Guy Code

For this blog we were asked to pick a show that exemplifies popular culture. Our book asks the question; “In what ways does reliance on popular culture create and reinenforce stereotypes of different cultures? (Martin & Nakayama, 2012, p. 373)” I decided to go with the most obvious show I could think of; Guy Code. I know this is an ironic choice considering I’m a girl but I must admit the show is pretty funny. It talks about the normal activity between men and what is considered OKAY in the guy world. I thought this was a wonderful pop culture example because not only is it Hollywood television but its real people telling an audience what is and is not okay in today’s society between men and even woman. On the show they have both genders talking about social topics from their point of view and it gets very interesting. Here is a clip about cheating and how men in society might look at it.

In society there is a double standard when addressing sex. It is considered manly if a man can sleep with many women but in for a woman to sleep with many men it is considered very promiscuous and wrong. This opinion is neither right nor wrong. It is indeed a double standard in today’s society but possibly for a good reason. When women are promiscuous they can get pregnant and have to deal with the consequences of a child men however can walk away from that situation. (Not saying they all do, but they have the option) For this reason society has made this a cultural norm.

A second social norm that always gets addressed in this show is how to be manly (obviously, guy code, right?). In one episode, Chris Distefano, talks about how to correctly eat a sucker. I don’t know who thinks about how to correctly eat a sucker but he does and it makes sense. He says that eating a sucker how a girl would looks, well how to put this, provocative… Where as if you put the sucker to the side of your cheek then you’re just a “regular Joe eating a sucker”. Weird analyses I know, but hey, that’s pop culture for you.

 Chris Distefano on: Sucker Etiquette

Last but not least, but possibly the most random. Guy code explains bar etiquette. Of course when men go to the bar they try to act a certain way but what way should they act? Guy code explains that they have to be direct in their orders and simple. This except shows how in the “man world there needs to be an essence of smoothness to ordering.” They talk about how you have to order your drink in a calm but affirmative manner. This is yet another unusual way, pop culture influences a society.

Guy Code is a very interesting show that is the definition of defining and rejecting pop culture. The opinions expressed on this show are very funny but of course in some ways can be taken offensively. Our book points out that there are four significant characteristics of popular culture: “(1) It is produced by culture industries, (2) it differs from folk culture, (3) it is everywhere, and (4) it fills a social function. (Martin & Nakayama, 2012, p. 361)” This shows definitely fit perfectly into these categories and the characteristics of pop culture.

References:

Chris Distefano [Photograph]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.mtv.com/shows/guy_code/

     cast_member.jhtml?personalityId=15564

[Guy Code]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://20andsomechange.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/

     guycode2.jpg

Guy Code Pro Tip ! - Cheating [Video file]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/

     watch?v=0VAAIBejbvc

Lil Duval and Charlamagne [Photograph]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.akomplice-clothing.com/

     blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/AKGuyCode.jpg

[Lollipop]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20121005190243/clubpenguin/

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Martin, J. N., & Nakayama, T. K. (2012). Intercultural communication in contexts (6th ed). Boston,   MA: McGraw Hill.