# Pop Culture Stuff Everyone Seems to Misunderstand **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 22, 2021, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-stuff-everyone-seems-to-misunderstand/940564 "2021-04-22T19:51:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![CorpusNeptune](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/corpusneptune/32/17561_2.png) [@CorpusNeptune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CorpusNeptune)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-stuff-everyone-seems-to-misunderstand/940564/141 "2021-04-24T02:10:47Z")
This one is definitely out there, but still worth mentioning. In Sonic 3 & Knuckles, there is a zone called Hydrocity Zone. Much of the fanbase is always debating on whether it’s pronounced as “HydroCity” or “HyDrawCity.” It’s a stupid debate, as it’s obviously pronounced as “HydroCity” (since the whole level itself is a hydro city). ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-stuff-everyone-seems-to-misunderstand/940564/142 "2021-04-24T02:17:14Z")
I’ve always wondered if Randy Newman’s _I Love L.A._ was intended as a rah-rah anthem to Los Angeles or something a little more interesting. Newman certainly has a track record of sarcastic songs. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-stuff-everyone-seems-to-misunderstand/940564/143 "2021-04-24T04:00:26Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > beavis and butthead … people miss out on the fact it was parody and not a celebration of those types of people I don’t know if it’s quite that simple though. The bulk of the show is actually the music videos, and while they are watching the music videos, their comments are often witty and observant. Clearly it’s Mike judge et al making comments through those characters. So, even if we think of them as morons we’re also likely to think of them as fun guys to watch music videos with. Then, in terms of the actual events of the cartoons, **cochrane** is right that it actually parodies many characters. But, the result of that is that in many episodes there’s a “greater jerk” than B&B, and they play either a passive role, or sometimes even a somewhat heroic role, as the greater jerk gets their comeuppance. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-stuff-everyone-seems-to-misunderstand/940564/144 "2021-04-24T04:03:48Z")
Anyone else doing the Kanye wallpaper notification screen, I’m dying here…? ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-stuff-everyone-seems-to-misunderstand/940564/145 "2021-04-24T04:18:48Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I’ve always wondered if Randy Newman’s _I Love L.A._ was intended as a rah-rah anthem to Los Angeles or something a little more interesting. Newman certainly has a track record of sarcastic songs. With Newman it is almost always [something a bit deeper](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Love_L.A), I guess except occasionally when he is writing for Disney/Pixar. I’m not a huge fan, but I do sorta respect his unrelenting cynicism and sardonicism 🙂 . ---
**Author:** ![anny\_m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@anny\_m](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anny_m)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-stuff-everyone-seems-to-misunderstand/940564/146 "2021-04-24T04:41:15Z")
Many people (and I admit I was for decades one of them) think that the little piggie went to market in order to do his shopping. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-stuff-everyone-seems-to-misunderstand/940564/147 "2021-04-24T04:51:44Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > I’ve been trying to figure if they’d be better or worse than bears that are on fire on roller skates. Oh My God! Can you imagine the smell of a _Bear On Fire???_ ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-stuff-everyone-seems-to-misunderstand/940564/148 "2021-04-24T04:53:58Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Anyone else doing the Kanye wallpaper notification screen, I’m dying here…? I’m dying for _South Park_ to make fun of Kanye again, now that he and Kim Kardashian are getting a divorce. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-stuff-everyone-seems-to-misunderstand/940564/149 "2021-04-24T06:08:43Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Oh My God! Can you imagine the smell of a _Bear On Fire???_ I’d be more worried about his mood. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-stuff-everyone-seems-to-misunderstand/940564/150 "2021-04-24T06:11:51Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > I’d be more worried about his mood. I thought of that too. But I’m pretty sure the roller skates are gonna slow him down, allowing a hasty get-a-way. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-stuff-everyone-seems-to-misunderstand/940564/151 "2021-04-24T06:58:20Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > The Captain’s name officially changed to “Shazam” in 2012 in a backup story in the _Justice League_ comic Earlier than that. It was changed in the 2009 series, which also had the Wizard Shazam dying, and Billy taking over the role. The superhero was then Freddy Freeman, who took the identity of Shazam. ---
**Author:** ![Esprise\_Me](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprise_me/32/2947_2.png) [@Esprise\_Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprise_Me)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-stuff-everyone-seems-to-misunderstand/940564/152 "2021-04-24T08:27:10Z")
I don’t know if this qualifies as something “everyone” misunderstands; it’s probably a very small minority perspective. But I recently came across some incredibly dopey criticism of Disney’s _The Little Mermaid._ Namely, that 1) Ariel gives up her whole life to be with some guy she just met, and this is celebrated, and that’s sexist; and 2) Ursula is just a fair businesswoman who makes an honest deal with Ariel, and her death shows how powerful women aren’t tolerated in the Disney universe. Oh, and some hilarious crap about how she teaches Ariel how to perform gender by shutting up and using body language instead to seduce her man. Regarding 1), it is well-established that Ariel is obsessed with the human world and wants nothing more than to be a part of it before she ever lays eyes on Eric. There is a whole freaking song about it. Two, if you count Sebastian’s unsuccessful attempt to change her mind. Regarding 2), give me a break. Ursula isn’t a villain because sexism abhors a powerful woman; she’s a villain because she deals dishonestly in an attempt to gain power. She never had any intention of honoring her end of the bargain with Ariel, as evidenced by how she sends her goons to interrupt the moment when Ariel almost succeeds (the eels flipping over the rowboat as Eric is about to kiss Ariel), and then how she uses Ariel’s voice and some dark magic or whatever to enchant Eric away from Ariel. Her whole sales pitch about how Ariel doesn’t need her voice to seduce Eric in the first place isn’t meant to be advice the audience takes seriously about how women should behave to attract men. It’s part of her scam. She knows damn well that Ariel’s voice is specifically what Eric fell in love with, and how he would recognize her if he saw her again. That’s why she insists on handicapping Ariel by taking it away while giving her only three days to seduce him–she believes Ariel will lose this bet, and then by the terms of the contract she’ll own Ariel, and she can leverage that against King Triton to take over the kingdom. Which is exactly what she does in the end, which is why she has to die. Sheesh. It shouldn’t be possible to so thoroughly misunderstand a children’s movie! ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-stuff-everyone-seems-to-misunderstand/940564/153 "2021-04-24T09:54:58Z")
> [@Smid](#): > > “You’re gorgeous” by James Blunt is actually a creepy song about seeing an ex on the underground. It was my understanding that the song was about suicide - he says “I won’t lose no sleep on that, 'cause I’ve got a plan” implies that his plan is to end it all because he knows he’ll never be with his dream girl. It’s certainly what the video implies; [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/oofSnsGkops/maxresdefault.jpg "James Blunt - You're Beautiful (Official Music Video) [4K]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oofSnsGkops) ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-stuff-everyone-seems-to-misunderstand/940564/154 "2021-04-24T10:45:33Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > Except they explicitly say the plexiglass can do just that. “What thickness would be required to withstand X pressure over a sheet of Y dimensions?” “That’s easy, 6 inches, we have stuff like that in stock.” That’s when Scotty brings up the transparent aluminum, which could do the job with 1 inch thickness. Then the deal is made. My question is, who invented transparent aluminum? Scotty remembers the formula because the stuff is ubiquitous as all get out in his day, hell, his middle school lunchbox was probably made of it. He brings the formula back in time and gives it to the engineers of the past and presto, transparent aluminum shows up. What if he didn’t pull the formula out of his head and they just used the matter transmuters to generate a gold brick to pay for the plexiglass? Would transparent aluminum just cease to exist? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-stuff-everyone-seems-to-misunderstand/940564/155 "2021-04-24T10:55:24Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > My question is, who invented transparent aluminum? - > **[Temporal paradox](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grandfather_paradox)** > > A temporal paradox, time paradox, or time travel paradox, is a paradox, an apparent contradiction, or logical contradiction associated with the idea of time travel or other foreknowledge of the future. While the notion of time travel to the future complies with the current understanding of physics via relativistic time dilation, temporal paradoxes arise from circumstances involving hypothetical time travel to the past – and are often used to demonstrate its impossibility. > > Temporal paradoxes fa... ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-stuff-everyone-seems-to-misunderstand/940564/156 "2021-04-24T11:59:30Z")
> [@Galactus](#): > > The meaning I took from Unforgiven was that there were no good guys. One of my favorite westerns. And again, that’s pretty much said out load in the film, “Deserve’s got nothing to do with it.” ---
**Author:** ![gdave](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gdave/32/3683_2.png) [@gdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gdave)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-stuff-everyone-seems-to-misunderstand/940564/157 "2021-04-24T12:32:26Z")
The “criticism” you came across may not have been entirely serious. There’s a thriving online…game, I guess, I’m not sure of a better term, of going back to Disney classics, particularly the ones Millennials would have watched as kids, and “flipping the script.” You can find a lot of discussion, for example, of how Gaston was the real hero of _Beauty and the Beast_. It’s _mostly_ tongue-in-cheek, going back to beloved childhood classics with a cynical adult’s eye and deliberately misinterpreting everything and trying to come up with seemingly valid arguments about how the “hero” is really the villain and the “villain” is really the hero. But, it’s not always or entirely done with satirical intent. For example, I personally don’t think Gaston is a good guy in _Beauty and the Beast_, and arguments that he is are clearly just goofs, but Belle’s relationship with the Beast really is disturbingly similar to the dynamics of a real-world abusive relationship. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-stuff-everyone-seems-to-misunderstand/940564/158 "2021-04-24T13:40:12Z")
> [@erysichthon](#): > > The iconic _Twilight Zone_ theme music, by Marius Constant, starts on an anacrusis (pickup). `[Here is a sheet music page that depicts it accurately](https://beethoven.oktav.com/i/at/742175a1_t-001-twilight-zone-1200w.jpg). If you’ve been singing “DEE-dee DEE-dee,” with the first and third “dees” on the downbeat, you’ve been doing it wrong (but you have lots of company). Similarly, the iconic opening bum-bum-bum-BUM of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. The first three notes aren’t a triplet; they are actually following a rest, as shown [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._5_(Beethoven)). ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-stuff-everyone-seems-to-misunderstand/940564/159 "2021-04-24T13:50:34Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > beavis and butthead … people miss out on the fact it was parody and not a celebration of those types of people…It took people years to realize that I think the main thing people missed about Beavis and Butthead was that it was MST3K for music videos, their “adventures” were not the point of the show. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-stuff-everyone-seems-to-misunderstand/940564/160 "2021-04-24T13:53:44Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > I think the main thing people missed about Beavis and Butthead was that it was MST3K for music videos, If I had known this, I might have watched it. Nothing about the clips I’d seen appealed to me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-stuff-everyone-seems-to-misunderstand/940564.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-culture-stuff-everyone-seems-to-misunderstand/940564.md?page=9)