http://www.theboombox.com/2012/02/12/nicki-minaj-grammys-2012-red-robe-pope/
I will willingly admit that I have a hankering for those
gaudy celebrity magazines and televisions shows during the awards seasons. I eat it up---who wore an $18,000
Armani suit and who fell in their Christian Louboutin heels, it’s a bit of an
addiction.
But as I watched the stars fawn over the cameras on the red
carpet just before the Grammy’s, one celeb’s entrance baffled me. Musician, Nicki Minaj arrived wearing a
long, hooded, red caped Versace gown.
The Little Red Riding Hood getup was shocking on it’s own, but everyone
is talking about her date: a man dressed up as the Pope!
What does it mean?
I’m still trying to sort out what she was trying to convey by attending
the Grammy’s with an imposter of the leader of the Catholic Church. Clearly, she was utilizing visual
rhetoric to say…something.
The most agreed upon statement was that her entrance was
“the egg moment of 2012,” comparing it to the awards show that Lady Gaga showed
up to, incubating in a giant egg. Maybe
Nicki Minaj was simply showing up Lady Gaga? Perhaps it’s the crazier the outfit (and entourage) the
wilder the statement?
No one knows what exactly that statement is, but we can all
agree that people will be talking about until next year’s Grammy awards. Nicki Minaj didn’t need to say anything
in order to call us to respond.
Some are offended, others are making Internet memes, and still others
are simply talking about what a mistake it was.
People want to criticize and gossip about Minaj’s wardrobe
and choice of date, and that is most likely exactly what she wanted! If it was all a publicity stunt, she
certainly succeeded. Nicki Minaj
was clever enough to realize that a little bit of shock and controversy was
rhetorically the right move to boost to star-status.
I knew I should've watched the Grammys -- I can't believe I missed this entrance. You're right, she was clearly trying to say something -- but what? Little Red Riding Hood & the Pope? I guess I'll just continue to never understand Nicki Minaj.
ReplyDeleteI never understand celebrities. Am I correct in assuming she's a musician? You kids and your mainstream music continue to mystify me. Although if you're gonna do something crazy and controversial, the Grammy's are the place to do it!
ReplyDeleteI didn't watch the Grammy's either. Now that I am seeing this picture, I will probably talk about it with a friend later on. I agree with you, this stunt, led her to get talked about than anyone else just because of her outfit choice.
ReplyDeletePerhaps shock is an exigence unto itself. It calls for a response from the viewers, even if that response is confusion and head-scratching.
ReplyDelete(I'm confused and scratching my head!)