Top-down strategies on sexuality in American media
Apparently, George Bush seems to be less than eager to watch Ang Lee's 'western' Brokeback Mountain according to spiegel.de/ . More surprising, however, is the fact that conservative film producer Michael Class now took the initiative and intends to create and award for films fostering the "moral values of the Americans" which display "patriotic sentiments and respect for the family" (translations from German). Recent films like Syriana and Munich are, according to Class, "morally confusing". Interestingly, on his list of films compatible with a conservative value system are recent blockbusters like Harry Potter, Star Wars and Narnia. Well, at the moment it seems to be a call for action only but a somewhat alarming tendency.
Fittingly, the ESA (Entertainment Software Association) apparently decided to put a legal end to the (in)famous 'booth babes', announcing a $5000 penalty on this year's E3 exhibitors violating the new 'dress code'...