The Grammys VS. The Academy Awards

Ah February, my old friend.. Not only are you the shortest, littlest and cutest month of the year, but you are also known as Black History Month. But also, February is when award season begins! Not only does February feature the Grammys which celebrate "excellence" in music, but also the Academy Awards which celebrate those that persevere and achieve excellence on the silver screen.



However, after watching both of these award ceremonies, the question that I constantly ask myself is, "Which one is more of a popularity contest?"

1. Who was the first act that performed at the Grammys? Taylor Swift who is known as one of the most (undeservedly) popular recording artists in the music industry today. And who was the first performed at the Academy Awards? Seth MacFarlane and William Shatner. Two men who by most people's standards are not as popular as Taylor Swift. The Family Guy creator and ex-captain of the starship USS Enterprise, are in no way as popular in mainstream culture as Taylor Swift.

2. The awards that were televised during the Grammys were extremely mainstream. After seeing Gotye win record of the year, Fun win song of the year, and Mumford & Sons win album of the year, it goes to show you how the Grammys are indeed a major popularity contest. All these musicians are some of the most popular artists on Earth. However, the Academy Awards differed from this mentality of acclaiming the popular. For example, When Beasts of the Southern Wild, an relatively unknown and unpopular film is nominated for Best Picture alongside immensely popular films like Life of Pi and Les Miserables, it shows the Academy Awards' true strive for acknowledging excellence.

3. (This one's personal) The Grammys have killed the rock music industry. I know what you're asking yourself, "But Mason, The Black Keys won Best Rock Performance! What are you talking about?" Seriously, ask yourself that question. I'll bring this back to the 80's..

The year is 1982, and Toto's four self-titled album, "Toto IV", wins Album of the Year, Record of the Year and four other Grammys. From this day on, rock and roll became a joke. A band like Toto, who were so undeserving of such prestige and fame were given the highest honor in music. I don't care if you think "Africa" is the best song of all time. I think it is bland nonsense from the 80's.



So without further adieu, ladies and gentlemen, the award for the award ceremony with the largest popularity bias is.......... The Grammys!

While it is evident that The Grammys are more of a popularity contest than The Academy Awards, it is very evident that they both are driven by popularity. To state that popularity does not play a role in deeming what the best film or album of the year is, I would be sorely mistaken. However, there is strong evidence against The Grammys being the true popularity contest.

Writer's Blue-Balls: An Inexplicable Pain

I used to find it easy to write. I would sit down at my desk, put on a Led Zeppelin album and just write. It was easy, the words would flow through my fingers and within a short amount of time, I’d have a nice piece for myself to be proud of. But lately, things haven’t been this way. Writing something for myself to be proud of has become a difficult and arduous task as of late.  

I’ve been in some sort of a rut, I can’t seem to write anything I believe to be “blog-worthy”. Ever since I stopped blogging weekly, I’ve been having this trouble. I just cant seem to put my thoughts down into a coherent piece of writing. My mind moves faster than my fingers as I type, and whatever flashes of brilliance I do have are forgotten instantaneously. 

Now, after sitting on my favorite chair in my living room for the past hour or so, writing a blog about something I don’t really care about, I have once again abandoned another half-written piece of filth. It’s funny actually, I used to pride myself so much on this ability to write that I just thought after not writing consistently for a while, I could just turn it on  once more and write with ease. However, I am evidently wrong. Being a writer, let alone a good writer is a very difficult task. It requires, time, patience, effort and practice.  

With that being said, it is very frustrating to be where I am right now. I’ve hit a wall, a roadblock. I’m stuck in this pit and can’t seem to get out. I try writing about anything that interests me and yet, I just can’t seem to bring myself to do it. You could say I have writer’s blue-balls. Everything I write just seems to have no flow, no rhythm and no point to it whatsoever. Sitting at my desk I re-read what I write only to be frustrated with myself and move onto something else. 

Maybe constantly changing topics isn’t the best idea, but hey, I don’t even know what else to do. What I can say is that this is a humbling experience; it puts you in your place, makes you realize that you’re not so high and mighty as your ego allude you to think. All I will say is that after writing this blog, it’s made me come to terms with my writer’s blue-balls and perhaps, I’ll finally be able to move past this great obstruction. 

Marzipan: My Worst Nightmare

We’ve all been there, you’re given a beautiful box of chocolates only to discover that there is no piece of paper to distinguish what chocolates you’re about to eat. This could be my greatest pet peeve of all time. I despise these careless chocolatiers that do not include a sheet who do not understand the repercussions of this horrid deed. These men and women are my mortal enemies and they do not know the harm they have done me. 

I can still remember to this day that vile moment when I first laid eyes on that chocolate; a perfectly round, dark brown ball of joy. For some reason it was the one chocolate that was calling out to me, as if I had to eat it. Little did I know that this chocolate was pure and utter evil.

 Upon inspection, I picked it up and examined it’s texture. It was smooth and fragile yet felt extremely solid at the same time, as if it had a strong inner core. It’s scent was reminiscent of a blend of cocoa and coffee beans. After holding it in my hand for several moments, it was time to take a bite. This is when it all went wrong. 

With that first, disgusting bite I felt the irritating rush of a sensation my taste buds had never experienced before, it was marzipan. Shocked, I proceeded to chew on the chocolate gagging at every bite. The marzipan’s sticky, pasty and Play Dough-like texture immediately made me want to spit out this vile treat immediately. As the chocolate melted and blended with the marzipan the most horrendous, sludge-like and slimy creation was formed in my mouth, it was pure agony. 

Eventually, I mustered up the courage to swallow this unfortunate mess in my mouth, regretting each and every moment the dreadful morsel of chocolate was inside of me. Once I swallowed, the most horrid and disgusting after-taste of overly-sweet almonds being gang raping poor, innocent chocolate lingered in my mouth. I knew I had to something, I ran to the nearest sink and proceeded to wash the terrible taste from my mouth. After a few swishes of water in my mouth, the nightmare was over. 

Standing in front of my kitchen-sink, I swore to myself I would never let this one go, I vowed to make sure marzipan would get the best of me again. From that day on, I made it my obligation to inform others of the hazards of marzipan and it’s horrid taste. 

To those of you wondering: yes, I am aware that there were people out there who actually liked marzipan. However, that is their opinion and this is my opinion. I hate marzipan and can honestly say that I would not wish it on even the most heinous of people, for it is truly that horrible.