Internet killed the video star, Molly

The title was that or "pop culture popped," but that one didn't make as much sense as it did in my head.

Through sheer luck, or a lack of it, we have cable television. There are a handful of English channels: AXN, Cinemax, HBO, Cartoon Network, Star World, Nickelodean, CNN, BBC, and MTV. We also get a bunch of Mongolian channels, or did before the media blackout brought us down to only getting the state channel. This has allowed us to keep up with the western world thanks to up-to-the-minute news coverage. This has also allowed me to watch "Friends" and become acquainted with a form of American pop-culture I knew existed, but never had more contact with than a commuter relationship. I would pass it on the street, we'd make brief eyecontact, but we'd never have a moment.

I now know "where my party people at," and don't even complain about the use of the word "at" at the end of the sentence. I can sing along to "Girlfriend," use lines from "Take a Bow" in everyday conversation, and drop appropriately to the Flo Rida song "Low." I've watched Punk'd and have even finally seen an episode of "The Real World." Utt is my new homeboy. He's ever replaced Chinggis. (Or not.)

Yeah, I'm cool like that.

Warren Ellis, British writer, once said that "you can learn everything you need to know about a culture through their television," or something like that. This is true. I've learned a lot about a bit of Americana that I rejected back in 7th grade cause I was "too smart" to "waste my time" with "such nonsense." Now, I think I wasted a lot of effort trying to -not- learn who the members of N*Sync were and have realized that, while Justin Timberlake does still sound kind of like pre-pubescent boy, his songs are kind of catchy.

Plus, there's all the music videos.

MTV Asia, the one we get, is full of music videos. I love music videos. They play the same ones except in special countdowns--an 80's and 90's Countdown, for example. I'm pretty sick of the "hip hop" countdown. If I never have to hear "Love (In This Club)" again I'll be pretty happy. I think Scarlett Johansson should stick to acting and that the video to "Warwick Avenue," Duffy, is pretty lame. Occasionally there's a real treat, like Vampire Weekend's "Oxford Comma" or Fallout Boy and John Mayer covering "Beat It," which is just totally weird.

A lot of this stuff has, in my experience, been replaced by the internet in America. This is one of those cultural differences, or just might be a part of my culture. If you want a long rant on these matters, such as why internet killed the [music] video star, hit me up. I won't wax philosophic on it now, it's just a waste of space. And time.

Cause, come on, we've only got four minutes to save the world.