Showing results for "COMM" in Popular Culture

The critically acclaimed first-person shooter franchise Borderlands knows it’s ridiculous. It’s a badge of pride. These space-western games encourage you to shoot a lot of enemies and monsters, loot their corpses, and have a few chuckles while chasing down those bazillion guns. As Kaitlin Tremblay explores in Ain’t No Place for a Hero, the Borderlands video game series satirizes its own genre, exposing and addressing the ways first-person shooter video games have tended to exclude women, queer people, and people of colour, as well as contribute to a hostile playing environment.

Gus Van Sant’s film and the ’90s cult of the alternative Gus Van Sant’s 1991 indie darling My Own Private Idaho perplexed and provoked, inspiring a new ethos for a new decade: being different was better than being good. Gentlemen of the Shade examines how the film was a coming-of-age for a generation of young people who would embrace the alternative and bring their outsider perspectives to sustainability, technology, gender constructs, and social responsibility.

Vic Damone quit school as a teenager to work at the Paramount Theater to help support his family after his father was injured. During this time he was exposed to a host of accomplished singers, both on the stage and behind the scenes. While operating the backstage elevator for Perry Como, Damone asked if he could sing for him to see if he had any talent. He stopped the elevator between floors and after he finished, Como told him he should keep it up.

Gordon Jenkins arranged for legendary musicians, recorded a dozen hit singles - including "P.S. I Love You" and "Blue Prelude" - and has had a host of other accomplishments in the world of music. The arranger, composer, and pianist was influential throughout the '40s and '50s. Despite his many musical talents, Jenkins discusses his desire, but unfortunate inability, to sing. In a conversation with host Wink Martindale, Jenkins talks about his expansive musical work, accomplished career, and focusing on writing well versus writing to get rich.