James Riswick
Staff Writer
I have two questions: First, what’s wrong with Christina Aguilera? I’m starting to worry about her, because this genie should go back into her bottle.
Now, there’s nothing conservative-leaning about me usually, but quite frankly, even I’m starting to be offended. First the MTV Video Music Awards, then her appropriately named “Dirrty” video, then obscene poses in Rolling Stone, Maxim’s Blender and two issues of normal Maxim, including the recent January issue.
If the clothes she wore in all of these were sewed together, they still wouldn’t cover her petite frame.
Of course, I’m no enemy to female nudity, but there is a point when sexiness crosses over into the realm of cheap hooker. “Xtina,” as she’s been calling herself lately, has passed that point, then went 500 miles farther. Heck, even Maxim considers her a bit over the top when referring to her recent fashion choices. And we all know how conservative and adverse to skin Maxim is.
People were shocked by Britney Spears’ risqué “I’m a Slave 4 U” video, but now, Aguilera is making Spears look like Julie Andrews. Aguilera’s new “Xtina” make over actually makes her less attractive in my opinion, and it wouldn’t be surprising if she ended up a celebrity joke. Expressing herself is one thing, but this is a little over the top. The makers of rap videos are starting to be offended.
Clean music activist and second lady Lyne Cheney is the one now having heart problems. Mothers are begging their daughters to idolize Britney Spears instead of “Xtina.” Some of these facts may be a little made up, but you get the point.
For now, though, Aguilera is gracing the pages of many a magazine, showing off her weird hair, overly tanned body and bragging about her 11 piercings – one of which is unaccounted for, and the place you’re thinking of was counted. Your guess is as good as mine.
Her most recent photo shoot in Maxim left little to the imagination, leading one to believe that it’s only a matter of time before she completely gets “Stripped” for a less restricted publication — ha, Maxim restricted! But I think even Playboy and Mr. Hefner is a little too classy for Aguilera.
And the second question is, what’s the deal with the slew of today’s misspelled popular song titles? “Sk8ter Boi,” “It’s getting hot in herre,” “What’s Luv?” and Aguilera’s “Dirrty” are just some of the songs that weren’t run through the spell checker. Now this is probably just the editor in me being annoyed by this, but are songwriters growing increasingly illiterate or is bad spelling now considered cool? If the latter is the case, then that’s all this society needs: popular culture embracing illiteracy as a cool thing. Of course, I’m not taking this too seriously, but I don’t even get some of these. In the Nelly song, why is it getting hot in “herre” and what is “herre” anyway? It’s certainly doesn’t sound like a phonetic translation from the song. And in “Sk8ter Boi,” what’s with the ‘i’? Why would someone spell it like that? Again, I just don’t get it.
January 30, 2003