Jack Bauer and Lady Gaga: When Culture Parodies Itself
For the first time in six years, I missed an episode of 24 this week. I didn’t just miss it. I actually, incredibly, forgot that it was on.
I used to write about the show after every episode but had to give it up last year due to time constraints. But I still looked forward every week to vegging in front of the TV for the 8-9 hour and getting lost in Jack Bauer’s world.
Longtime fans of the show would probably agree that this year’s incarnation of the series is ludicrous — a pale, insipid caricature of a program that once inspired serious debates among intellectuals about its meaning to American politics and culture. Indeed, as I have written on several occasions, 24 through the years reflected America’s increasing doubts about the war in Iraq and the war on terror. It brought torture front and center in a way no political or legal debate among experts ever could, making the issues accessible for ordinary people to contribute to the fray.
24 was a cultural phenomenon and Jack Bauer was an icon both admired and despised depending on which side of the culture kampf you stood. It was the favorite show of the political class, both right and left. In its heyday, it generated big ratings and even bigger controversy for its unabashed point of view that showed America as the good guys and the terrorists as evil. It was one of the only shows on TV with a recognizable conservative slant — a perspective that was maintained until the conservative creator of the series, Joel Surnow, handed off day-to-day responsibilities for the show to others.
Surnow is gone now and the character of Jack Bauer has been radically altered. This is a kinder, gentler Jack who doesn’t torture suspects anymore, has a much lower body count, seems to work much better with the national security bureaucrats who used to stand in his way of saving America, and is even — in the ultimate smack down to the “old” Jack Bauer” – more tolerant of authority. In short, Bauer is now about as edgy as a snowball, and half as interesting to watch.
Jack Bauer has become a parody of a cultural icon. He is proof that, when in the proper hands, what was once a vital, complex, morally conflicted, and multi-motivated character can become a scoop of vanilla ice cream — a milquetoast ghost of the old Jack. Now Bauer has become the “anti-Jack” — a deliberately crafted near-opposite of the symbol who was adopted by conservatives as a totem for the kind of war we were fighting against enemies as pitiless and ruthless as their real-life counterparts.
The sense of duty is still there, but to what? All Bauer seems to have left is a personal code of honor to which he is loyal. Gone is the clear notion that Jack was fighting for America, replaced by a much more individualistic sense of “me vs. them.” Bauer fights a private war now, for his own goals and his own reasons. It diminishes him in ways that reduces his impact on the culture. It’s like Bauer has gone from Captain America to Captain Crunch.
It isn’t so much that Bauer has become a liberal, or now reflects liberal sensibilities about the war on terror. That’s not entirely accurate. Instead, the character is now a parody of the old Jack, a notion reinforced by the writers deliberately eschewing the tactics used by the old Bauer, while steering the new Jack away from almost all controversy. The old Jack not only tortured suspects; he routinely thumbed his nose at the bureaucrats and his superiors. He seemed to have adopted the old Davy Crockett motto: “Be sure you’re right — then go ahead.”
Now, Jack Bauer defers to authority in ways he never would have in the first years of the show. He has been defanged in an effort perhaps to widen his appeal. Instead, the effect is to parody what made Bauer such a powerful image of American strength and determination to take the fight directly to the terrorists. The old Jack Bauer probably belonged in a cage. The new Bauer only needs a leash. And the difference is a reflection of how pop culture has changed the last decade. Cynicism and a general malaise have overtaken the explosive and often over-the-top exuberance that was once the hallmark of the American pop scene.
The embodiment of this change is another pop icon, Lady Gaga. It’s almost as if the purveyors of pop all of a sudden noticed that there was a lack of absolute outrageousness and limit-busting characters on the scene. They “discovered” Gaga, who filled the tastelessness gap that had been vacated by Madonna some years earlier
In truth, the woman has some talent, as well as brains. In that respect, she has it all over Madonna. But any evocation of the former Material Girl is done in a playful, irreverent manner. This holds true for her other big pop influence, the glam rocker Freddie Mercury of Queen. She also has a nose for publicity, an eye for over-the-top haute couture, and an ear for what sells in today’s market.
Well, that’s an angle to Lady Gaga I’d never considered.
I still can’t get behind her, though. These are, of course, my own preferences speaking, but she does not entertain me. In my point of view, she does not do a “send up” of pop culture, she just processes it and regurgitates it onto her audience.
I cannot find her entertaining. For all her eccentricities, she seems unoriginal, not a person but a pastiche, hollow. My frustration is augmented by the knowledge that she DOES have genuine talent, but does not seek to refine it.
Then again, neither did I find 24 particularly entertaining. To each his own, and let’s kill our boredoms as best we can.
You’ve got to view Christopher Walken doing Poker Face.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xy5JwYOlgvY
I guess I’m old school, but anyone with true and unique talent–and the willingless to work hard–should be able to find success without becoming a walking freak show. For the moment Gaga may be great at marketing herself, but soon enough she will reach a tipping point. The stunts and outrageous outfits will lose their shock value, just as Madonna’s antics now leave people cold. At one point Madge even had to resort to writing children’s books to get back into the spotlight.
It occurs to me that all the fantastic musical groups of the ’60′s would never stand a chance in today’s culture. All they did was sing and play instruments. Bor-ing.
But I’d be willing to wager the music of many of those artists will still be winning new fans long after Gaga’s circus act has folded up the tents and left town.
After I was done reading, I had completely forgotten the piece started out being about Jack Bauer. Anyway Lady Gaga is so much more fun to write about and requires much less thinking. So here goes
Lady Gaga in a nutshell:
Cheasy dance music
Avangarde fashion statements
Ambigious sexuality
Shock value
Nothing to see here, move along
Ed, You give lady gaga too much credit, she’s not thinking that deep.
Video-phone = A smoking hot Beyonce. She is fine as hell. She should keep making music videos with lady gaga as long as she keeps dressing so provocative. I could care less about ugly lady gaga, but dam that Beyonce is naughty girl.
An for the uptight religious-right conservatives on here. The less you get upset at gaga the quicker she’ll be gone. No controversy, no career. You people make these peoples careers by getting all bent out of shape over them.
Jack Who? Lady What?? Get a friggin’ life!!!
This is the year that “24″ jumped the shark. Nothing about this year’s plot or characters is believable, from the stupid bureaucrat they put in charge of CTU to Chloe’s sudden incompetence to the hiring of what’s-her-name with a criminal record as an analyst, to Renee showering in the bad guy’s hideout.
I stopped watching about halfway through episode four and am glad to have the extra time.
A smart TV exec would engage Surnow to develop a new series, and leave him free to do it his way this time.
I didn’t watch any more after one of the first episodes when Jack was all weepy about not being able to go to California with his daughter. It has committed the unforgivable sin of lapsing into silliness. Frankly, I have to smile when I think about that scene.
I gave up watching ”24” long ago, I think after an episode where blond, blue-eyed Swedish environmentalists were portrayed as terrorists. I still watch ”Law & Order” which admitedly is just crap & I frequently doze off in the middle, usually waking up again in time for Neil Cavuto on Fox. I like a show called ”The Mentalist” because it’s basically apolitical, just entertainment with no BS lefty message.
As for Lady GaGa, forget it, I only listen to golden oldies on YouTube. Or classical music, mostly opera. I have no understanding intellectually as to why anyone would listen to this garbage.
I agree with every aspect of “Contrarian View’s” opinion of this season’s “24″ offering.
Also of note is Kiefer Sutherland’s (who plays Jack Bauer) medical situation, which I understand has caused delay in filming late-season episodes. The Bauer character appears noticeably thinner and more fragile this season. I also noted this, and the fact Sutherland looked ghostly pale during a talk-show interview several months ago. Sutherland, as Bauer in past years, was a noticeably more physically imposing character than this season. Vot gifs?
I think 24 jumped the shark last year. When the writers had Jack confessing his sins to the imam in the last episode last year, I knew I wouldn’t be watching this year. It was fun while it lasted…just fun to see actors using straight line action and doing to bad guys what I’d do if I could, but once the PC crowd had Jack seeking absolution from a Muslim….well, you see how the appeal faded. Of course, those fool writers in Hollyweird haven’t yet figured out that when Sharia becomes law, they will be the first ones the Islamic enforcers come for.
There’s a simple enough explanation in-universe: Jack Bauer is tired. He’s been at this for what, twenty years? In that time, he’s endured drug addiction, had a near death experience, been tortured by the Chinese, witnessed a nuclear explosion, killed a bunch of people, and watched friends and family die on several occasions. He didn’t even want to take this mission; he wanted to be on a flight out to San Fransisco with his daughter several hours ago. He’s ready to retire and put the whole matter behind him, like many old warriors.
Lady Gaga is doing nothing new. When MTV first aired videos, most of the images have nothing to do with the song; Gaga is a throwback to such videos. However, she is exploiting sex & shocking videos–like Madonna before her–for her fortune. Lady Gaga will not let the song stand on its own merits, but it must be consumed by controversy to sell more records or MP3′s. If Lady Gaga continues her route, she will be left out when the music changes direction. She will keep shocking, but we won’t care anymore. Madonna reached this point with 1992′s Erotica & had to quickly find her feet again.
Thanks for the link Joe . . . too funny.
Reminded me of my dad making fun of the Beatles and their ya, ya, ya, back in the day. (Not to compare Lady Gaga to the Fab Four!)
Lady GaGa is actually a lot more thoughtful than most of these commenters give her credit for. Watch interview videos and you’ll be surprised how much she isn’t the person you thought she was.
As far as talent goes, hidden deep underneath all the glam and costumes lurks a jazz goddess. Again, watching vintage youtube videos of her, as well as acoustic performances might be helpful if you really want to get a bead on what she really is.
Is there a “Lord Gaga” out there? Does Ms. Gaga hail from the Newport Gagas? Are there plans to market a tile grout under her name called “Gaga-Goo?” Just wondering.
I am not sure why Lady Gaga gets hit when Dale Bozzio and Wendy O got free passes in their day. Yes, I think LGAGA is more talented than she allows herself to be, but she is not the worst person out there.
Lady GaGa is so amazing, she looks very hot and sexy!!!
I love her voice and the way she dance on the scene. Very talented girl!
#6:RickGreenvilleSC:
Couldn’t have said it better myself! Holey moley macaroni – this is a strange article.
Lady Gaga’s music is fun to dance and workout to. She’s fun and weird and her lyrics crack me up.
Moran: The challenge Gaga now faces is that every day brings danger to her position atop the pop ziggurat. She must outdo her own record-shattering, barrier-breaking, taboo-smashing, performances or risk a fall from grace. From edgy, to ordinary, to boring is not a long journey from where Gaga is starting.
Not to mention that Miss Germanotta won’t be the first, or the last, successful musician to take such a journey. Indeed, avoiding this path to mediocrity would make her the exception that proves the rule. It wasn’t for nothing that recording artists before her came up with lyrics like “Hope I die before I get old” and “It’s better to burn out than fade away.”
The acoustic version of Poker Face reminds me of Lisa Minnelli.
I skimmed this article only to find out who Bauer and Gaga are. Enough wasted time on this.
I could never get through even five minutes of “24″, nor 15 seconds of Gaga. I simply do not get the appeal. They are both mere caricatures… cartoons for adults.
Bauer seemed like what a liberal thinks a conservative is. Gaga has a nice voice and can dance, so why the shtick?
Hollywood is worthless. Even shows with a little promise quickly become hackneyed. Very rarely does a new movie come along that is, indeed, new.
I think its amazing she looks very ordinary without makeup. She is of course still gorgeous.
Timeless beauty.
Fox News now owns the field because Roger Ailes and Rupert Murdock saw an untapped market in underserved conservatives.
It amazes me Hollywood — ever chasing the Big Hit and Big Bucks — has failed to market to this segment.
24 did it for a while and demonstrated it could work. Then the show when PC, catered to the left and failed.
I watched the first episode this season and canceled it from my DVR, never to be seen again. My wife and I — both former avid watchers — have not missed at all.
I canceled NCIS and NCIS-LA after their Christmas episodes were about honor killings by Christians.
I suspect the problem is that no one in Hollywood apparently knows how to make a show that speaks to conservatives, even as they have no clue how to speak to Christians — another massively ignored segment.
Hollywood’s pitiful attempts to speak to either group are laughable.
They certainly don’t know how to make a war movie, unless it’s against the Nazis. Even when they have a good story written in great detail by a card carrying conservative (Sum Of All Fears comes to mind) they change the bad guys from Muslim terrorists to neo-Nazis. When they have opportunity to show heroic Iraq or Afghani battle stories, they make Green Zone or a raft of other failures.
The only exception to this litany of failure was the early seasons of The Unit. I suspect the defection of creator David Mamet after he wrote Why I Am No Longer A Brain Dead Liberal in the Village Voice explains a lot.
Toward its end, even that show could not help but cast the true bad guys as some group within our own nation.
Liberal mantra: Americans are the Bad Guys, Christians are idiots. We want Big Government; Don’t Trust The Government. (Hey, I never said statists were consistent thinkers.)
Jack Bauer represents a character that is needed in today’s Pop-culture. He is torn between his yearning to be with his daughter and grandkids and his sense of duty to ‘save the US from terrorist doom’. I believe that he is representative of the modern American Soldier who is torn between leaving their families multiple times to help ‘save the US from foriegn terrorists’.
Jack shows more compassion and feelings in this new season than ever before, possible appealing to a different midset. Perhaps the writers are trying to reel in a new set of fans who can be more compassionate and less impetuous. Sort of winning the hearst and minds if you will.
Jack’s new love interest has him caught between a rock and a hard place. He still loves her and shows that he is willing to die to save her. That element of romance was lost in the last couple of seasons.
Chloe is turning out to be a closet hero for all the computer nerds of the world. Of course, in today’s terms Computer analysts aren’t nerds but highly paid executives. She gives the show an element of gumption that it would lack without her. I really do like Chloe as a character.
Which brings me to my next point. 24 gives us modern day heros that may be outrageous but they are people that we can sort of relate to as having a National Concious who will lay down their life for their fellow man. Something that I believe alot of modern day so called heros don’t have an ounce of.
For instance, Lady Gaga, who is a disgrace to modern entertainment. Where in the trash did we pull her out of? She is out there as an example for our young generation as a fashion hero? I don’t get it. I believe that our tolerance for everything indecent has reached epic proportions. Give me heros that love our country not those who seek to destroy everthing that is good and decent.
Jerry Rider
Jerry, you are right on brother man! Where in the heck is the ship heading… no oars, no rudder and no captain!?!