It's A Girl Thing: Tween Queens and the Commodification of the Girl's Tween Market

A few years of research, thoughts and adjustments that all led to a completed film which, framed by the structure of a faux interactive website for tween girls, looks closely, and critically, at the tween market's evolution and the role of Disney and Nickelodeon's tween queens (Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Britney Spears, Hilary Duff, Miley Cryus, Miranda Cosgrove, Kiki Palmer, Selena Gomez, and more) in the market's explosion.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus Hysteria Hits Oprah



(click on above title for full article)

Miley Cyrus, otherwise known as Hannah Montana, has created one of those pop culture phenomenons like the Spice Girls, New Kids On the Block, or even the Beatles. It's "Miley Mania, Hannah Hysteria," Oprah said on her March 19th show. As Miley came onto the stage, the middle aged women in the audience even yelled like little girls, jumping up and down. Cyrus is in the middle of a North American tour, and said on the show that her sister and mother are on the tour with her. An insider's glimpse showed parts of the tour bus: Miley's sister's bunk in a dizzying array of Hannah Montana products, and Miley's bunk, with a Hello Kitty theme.

Billy Rae Cyrus, country music star and Miley's dad, made an appearance on the show as well, and they talked about Miley and boys, keeping her grounded, and how to handle all this fame. One example is when Oprah asked about Miley's income -- how much of that money she gets. Miley admitted losing a credit card in her name in only two days, and that her mother keeps track of how much she spends.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Mk in The Wackness - Audience Award At Sundance


Kingsley’s ‘Wackness’ one of Sundance’s 7 best
Oscar-winning actor stars opposite Mary-Kate Olsen in the comedy

“The Wackness”
It’s 1994 and psychologist Ben Kingsley, a product of the 1960s, is telling his marijuana-selling college-age patient Luke that it’s OK to chase girls and leave all responsibilities at the door in trying to figure out who he is — as long as he pays him in weed. Problem is, Kingsley doesn’t realize that the girl Luke (Josh Peck) is lusting after is his own stepdaughter. The film, which had audiences rolling, felt as fresh as any movie screening in Park City and took home the prestigious audience award. Late Saturday night, just as the trophies for the fest were being handed out, Sony Pictures Classics bought the film. It should prove to be a wise investment.