As an old pop culture friend goes, two others return
Currently I find myself in the midst of a bittersweet blend of pop culture and emotions. Next month I will join my friends in the theater as we embark on another mission with agent 007 in "Quantum of Solace." This has me so excited the mere glance at any of the related magazine cover stories I am ravenously collecting leads to a childish glee and unyielding smile. It is the kind of awestruck reaction Ralphie in "A Christmas Story" displays when fantasizing about his Red Ryder BB gun.
Lately I've taken it upon myself to pass a copy of "Casino Royale" to anyone in the Herald office who hasn't seen it. My co-workers Tara Zerbo and Cameron Probert were given the "Royale" treatment and know the backstory leading up to the new film, the first true sequel in the franchise. Although they both liked the film, they probably aren't excited enough to incorporate the title into daily conversation. As I wrote in this column before, the new film's title means "a measure of comfort" and recently I told my friends, who know I can stress about things, "I found a quantum of solace while reading my paper and drinking my coffee."
Speaking of comfort, I'll need some soon as "Total Request Live," MTV's flagship show airs for the final time on Nov. 15.
Often I hear people talk about how the show is obsolete because people can watch music videos online, but I feel this overlooks the real significance of TRL. Without question, when TRL started (it actually began in a half-hour, primetime format as Total Request) the centerpiece was music videos. When the show moved to its afternoon slot, it became a show as appealing for its music as its sense of community.
One of my most treasured memories will always be coming home from school and sitting down in front of the TV and watching the day's countdown.
"Will Britney be higher on the show than yesterday? Lower? Oh my gosh, only two days until the premiere of her latest," I would think to myself in class and in my favorite chair at home.
The show's first and best host, Carson Daly, was like an older brother to me, and I wanted to be just like him, applying for MTV internships in my college years to try to be one of the privileged few to walk the halls of MTV studios.
While I love MTV, I must confess, in my opinion, the network lost the community feel it once had by focusing less on connecting young viewers to their favorite artists and more on providing ways for them to vicariously experience the lush life through shows such as "The Hills," and "My Super Sweet 16."
Lauren Conrad, you are no Carson Daly.
While I will no doubt feel a deep loss while watching the finale, I will always have the fond memories of the show spanning my formative years.
Lucky for me, Britney will be there to catch me when her new album, "Circus" is released Dec. 2, her 27th birthday. The video for her new single, "Womanizer," is irresistible and addictive and I'm sure it's just the tip of the iceberg of what will almost certainly be my favorite album since her last one. Happy birthday, Britney!
Chaz Holmes is the news assistant for the Columbia Basin Herald. While his obsession with certain pop culture icons make his colleagues shake their heads laughing, the newsroom just wouldn't be the same without him.