A Seacrest Aesthetics

Ryan Seacrest, dressed as the spokesperson of the age.

The post “trying hard isn’t cool” generation, into the “well, we know better, but really, trying hard just doesn’t feel cool” generation. Making fun of being belated, though, is perfectly ok. That way everyone knows we know better, and by that we are released from actually having to mean anything, or to try. And it sure is fun, though one might get a cramp from all the winking.

It’s a wonderful post-post-modern move. Once pastiche has brought us past the weeee of simulacra, what do we say?

We say this, as Ryan Seacrest said it, as host the other night on the Emmy’s, talking about famous Emmy past hosts:

“Sure, they were brilliant, if that’s what you’re into.”

It seemed to me a defining statement of the age. Irony? Sure, we’re masters. Meaning? Look how clever we are! Of course we saw it coming, but we see so many things coming . . . and it’s a frequent criticism of the arts, and one that paints an overly broad stripe.

Go in fear of overly broad stripes. Especially if they’re horizontal. They make you look fat.

Just sayin’.