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Why do people on this site pretend to have never heard of people from popular culture

Sanity_Saviour

Every time a thread comes up about someone that everyone in the world knows (the Justin Biebers, One Direction, Rihanna etc.), the first comment is "Who?" or "I've never heard of them".

Is it a point of pride not to be involved in popular culture? Do these people think that appearing as if they are isolated from the popular stratosphere will actually provide them with an elevated social standing (on the internet)? Or, is it just pure unfettered smugness?

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Samaris

If I do it (actually, not sure I ever have), it'd be genuine. I've seen a few threads where someone's posted "Who?" and I agree mentally because I haven't a clue either.

Mind you, when watching TV series' or whatever, my partner will often pause it and say "Hey, it's X, who played Y, Z and C in *insert other shows here*". My response is almost always a blank look, but I was very impressed he recognized the woman who played General Beckman in Chuck bundled into a lot of furs as a redshirt in Enterprise.

I do not recognise people well. I couldn't name a single One Direction song, but I've probably heard them on the radio.

Squall Leonhart

gramar wrote: »

That answer is along the lines of:

'about three fiddy' (whatever the fuq that is about)

That's where it came from!!

The_Valeyard

I thought most of what was posted in AH usually concerns stuff happening in popular culture.

Also my car smells of mints

gramar

Squall Leonhart wrote: »

That's where it came from!!

I now know a little bit more about popular culture.

padd b1975

bodice ripper wrote: »

I have never heard One Direction, it's easily done.

I've heard of them, but I'd struggle to identify them in a line up of boyband types.

poeticmakaveli

Having heard of them is one thing as it can be stuck down your neck by the powers that be... Listening to them is quite embarassing, but everyone to their own as people say,even if it still is crap!
Not saying I am above anyone or anything but I thank my family now that even when I was as young as 11 they had me listening to Stevie wonder, Sam Cooke,Marvin Gaye, bon jovi,guns n roses and all that other craic:)

Medusa22

I often don't know which famous person someone is talking about, and it's genuine, going to the hairdresser is a nightmare because I don't watch Xfactor/Dancing with the Stars/ I'm a Celebrity, Get me out of here or TOWIE etc.

I don't watch tv very often because I usually watch netflix or I download shows and films so I'm not exposed to many ads and I rarely listen to the radio. I read the newspaper online alright and I browse boards/facebook. However, it means that a lot of celebrities, especially pop singers are completely unknown to me and people look baffled when I don't know who someone is and they think I'm being a hipster.

Paramite Pie

Tarzana2 wrote: »

And I subsequently discovered that he was very famous and in the news a lot but at the time... genuinely not a clue.

It was the same situation with my friend until I played him a video on youtube. He had heard the song on the radio but had no idea who sang it. Conversely I only knew who he was from youtube and had never heard him on the radio.

bodice ripper wrote: »

I have never heard One Direction, it's easily done.

See above. If you've ever been in a shop/cafe where the radio was on then you probably heard them - you just didn't know or care who it was.:)

Medusa22 wrote: »

I often don't know which famous person someone is talking about, and it's genuine, going to the hairdresser is a nightmare because I don't watch Xfactor/Dancing with the Stars/ I'm a Celebrity, Get me out of here or TOWIE etc.

I don't watch tv very often because I usually watch netflix or I download shows and films so I'm not exposed to many ads and I rarely listen to the radio. I read the newspaper online alright and I browse boards/facebook. However, it means that a lot of celebrities, especially pop singers are completely unknown to me and people look baffled when I don't know who someone is and they think I'm being a hipster.

It is getting easier to cut out the mainstream. Reality TV is something I'm absolutely clueless on. The good news is most xfactor & reality 'stars' are forgotten about rather quickly. Those who are remembered are usually remembered for being in a right 'state' outside some club. I learned to stop telling people which shows i've never seen to avoid the 'hipster' label -- everything is on my 'watch' list as far as most people are concerned.

Son Of A Vidic

osarusan wrote: »

There was a thread recently about worst comedians, and I didn't recognise the names of a good few people mentioned

You weren't the only one, I noticed a lot of Boarsdies didn't like this Al Porter chap. I hadn't a clue who he was until I did a quick google search. Never watching Irish TV channels probably didn't help my cause.

RayM

I make a conscious effort not to know anything about certain things (celebrities and almost all sport). If you asked me to name an Irish rugby player, without Googling, the only one I could think of is Brian O'Driscoll (and I don't even think he plays any more). It's a childish reaction to what I see as the overexposure of stuff I'm not interested in, and I'm not proud* of it. I absorb things quite easily, and I kind of resent it when stuff I think is worthless finds its way into my brain, so I switch off, turn the page or change the channel as soon as it's likely to happen.

*Ok, I'm slightly proud of the fact that I don't know who 'the Kardashians' are, how they became famous or what they're famous for.

the_syco

Sanity_Saviour wrote: »

Every time a thread comes up about someone that everyone in the world knows (the Justin Biebers, One Direction, Rihanna etc.), the first comment is "Who?"

Because The Who are excellent!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdLIerfXuZ4

asherbassad

Sanity_Saviour wrote: »

Every time a thread comes up about someone that everyone in the world knows (the Justin Biebers, One Direction, Rihanna etc.), the first comment is "Who?" or "I've never heard of them".

Is it a point of pride not to be involved in popular culture? Do these people think that appearing as if they are isolated from the popular stratosphere will actually provide them with an elevated social standing (on the internet)? Or, is it just pure unfettered smugness?

As an engineer and mathematician I am hardon over LaPlace Transforms and Lagrangian Motion. Others would say whah?

RDM_83 again

I think celebrity culture is probably even quicker than the 15 minutes of fame that it used to be, loads of reality/scripted reality TV shows and each of the participants is a celebrity so the churn rate is faster.

Paramite Pie

RayM wrote: »

*Ok, I'm slightly proud of the fact that I don't know who 'the Kardashians' are, how they became famous or what they're famous for.

By their own admission they don't actually do anything or are famous for anything. They had money and could buy publicity and buy 'scandals' to keep in the media. It was a sex tape that started it all.

Whitewinged

I sometimes hear of "bands" and they are realising a greatest hits and I don't have a clue of anything they sing.

TV and The Charts have changed a lot. Years ago you only had a certain amount of channels so the majority of people saw the same things I guess.

Irish Guitarist

If someone doesn't watch the likes of MTV or has no interest in whatever the latest teen craze is then it's perfectly understandable how they might not have heard of these people.

I've heard of One Direction but I couldn't name a single song of theirs. I have absolutely no clue about what's happening in the world of sport either.

I once read a thread to see what the hell a 'broken Rihanna' was and made the unforgivable error of saying that I had no idea who Chris Brown was. I think I've since heard one of his songs.

cml387

There is no popular culture any more.
The audience is so fractured that nothing commands the audience who would have bought Bohemian Rhapsody or watched Dallas.

Here the thing...all the Christmas songs are old..OLD.
Merry Christmas everybody.!! That was 40 years ago,

I can guaranteee you (because I was around then) that they weren't playing songs from 1935 in 1975 on the radio. There is no more popular culture, just a rehash of the original.

L.Jenkins

What exactly is this Pop Culture? Should I have jumped on some band wagon that's been and gone? I don't watch football, I don't care that much for music and I find the current line up on TV to be somewhat mind numbingly dull and drab, rehashed and beaten to death. Should I follow the zombie hoard to be cool?

HalloweenJack

I live in Spain, I don't watch telly, I don't have twitter so don't follow celeb updates, I'm not interested in chart music, I don't follow any telly shows religiously and ditto for films or film series

It's perfectly possible for me to not know who certain pop culture figures are.

But at the same time, I don't see the need to go round mentioning that in every thread.

Azalea

I can sometimes genuinely think "Who?" in relation to teenybopper stuff, but I'd google it. As others have said though, it's probably meant tongue-in-cheek when the subject is universally famous.

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

People's IQs are higher right now than at any point in human history.

It's also worth pointing out that every generation thinks the next one's music and popular culture is complete nonsense in comparison to their own. It requires a very selective memory about what was popular when that person was a kid themselves. Have a gander at the top ten charts for any random time in the 80s or 90s, it was complete and utter pabulum, not one iota different from now.

It's significantly different in my opinion. Sure, there was crap in the charts in the 80s and 90s, but nowhere near to the same extent as today, due to the X Factor et al. Chart music of the late 70s/early 80s comprised a lot of stuff that is considered absolutely classic now.

haveringchick

I've been hiding in a cellar since 1984
Every now and again I peep out but I don't like what I see
It's very nice here

beks101

i usually think of the "Who?" Thing as being like "yer ma" or "blast her with piss" on AH threads. You know like, incredibly witty and original kinda stuff.

Flippyfloppy

HalloweenJack wrote: »

I live in Spain, I don't watch telly, I don't have twitter so don't follow celeb updates, I'm not interested in chart music, I don't follow any telly shows religiously and ditto for films or film series

It's perfectly possible for me to not know who certain pop culture figures are.

But at the same time, I don't see the need to go round mentioning that in every thread.

What do you DO during siesta etc?

dudara

I'm getting older (let's say 40'isnt very far away) and I simply don't care to stay current much any more. Combine this with the fact that there are rakes of "celebs" out there who have never done anything to merit their fame, and I just can't be bothered. Genuine talent will always be noticed, but I have less tolerance of mediocrity and no-talent.

RayM

Azalea wrote: »

It's significantly different in my opinion. Sure, there was crap in the charts in the 80s and 90s, but nowhere near to the same extent as today, due to the X Factor et al. Chart music of the late 70s/early 80s comprised a lot of stuff that is considered absolutely classic now.

There's an awful lack of catchy tunes in the charts nowadays. Even the truly shite songs in the 80s and 90s had a tendency to get 'stuck' in your head (whether you wanted them to or not). Chart music now just seems over-produced and bland. It's all about the money (money... money).

Azalea

RayM wrote: »

There's an awful lack of catchy tunes in the charts nowadays. Even the truly shite songs in the 80s and 90s had a tendency to get 'stuck' in your head (whether you wanted them to or not). Chart music now just seems over-produced and bland.

Absolutely. The blandness is the thing. You don't even have to look as far back as the 90s for catchy tunes - there were plenty of them 10 years ago too IMO (and I was way way past teenybopper stage then).

Irish Guitarist

Years ago Boyzone were on television and my father said "is that the Gallaghers?". He thought they were Oasis.

RobertKK

RayM wrote: »

There's an awful lack of catchy tunes in the charts nowadays. Even the truly shite songs in the 80s and 90s had a tendency to get 'stuck' in your head (whether you wanted them to or not). Chart music now just seems over-produced and bland. It's all about the money (money... money).

Shake it off, man.

HalloweenJack

Flippyfloppy wrote: »

What do you DO during siesta etc?

Sleep.

The_Minister

I still don't know why Vogue Williams is famous.