Whats Up with California?: L.A. Part 1

It has been 4 days in California and I just wonder “Whats up with California?” When did it become so popular to travel to? Why did the moviemakers and dreamers of dreams stop here? And when is it going to fall into the Pacific?

I have always looked at tabloids , seen movies, or secretly (by that I mean not-so-secretly) watched The Hills on MTV. Their depictions of California made it seem so luxuriously unattainable for us po’ southerners at the other end of the country. As our pack entered Malibu then Sacramento and into CBS for a tour, my inner star-searcher or teenie bopper grew a bit excited. Mary Hart, an Entertainment Tonight host, greeted us as we walked around the stage of Entertainment Tonight and the Insider. After a photo-op we moseyed with our guide, Canon one of the shows producers, to meet the director in the control room. My excitement hit the ceiling to see them taping the show and putting into practice skills -which I have studied in several classes at Belmont- with such control and authority. Leaving the set and passing Seinfeld’s old set I wondered to myself, “What’s up with California?”. What is it that can turn me from a levelheaded twenty-two year old into a starry eyed girl wanting to be in or make movies?

Later on in our travels Cory and I walked towards Venice Beach with a friend of his and former Belmonter, Mia. She is determined to make it in L.A. singing and performing. Coincidentally, I had met her my freshmen year during our dance performance (Mia had been a Senior at Belmont). As a senior now, it comforted me to know someone else who followed their dreams. Talking to her about L.A. and why she loved it so much regardless of the crime, crazies, and fakeness, gave me a chance to discern what I think of L.A. separate from the movies, Lauren Conrad esq., or Disneyland idea I had of it. (Speaking of Disneyland, we went it was ok but Disney World in Florida is one hundred times better.)

L.A. to me is everything we think it is. All of the good and bad ideas mixed into some kind of ying yang or black and white symbol. From plastic surgery and cut throat business to beaches and hotties, L.A. embodies some of my very least favorables as well as inner fantasies. Just like any place we have gone it produces a dual image of tourism as well as has its own identity separate from that. The hard part of L.A., in living there, is the amount of money to own a house and the cost of living in general. Also, it would be a challenge to always be bathing suit ready, at least in Tennessee we can gain a few holiday pounds and have time to pick up a diet or ab intensive work-out before summer. With that, an importance of looks hovers over movie stars, wannabies, workers, or just the whole society from teens up to the middle-agers. L.A. continues this idea of perfection and beauty within its landscape, architecture, and dream-filled aura. It is this connected ying or area of beauty and pristine coupled with the yang of all it takes to achieve this.

“What’s up with L.A./ California?” I can only say it meets and exceeds my expectations of the best and worst society has to offer for me. Spilling out into the community or reality from the constructed sets and stages, misconceptions intertwine into the culture to develop an idea that does not really exist in most American towns. Baudrillard, a sociologist, tells us that all our lenses or views of the world are tainted by our past and who we instinctively are. For instance, I may see the color blue, but Heather may see a blue-violet while Cory thinks a color to be royal blue. Who can tell us the exact color because we are all looking out of our own eyes or lenses? Thus, reality in other terms or senses cannot be determined because people are always interpreting from their “lens” or outlook on life. I see L.A. through a lens of mystique and wonder as well as mistrust, but others may love it or completely hate it. All I can say is what’s up is a struggle for reality away from dreams of fame or rush for gold.

I will leave you with this until more about “What is up with California?”:

Come 'n listen to my story 'bout a man named Jed
A poor mountaineer, barely kept his family fed
And then one day, he was shootin' at some food
And up through the ground come a bubblin' crude
Oil, that is, black gold, Texas tea

Well, the first thing you know, old Jed's a millionaire
Kin folk said, Jed, move away from there
Said, Californy is the place you oughta be
So they loaded up the truck and they moved to Beverly
Hills, that is, swimmin' pools, movie stars

Well, now it's time to say goodbye to Jed and all his kin
They would like to thank you folks for kindly droppin' in
You're all invited back again to this locality
To have a heapin' helpin' of their hospitality
Hillbilly, that is, set a spell, take your shoes off

Y'all come back now, hear?