Hollywood - Andrew

Hollywood is a universal American symbol not just to us, but to people all over the world. When I say Hollywood, I am not so much referring to the place, as to the Hollywood feel in America. We truly are still the entertainment and glamour capital of the world, even if we have been falling behind in other areas recently. From the movies, music, and TV shows to the celebrity relationships and scandals, almost everyone in America embraces Hollywood in some fashion.



If you have ever watched TV in a foreign country, you may have noticed that almost half of what’s on is American television shows and movies. Sometimes they have been dubbed over with foreign voices, but sometimes they have been left as they are. When I went to Ireland, the people there knew everything about the Simpsons. They excitedly asked me about upcoming movies in Ireland, most of which had been released in the US months beforehand. Even portions of their news shows are spent discussing American celebrities and what trouble they have been getting into.



The Hollywood life is no less pervasive within America. We are all mesmerized by the newest TV shows, even though many of them are trashy. We rush to movies featuring hot, half-naked actors and actresses. A celebrity checking into rehab will still make the front page of many newspapers. Entire TV specials are constructed around watching what celebrities wear as they walk into a party. Some people will buy clothes just because they saw their favorite celebrity wearing it.



Does Hollywood make us shallow? Does this image we are portraying to other countries falsify our reputation? Probably – most of us don’t look like celebrities, nor do we have the money to start up charities named after us. But beyond all the intimidation that these celebrities may cause, I think there are benefits to the popularity of Hollywood. After all, we wouldn’t be paying attention to Hollywood if we didn’t like what we saw.



Although some movies and TV shows are low quality, they really can function as an excellent form of self-expression and serve to rally people up for causes. There are some smart and sophisticated shows on TV that can really be stimulating and enjoyable. Some recent movies, such as Hotel Rwanda and An Inconvenient Truth, have served as excellent ways to promote awareness for issues. The Oscars are still the most watched and most important awards show in the world. Directors from all over the world aspire to get honored and recognized in America. Hollywood, though it has its ugly side, is actually a rather attractive part of our country, especially right now, when America is unpopular for many other reasons.