:
For those who didn’t believe me the other day:
YouTube offers other flavors: plain, “Final Countdown”, OK Go, “Chariots of Fire”, and several more.
Best. Video. Ever.
