It's the Buzz that Counts

   I wasn't going to write about Miley Cyrus and her performance at the Video Music Awards a few weeks ago. Way too much ink both real and electronic have been used on this matter. However, I'm finding it hard to keep my mouth shut about this. I know that I sound like a middle aged grump and I don't care.
    I am part of the group that did not like, appreciate or approve of that talked about performance at the VMA. I didn't see the whole thing and I'm glad I didn't. The "costume" in and of itself was enough to make me cringe and the still photos I saw were enough to make my stomach turn. I completely and totally reject the idea that it was artistic, groundbreaking or praise worthy. I consider it crass, crude and deplorable. There was only one reason and one reason only why she did what she did. It was to get attention.
  That it something I've noticed the last few years. Once upon a time a performing artist became popular because of talent. People would buy their music, go to their concerts or watch their movies and shows because the person was talented. They were entertaining because they were good at what they did.
  Now it seems that talent is a minor consideration. What matters more is the amount of attention of any kind that a performer can get. This is what leads to performers doing things like wearing a dress that looks like it was made out of meat, being carried to an award show in a large egg shaped contraption or saying and doing controversial things. The important thing is not to turn out a quality performance. The important thing is to get Twitter followers, hits on Facebook and everyone talking about and sharing videos of the performance. When a performer (I'm not going to use the word artist.) brags about the number of tweets per minute about a performance,it makes the intention, at least to me, pretty clear.
   I have a theory as to why this is happening. It used to be that quality counted with music, TV and movies. Shows used to be about characters, plots, storylines and good acting. Music used to be about well played instrumental lines and well put together lyrics. Things you could sing to and relate to. Now TV shows are  mostly voyeurism, competitive shows where win at all cost is the main thing, crime shows and horror shows. Movies are mostly remakes, another part of a long series or an hour and a half of special effects. It almost seems as if the well of creativity has run dry. I once heard that advertisers are supposed to, "sell the sizzle not the steak". It seems to me there is no steak, just sizzle. Performers are resorting to more and more outrageous things in order to get people to watch them or listen. Generating buzz is more valuable than generating a good performance.
   I'm taking refuge in my stash of CDs, DVDs, ESPN and the NFL network. I'm almost scared to tune in to anything else. I'm not sure how much farther the envelope can be pushed. I may turn on the TV and see graphic depictions of things that used to be private.
   I'm hoping that someday there will be a limit. Maybe one day a line will be crossed and people will have had enough of the flash and demand some substance.