Secular Art

The definition of Byzantine secular art remains problematic because of the interpenetration of the sacred and secular in all imperial domains, including the city, the home, and the church. Monumental and portable works of art regarded as secular due to their non-religious content or function were produced throughout the Byzantine era and served multiple roles. These included entertainment and indulgence in intellectual or other pleasurable pursuits; self-representation and the expression of ideological messages; protection against evil; and following current fashions. Innovation, invention, subjectivity, erudition, subversiveness, and humor, often associated with nudity and sexual innuendo, are all qualities thought to distinguish Byzantine secular art. The modes of its engagement with Greco-Roman art and with contemporary non-Byzantine artistic traditions need further study.

A Propos the Pantomime Ox, Sexual Innuendo, and Fuddled Partridges: Yet More on Pármeno's Remark

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Pushing against the boundaries: Entertaining impoliteness and taboo discourse in the Egyptian TV show Abla Fahita

Impoliteness can be defined as the use of “communicative strategies” which are “designed to attack face, and thereby cause social conflict and disharmony” (Culpeper et al. 2003, 1564). The present study applies Jonathan Culpeper’s (2011a) model of “impoliteness” supplemented by the notions of jocular mockery, jocular abuse, and recipients’ responses (Bousfield 2008, 2010, Haugh and Bousfield 2012) to the Egyptian TV show Abla Fahita. Abla Fahita (Egyptian Arabic: أبلة فاهيتا‎ [ʾabla fāhīta]) is a puppet character that has regularly appeared on Egyptian television since 2011. The show is hugely popular and has been phenomenally successful, being watched on average by millions, according to the Egyptian Centre for Research on Public Opinion. It should be noted, however, that, due to the conservative nature of Egyptian culture, Abla Fahita and other similar TV shows are considered to violate Egyptian politeness standards radically. Hence, such shows have been condemned as degrading and of low moral standards and have been accused of causing a deterioration in the standards of Egyptian public taste. Despite all denunciations, Abla Fahita still enjoys a huge audience and dominates broadcast ratings. Part of the show’s popularity can be ascribed to its characteristic impoliteness, particularly Abla Fahita’s off-beat expressions in mocking her guests and her use of sexual innuendo, which is seen as entertaining by many viewers. The study, which reveals that Abla Fahita employs what can be called a humorous-impoliteness formula to entertain viewers, is an attempt to apply contemporary Impoliteness Theory across cultures, and to Colloquial Egyptian Arabic in particular.

Sweet Micky’s Allure

Though dismissed as jest at the time, in the mid-1990s Sweet Micky declared himself the “President of Konpa” and composed lyrics that avowed his seriousness for the job. Martelly’s play-acts at “presidential” performance suggest that he methodically crafted a political product inherently entangled with his musical product. Fundamental to Martelly’s stage persona are betiz, which encompass obscenities, off-color jokes, and sexual innuendo and which are considered typical carnivalesque behavior. Demonstrating that this staged vulgarity is nothing new, this chapter considers the long history of betiz as documented back to the colonial era. Such expressions have been key to the discursive practices of madigra bands of the 1930s, Coupé Cloué’s konpa hits of the 1960s–1980s, the rara bands of today, and even the Vodou lwa (spirit) Gede. This chapter reveals the deeper work of betiz, in navigating structures of power and oppression while establishing conditions for physical release and psychological healing.

The Impact of Advertisement Messaging on Enrollment of Young Men Who Have Sex With Men for Web-Based Research: Observational Study

Background Recruiting young men who have sex with men (YMSM) in community settings is difficult. The use of Web-based social networks and dating apps for recruitment can be successful approaches, although little work has been done on the impact of study advertisement content on recruitment. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of advertisement message content on the recruitment of YMSM (aged 18-26 years) for a Web-based focus group study, examining perspectives and preferences for a mobile app that was designed to support sexual health among YMSM. Methods Between March and April 2017, a recruitment campaign to promote human papillomavirus vaccination was launched on a popular social networking and dating app for YMSM, with 3 different text-based advertisement themes (technology, cancer prevention, and sexual innuendo). The campaign recruited YMSM across 3 states (Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania). We examined the click-through rates, conversion rates, and enrollment rates of each of the advertisements and examined differences in views and clicks by age, state, and time of day. Results The sexual innuendo advertisement had the highest click rates when compared with both the technology (click rate ratio [CRR] 2.06, 95% CI 1.74-2.45) and cancer prevention (CRR 1.62, 95% CI 1.38-1.90) advertisements. The sexual innuendo advertisement also had higher study enrollment rates compared with the technology (CRR 1.90, 95% CI 1.23-2.83) and cancer prevention (CRR 2.06, 95% CI 1.37-3.13) advertisements. No differences were observed in clicks or enrollment by age, state, or time of day. Conclusions Our marketing campaign, targeting YMSM, was effective in recruiting participants for a qualitative study, using Web-based focus groups. The sexual innuendo advertisement was the most effective and cost-efficient advertisement of the 3 approaches trialed. Different populations need different targeted strategies for study recruitment. Researchers should work with key representatives to develop and test culturally relevant messaging and approaches that utilize current and popular technologies.

The Impact of Advertisement Messaging on Enrollment of Young Men Who Have Sex With Men for Web-Based Research: Observational Study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Recruiting young men who have sex with men (YMSM) in community settings is difficult. The use of Web-based social networks and dating apps for recruitment can be successful approaches, although little work has been done on the impact of study advertisement content on recruitment. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of advertisement message content on the recruitment of YMSM (aged 18-26 years) for a Web-based focus group study, examining perspectives and preferences for a mobile app that was designed to support sexual health among YMSM. METHODS Between March and April 2017, a recruitment campaign to promote human papillomavirus vaccination was launched on a popular social networking and dating app for YMSM, with 3 different text-based advertisement themes (technology, cancer prevention, and sexual innuendo). The campaign recruited YMSM across 3 states (Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania). We examined the click-through rates, conversion rates, and enrollment rates of each of the advertisements and examined differences in views and clicks by age, state, and time of day. RESULTS The sexual innuendo advertisement had the highest click rates when compared with both the technology (click rate ratio [CRR] 2.06, 95% CI 1.74-2.45) and cancer prevention (CRR 1.62, 95% CI 1.38-1.90) advertisements. The sexual innuendo advertisement also had higher study enrollment rates compared with the technology (CRR 1.90, 95% CI 1.23-2.83) and cancer prevention (CRR 2.06, 95% CI 1.37-3.13) advertisements. No differences were observed in clicks or enrollment by age, state, or time of day. CONCLUSIONS Our marketing campaign, targeting YMSM, was effective in recruiting participants for a qualitative study, using Web-based focus groups. The sexual innuendo advertisement was the most effective and cost-efficient advertisement of the 3 approaches trialed. Different populations need different targeted strategies for study recruitment. Researchers should work with key representatives to develop and test culturally relevant messaging and approaches that utilize current and popular technologies.

Mediated Superficiality and Misogyny Through Cool on Tinder

Signaled in its reputation as a “hookup app” or “sex app,” the mobile dating app Tinder has been accused of having ignited “hookup culture” associated with superficiality and sexual innuendo. However, little is known about how Tinder has obtained this notoriety and what Tinder is actually responsible for. This study analyzes talks about Tinder on Reddit (/r/Tinder), as part of Tinder culture where Tinder discourse and norms are established and shared in relation to broader youth pairing culture. Through a lens of feminist media scholarship, I show that an association between Tinder and hookups is couched in a gendered code of conduct, coolness. I argue that this gendered coolness in the economy of visibility of Tinder evokes and justifies misogyny online in line with the sexism inherent to hookup culture.

To Catch a Thief (1955)

To Catch a Thief, filmed on the French Riviera, again featured suggestive dialogue by John Michael Hayes. In their review of the script, Code officials logged a number of objections, including excessive bottom pinching, bikini breast exposure, sexual innuendo, repeated scenes of French police ogling salacious postcards, a casino chip dropped down the cleavage of a female gambler, and a sensuous fireworks seduction scene between Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. Hitchcock filmed the script as planned, and then traded off several objectionable passages (bottom pinching, bikini exposure) in order to save others. He cut the French postcard scenes in order to save the fireworks seduction, but had to rescore the fireworks scene with strings instead of a sexy tenor sax in order to make the trade. Time was on his side in the bargaining phase, since the final cuts were made after Joe Breen had been replaced by the more accommodating Geoffrey Shurlock.