New Jem Movie - Only for girls, or guys too?
Did any guys here ever watch the animated series Jem?
Do any guys feel embarrassed to say they liked that show? Or not? Well, I always liked it! It kind of reminds me of guys being proud to say they watch the new My Little Ponies animated series, even though they know some people might make fun of them.
Well, they're making a major live-action movie based on Jem now:
Christy Marx, who developed the original Jem series characters and wrote the first scripts, and who also was a well-regarded adventure game designer for influential developer Sierra Online, has apparently been shut out of the project:
http://christymarx.livejournal.com/595194.html
I think that's terrible. Why not at least have her as a consultant?
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To me entertainment is entertainment. It shouldn't be about gender. When I was a kid I loved things that were both marketed towards girls as well as things that were marketed towards boys. I loved things like Care Bears and Popples, but I was also a huge fan of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Gargoyles. As an adult who still loves animation, I love things like My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic but also the DC Animated Universe (and DC Universe movies).
If it ends up being good, I'm sure there will be males who latch onto it like there are those who latched onto My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.
As for Christy Marx, yeah that's a shame that Hasbro didn't at least hire her on as a consultant. She did say that John Chu at least shared his take of the story with her (and was considerate enough to let her know about it before the press did). If it wasn't for that, I probably would ignore the movie, but since it's the corporation that's behind the shutout of the creator of the television show and not the creative team behind the movie, I'm willing to give it a chance.
I wasn't a huge fan of Jem growing up, but I did watch episodes when I caught them (I still remember the theme song pretty well, and I actually did have a cassette tape of Jem music :P). It will be certainly be interesting to see how the movie turns out.
I definitely agree. Though I think it's fine how some forms of entertainment are geared more towards a particular gender, since boys are different than girls, not everyone is the same and no one should be attacked or put down for enjoying something geared primarily for the opposite gender. I liked Care Bears shows, my little pony cartoons, but also tmnt and most other "boy" shows. As a boy, I knew that watching the "girl" shows would be seen as embarrassing, so I would not announce to everyone that I liked watching them.
But I really think it is easier and more acceptable for girls to enjoy boy things, without being made fun of, than vice versa.
Consider these two sickening examples:
School told (later relented) boy not to bring Pony backpack to school: http://nj1015.com/ray-rossi-my-little-pony-lunch-bag-get-9-year-old-boy-bullied-poll/
Kid actually attempted suicide: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/03/14/3702347/wake-sheriffs-office-still-investigating.html
Of course it's easier for girls to like boy things than for boys to like girl things. That's because girls are wimpy, ineffective things full of cooties and only fit for making babies, and all their pansy things are just as icky as them.
[/sarcasm]
The problem is that a lot of things designed for girls are EXTREMELY feminine, usually covered in pink and sparkles and suchforth, and while we as adults are capable of being less judgemental of such things, kids... well, kids are assholes. Always have been, always will be. The fact boys are bullied for liking My Little Pony is absolutely no surprise to me whatsoever.
As for MLP... I don't care. It's not my thing at all, but I couldn't care less if others like it. That's fine. I just wish people would stop rubbing their liking for the show in everybody's face. THAT'S where the hate comes from, dammit.