Media Stew

The Dark Knight: Neither Superhero or Antihero

Tim Delaney, Ph.D. — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:15:31 +0000

The Dark Knight: Neither Superhero or Antihero

During the past few months the film industry has brought us a superhero (Iron Man) and an anti-hero (Hancock). Now we have a Dark Knight (Batman) who is not quite either.

The latest Batman movie, "The Dark Knight," represents a continuing departure from the comedy-driven 1960s (1966-68) television series that starred Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as his sidekick Robin. The TV show delivered comedic drama with quasi-loveable criminal rivals.

Although Batman's refusal to kill has remained in tact over the years, his rivals have become dramatically blood-thirsty. I don't recall Cesar Romero's "Joker" character actually killing anyone. And he did not blow up entire buildings with numerous innocent people dying in the process. Jack Nicholson's depiction was still a bit comedic but a little darker.

However, Heath Ledger propelled the "Clown Prince of Crime's" dark portrayal to a whole another level. Everyone has heard the story by now, but Ledger allegedly immersed himself so deeply into the Joker character that it contributed to his premature death.

As the brutality level of Batman's enemies increase, so to does his viciousness. The last two Batman movies, starring Christian Bale, bear little resemblance to the television character of two generations ago. And that is just as well because a lot has changed in the world over the past 40 years.

"The Dark Knight" is a phenomenon across the globe. In the United States, the film took in an opening day record of $66.4 million, an opening weekend record $155.3 million; and surpassed the $300 million mark in just 10 days. Industry experts expect "Knight" to top "Titanic" as the highest-grossing film in U.S. history.

"The Dark Knight" represents a version of Batman that fights evil but does so without the full support of the police or the community. Fighting terroristic crime isn't as simple for Batman as it once was. And isn't that that the contemporary way of the world? Makes one wonder what the next Batman will be like.

ESPN's Title Town, USA: And the Winner Should Be...

Tim Delaney, Ph.D. — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:53:08 +0000

ESPN's Title Town, USA: And the winner should be...

If you are an avid sports fan, undoubtedly, you watch ESPN's SportsCenter. Reflecting its primary focus on entertainment, rather than sports, the folks at ESPN are conducting yet another unscientific and haphazard fan voting contest-Title Town, USA.

The concept of ascertaining a sports "Title Town, USA," is an interesting one. As usual, ESPN finds a way to mess things up. Among the problems with this poll is the fact that ESPN does not set any parameters.

If you log on to ESPN's website, go to the search option and type in "titletown" you will discover ESPN's Top 20 options. But you will not find any information about what the criteria should be in order to cast your vote. The link is provided here:

http://sports.espn.go.com/keyword/search?searchString=Titletown&p...

And yes, I know that the point of such useless polls is designed to stimulate conversation among sports fans, but what good are the results? Does the city that wins this poll really get to lay claim to be "Title Town, USA?" Designations such as Title Town are as ridiculous as the Dallas Cowboy's claim as "America's team" or the Boston Red Sox' claim to be a "nation."

Because I think it is important to establish parameters, let's do so. First, the city must have won titles in multiple major sports. Second, the city must have won titles in multiple decades. Third, and most importantly, the city must win major titles at all three levels: professional, college, and high school. Fourth, are the intangibles, which serve as a sort of tie-breaker.

Using these four criteria allows for the quick elimination of nearly all the options provided by ESPN. Thus, Massillon (yes, you are great at high school football), Palo Alto, Green Bay, Parkersburg, Knoxville, Ann Arbor, Chapel Hill, Columbus, Gainesville, Williamsport (you only hand out titles, you don't earn any), Valdosta (Valdosta State wins at Division II but this would not be considered a major sport championship), Louisville, Lawrence, you are all gone! You win, for the most part, at one level.

This leaves us with 7 cities: Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Detroit, and San Francisco. Boston has won two World Series in the past 90 years or so, but the Celtics have won numerous titles. As the representative of San Francisco states, the Patriots don't count because they play in Foxboro. But what college from Boston wins multiple major sports titles? Is there any college in Boston that wins any Division I sports titles?

New York City has the Yankees and they have won a ton of titles in baseball, no one is sure if the Knicks are still in the NBA, and the Rangers won a title a decade ago. The G-Men? No, they don't count, they play in New Jersey. New York is easily eliminated in that this city of 8 million people does not have one single major college winning any titles.

We can eliminate San Francisco, Detroit, Chicago and Pittsburgh for the same reason NYC and Boston are out-no major sports titles at the college-level.

Thus, the clear, and obvious "Title Town, USA" belongs to Los Angeles. Multiple titles in baseball (yes, it has been 20 years) and basketball over numerous decades. LA is the only major city that also wins at the college level: USC in football and UCLA in basketball. LA also lays claim to numerous sports titles at the high school level. And, the intangibles: host to the World Cup, Olympics and Super Bowls.

Los Angeles, you are "Title Town, USA." And, as Tommy Lasorda states, "Los Angeles it the sports capital of the world!" Who could argue with Tommy?!

ESPN will reveal the results of their fan voting-and fans can vote more than once!-next week.

No Michele, There is No Santa Claus

Tim Delaney, Ph.D. — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 16:13:31 +0000

No Michele, There is No Santa Claus

During this past weekend's (July 17-20) State Farm Classic LPGA Tournament, Michele Wie was disqualified for violating one of golf's inane rules governing when and where the players sign their scorecards. Upon finding out she had been disqualified, Sue Witters, the LPGA's director of tournament competition commented that "She (Wie) was like a little kid after you tell them there's no Santa Claus."

This is not the first time that the teenager has violated protocol. Wie was also DQ'ed in her very first tournament as a professional at the Samsung Tournament in 2005. At Samsung, the then-fifteen year-old Wie illegally dropped a ball.

In both cases, Wie had violated the rules the day prior to being disqualified. At the State Farm Classic, Wie, who was in 2nd place after finishing the second round, left the tent area just above the ninth green where players sign their scorecards. A couple of volunteers ran after her and pointed out that she hadn't signed. Wie returned to the tent, signed the card, and assumed everything was okay.

At the conclusion of Saturday's 3rd round, Wie, who was still in second place, was told that she was disqualified because of Friday's infraction. Wie cried and appeared stunned by the events that ended any hope she had of winning her first professional tournament in a field watered down by the lack of most of the top women golfers.

You might be asking yourself, "Should Wie be disqualified for making an honest, albeit silly, mistake?" She knows the rules, after all. But Wie's gaffe reminds me of the Seinfeld episode, "The Big Salad." In this episode, Kramer complains that his playing partner, Steve Gendason, cheated while they played golf.

Gendason had picked up his ball on the fifteenth hole and cleaned it. Kramer immediately assessed him a penalty stroke citing golf's rule that you cannot clean the ball unless it's on the green. Kramer proclaims, "The rules are very clear about that." Gendason losses his temper and almost comes to blows with Kramer.

Upon hearing this story, Elaine states, "I still don't see what the big deal is." To which Kramer responds, "A rule is a rule. And let's face it. Without rules there's chaos." Well, none of us want chaos, but some rules do seem a bit asinine. And certainly Wie's disqualification for miss-timing the signing of her scorecard seems a bit anal.

However, bear in mind, that despite her young age, Wie is a professional golfer and even junior amateurs know the rules about signing a scorecard. Maybe her caddy should have helped her out, but ultimately, it is the player's responsibility.

Maybe Wie is simply too immature to be a professional. Long-hailed as a future star of women's golf, Wie has failed miserably to justify those who have proclaimed her as a protégée of the game. The attractive Wie has reaped the benefits of the "sex sells" mantra without the need to actually succeed on the golf course.

Consider, in 2006, Wie received seven-figure appearance fees to play men's events in Korea, Japan, and Europe. As it turned out, she never made the cut in any men's events. Furthermore, she has stumbled through LPGA events by missing cuts, withdrawing, finishing last twice after making the cut, and finishing second from last.

In short, Wie is among the most over-rated golfers in history and yet, thanks to corporate sponsors, Nike, Sony, and Omega, she earned over $12.5 million in 2006-earning less than $10,000 on the course.

Now Wie knows there is no Santa Claus. This teenager has been through quite a bit in her short life. Lucky for her, there is still plenty of time to live up to her potential. And who needs Santa when there are corporations like Nike, Sony, and Omega generously giving away millions of dollars for potential? We should all have such charitable benefactors!

Forget about Santa, give me seven-figure endorsement deals and I promise to sign my scorecards properly!

Hancock: An Examination of the Anti-(super)hero

Tim Delaney, Ph.D. — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:37:12 +0000

Hancock: An Examination of the Anti-(super)hero

Will Smith remains as the hero of Fourth of July movie debuts with his most recent film, Hancock. However, in an interesting twist, the superhero Hancock, that Smith portrays, is actually an anti-hero.

Typically, a hero is someone of distinguished courage or ability who is admired for brave deeds, noble qualities, achievement, dedication, integrity, and/or skill. Often, fire-fighters, police officers, teachers, and even athletes are thought of as heroes.

Saving the life of another almost always qualifies one as a hero. Superman is the ultimate hero. His other-worldly powers afford him an opportunity to save just about anyone. Even Batman, the dark knight himself, is revered for saving the lives of others.

Hancock also saves lives. However, Hancock does not seem all that interested in saving humanity. He is a drunk and lives as a homeless person. When feeling compelled to intervene for the forces of "good," Hancock will use his superpowers to help those in need.

The problem is, while he helps others, Hancock causes a great deal of property damage. The general public, especially the citizens of Los Angeles, where Hancock resides, believe that the economic costs (e.g., the destruction of buildings and freeways) outweigh the benefits of his heroic deeds. As the disdain directed toward Hancock continues to grow, this superhero becomes increasingly despondent.

As a movie viewing audience, we are basically being asked to cheer for an anti-hero. This raised some marketing problems for the makers of Hancock as they feared the public might not like to support such a character.

However, as any sports fan can tell you, we do seem to love the anti-hero. What is an anti-hero? An anti-hero is an enigma in that he or she does not demonstrate the desired values or norms of society and yet still possess a fan following. The anti-hero is someone who feels that they do not need other people, they possess a "me first" attitude.

In sports, anti-heroes may include, Terrell Owens, Dennis Rodman, Alex Rodriquez, Barry Bonds, Bode Miller, Kyle Busch, Jason Giambi, Randy Moss, and many others. Past anti-heroes include Pete Rose, Billy Martin, John McEnroe, and Tonya Harding.

Many people cheer for the anti-hero because they can identify more easily with them than the traditional interpretation of a hero. Cheering for the anti-hero is like dating a "bad boy" or "bad girl" with the hope of being able to change them! In this tradition, Hancock befriends a mortal who just happens to be a public relations guru.

I don't want to ruin the plot of Hancock for those who have not seen it yet-and it is highly recommended that you watch it-so, I will simply say, attempting to drastically change anyone's personality is a formidable challenge. This attempted transformation coupled with at least one other surprise explains why Hancock has attained "block-buster" status.

An American Japanese Game Show: What Took So Long?

Tim Delaney, Ph.D. — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 23:15:06 +0000

An American Japanese Game Show: What Took So Long?

Japanese game shows have been satirized by a variety of long-running American television shows such as "The Simpsons" and "Saturday Night Live." Americans found these parodies to be amusing despite little knowledge of actual Japanese game shows. Finally, ABC decided to take advantage of this form of popular culture by airing "I Survived a Japanese Game Show." So, what took so long?

"I Survived" premiered June 24th. This "reality" game show started with ten contestants and will conclude with the lone survivor being rewarded with a quarter of a million American dollars. The show is filmed in front of live audience with a Japanese host who speaks both in English and Japanese. The audience is very active and loud-they have noise makers that come in a variety of forms.

(Visit the ABC website to see clips of the show at: http://abc.go.com/primetime/isurvivedajapanesegameshow/index.)

Japanese game shows, in general, involve contestants performing a number of silly stunts wherein audience members and the show's host mock the participants; especially the losers. The primary difference between Japanese game shows and American game shows in best summarized from a clip of "The Simpsons" episode, "Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo" (first air date - May 16, 1999).

In this Simpsons episode, the Simpson family has quickly spent all their travel money during a visit to Tokyo. They reason that the best way to raise money for a flight back to Springfield is to participate in a Japanese game show. The host explains to them that American game shows reward knowledge, while Japanese game shows punish ignorance.

(Visit this site to see a clip of "Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo": http://nerdnirvana.org/2007/05/06/the-simpsons-japanese-game-show/)

Years before "The Simpsons" provided us with an animated look at Japanese game shows, "Saturday Night Live" aired a parody featuring Mike Meyers as the host and Chris Farley as a contestant. In both cases, most viewers understood the humor of these skits even though they had not viewed an actual Japanese game show.

(Visit this site to view the SNL skit: http://www.fanpop.com/spots/chris-farley/videos/1636602)

"I Survived" maintains a commitment to actual Japanese game shows while incorporating the reality TV tradition of providing a "behind the scenes" look at the contestants. If you are into reality TV you have witnessed this formula repeatedly. This formula also includes two teams, in this case the Green Monkeys and the Yellow Penguins, competing against one another. The losing team is then forced to pit two team members against one another in an elimination bout.

"I Survived" also incorporates a premise that it is educating us, the viewing audience, on Japanese culture. For example, the winners of the July 8 episode were rewarded with a VIP trip to the famous Tokyo fish market. The losers, meanwhile, were forced to work in a Japanese rice field. Proper Japanese etiquette (e.g., how to hold a tea cup while drinking authentic traditional Japanese green tea) is taught via the "house mother" of the contestants.

As far as reality TV shows are concerned, "I Survived" offers nothing new. However, many people are undoubtedly tuning in to "I Survived" because of the relative unique form of comedy that Japanese game shows provide. The show is inane and involves humiliating contestants and relies on the stereotypical use of language as a form of entertainment.

As "I Survived" and other summer reality shows such as "Wipeout" reveal, many people enjoy this form of humor. For now, sayonara!

Happy Independence Day

Tim Delaney, Ph.D. — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:46:19 +0000

Happy Independence Day!

Independence. What a wonderful word. In 1776, the colonies declared their independence from the British Empire. As time progressed, the United States would become a world power.

In the film Independence Day (1996) the entire world united to fight off a common enemy-invading aliens. Perhaps a common enemy to the entire world is the only thing that will ever unite this planet.

But this column is not about politics or economics or even globalization. Instead, today, July 4, is a day for all Americans to celebrate the bond that holds us together-our independence from foreign rule.

The 4th of July is my favorite day of the year. And I always try to celebrate my favorite day at my favorite place, Redondo Beach, California. I love Independence Day because it celebrates our nation. The 4th of July is also non-religious, so we can all enjoy this secular holiday.

People across the nation will celebrate the day in a variety of fashions. Some will run in morning 5K and 10K races or go to a parade. Many people will go to the beach or enjoy their own backyards. A large number of Americans will barbeque outdoors and feast on the gloriousness of this day.

At night, most people will enjoy the air display of fireworks and run around with sparklers.

There are many problems in the world, but for most of us, they can be dealt with on another day. With that in mind, wherever you are, I wish you a Happy Independence Day!

“Paparazzo Attacked by a Mob of Surfers:” Is this the Title of a Horror Movie Gone Bad?

Tim Delaney, Ph.D. — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:53:29 +0000

"Paparazzo Attacked by a Mob of Surfers:" Is this the Title of a Horror Movie Gone Bad?

The paparazzi seem to always be in the media, and for good reason. They are a part of the media. Celebrities scorn their aggressive behavior, while celebrity worshippers rely on their every photograph to quench their thirst for personal tidbits of information.

The paparazzi (paparazzo is the singular form) are freelance photographers who assertively pursue celebrities for the purpose of taking candid photographs. They hid in bushes and behind cars. They bounce like lions upon their prey all in an effort to capture a golden photo.

Most celebrities claim that the paparazzi, or the "stalkarazzi" as they are inaffectionately known, not only invade their privacy and personal space, they insist these photographers are potentially dangerous. You may recall that many people first blamed the paparazzi for the deaths of Princess Dianna and Dodi Fayed who were killed in 1997 during a high-speed car chase in Paris, France. An outrage against the paparazzi ensued.

The paparazzi and their antics received so much publicity that it became commonplace for other forms of the media to parody these "leeches of society" in a variety of comedy skits, including the Seinfeld two-part series finale. You may recall that the main plot line involved the four friends (Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer) being arrested and eventually imprisoned for violating the "Good Samaritan Law" of Latham, Massachusetts.

This fictional "Good Samaritan Law" was modeled after the real French law that was passed after Princess Diana's car crash and the public indignation over the fact that the photographers who chased her stood around the car taking photos and not assisting in the rescue attempt.

It seems that other people are fighting back against the paparazzi as well. In the past week, a paparazzo, trying to photograph Matthew McConaughey at a beach in Malibu, was allegedly attacked by a mob of surfers who threw his camera in the ocean. In another news report, it was announced that Woody Harrelson was being sued for $2.5 million by a paparazzo who accused the actor of assaulting him and breaking his video camera two years ago.

Scenes of body guards pushing paparazzi and their cameras out of the faces of celebrities are commonplace on "entertainment" shows. The claim of a paparazzo that Britney Spears drove over his foot was thrown out of court.

And yet, the paparazzi persevere. They are willing to take abuse, at least to a certain degree, because the know that an increasing number of magazines, news agencies, and entertainment shows are willing to pay top dollar for "juicy" photos, sound bites, or film footage. The paparazzi also claim that they are helping celebrities and public figures by taking their photos and keeping them in the news.

In the end, a sizeable part of the general public loves to hear the latest gossip and look at the latest photos of their favorite personalities. Until this changes, we can expect to be bombarded by the latest photos of Britney, Lindsay, Paris, and so on...

Much More Than "Seven Dirty Words"

Tim Delaney, Ph.D. — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:25:06 +0000

Much More Than Seven Dirty Words

George Carlin passed away early this morning. He was truly a pioneer in observational humor and many of his skits will live on for years to come.

Carlin's accomplishments include: hosting the first ever Saturday Night Live, 130 appearances on the Tonight Show, 23 comedy albums, 14 HBO specials, 3 books, and appearances in such movies as Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.

Carlin is, perhaps, best known for his "Seven Dirty Words" skit. In this sketch, he describes the seven obscene words that people cannot say on the air. While performing this parody in Milwaukee in 1972, Carlin was arrested on charges of disturbing the peace.

When a radio station played his material without beeping out the "offensive" words, Carlin's material reached the Supreme Court. The High Court ruled that his material was indecent, but not obscene. You can listen to this skit for yourself on YouTube at:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=BTyzTJTNhNk

As a sports fan, I also enjoyed his comparison of baseball and football. He accurately describes baseball as a nineteenth century pastoral game and football as a twentieth century violent sport indicative of present-day society. If you enjoy sports and have never heard this skit, treat yourself! http://youtube.com/watch?v=YphEUa5LPjM

Carlin also provided words of wisdom to us all regarding aging. When we are less than 10 years old, we are so excited about aging we think in terms of fractions, as in, "I'm four and a half!" When we reach our teens, we begin to jump ahead, "How old are you?" "I'm gonna be 16!" You could be 13, but your gonna be 16!

We BECOME 21, but then we TURN 30. Next, we are PUSHING 40 and then we REACH 50. Somehow, we MAKE IT to 60. After that, we HIT 70. Anything after that is a day-by-day thing, as in, you HIT Wednesday. Into your 90s, you start going backwards, "I was JUST 92!"

It seems when people die, we are reminded all the truly important things, such as being happy. Carlin advised that we keep only cheerful friends because the grouches pull you down. Enjoy the simple things. Laugh often, long and loud. Surround yourself with love, whether its family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, or whatever. Don't take "guilt trips," and instead, "take a trip to the mall."

And finally, Carlin advised, "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

George Carlin has no breaths remaining. Try to enjoy all the ones you have left. I'm going to watch some more of his videos and laugh long and loud!

How Happy Was Your Friday?

Tim Delaney, Ph.D. — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 02:09:44 +0000

How Happy Was Your Friday?

For many people, Sunday evenings mark the end of the weekend and a time to start thinking about the week ahead. So, how was your weekend? In particular, how was your Friday (June 20)?

By now you may have heard that June 20th of each year is supposedly the happiest day of year. Clearly this can never be true for all persons, but in general, June 20th should be a happy day for most people. Oh yeah, says who? Cliff Arnall, a British psychologist, that's who!

In the tradition of empirical science, Arnall created a formula in order to scientifically test his theory. Arnall works with this formula:

O + (N x S) + Cpm/T + He.

Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor for the Telegraph UK, explains the equation as: "O" stands for being outdoors and outdoor activity, "N" is connection with nature, which is in full bloom now, "S" is socialization with neighbors and friends, "Cpm" stands for childhood positive memories, "T" is the mean temperature which is now usually warm, and "He" is holiday expected.

This interesting formula seems applicable to Americans as well. After all, June 20th marked the beginning of summer and most of us look forward to warm weather. And with warm weather comes outdoor activities which fuels are desire to commune with nature-even if it means mowing the lawn! Many people who "hibernate" for the winter finally come out and resume their socializing with others. And chances are the summer does bring back fond memories of childhood.

Personally, I can't say that this June 20th was my happiest day of the year, but then again, it wasn't the saddest. Typical scenario for us Libras!

A True Story of a Male Maid of Honor

Tim Delaney, Ph.D. — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 02:02:28 +0000

A True Story of a Male Maid of Honor

Traditionally, a bride marries a groom, the bride has a female best friend serve as "Maid of Honor" and the groom has a male "Best Man." Wow! How many of these scenarios are no longer the norm of marriage?!

Although gay marriages in California warrants discussion, that is a topic for another time. In this column, I will address the non-traditional male Maid of Honor. After all, there are far fewer male Maid's of Honor (I suspect) than gay marriages.

The topic of a male Maid of Honor has been in the media the past few months because of the film Made of Honor starring Patrick Dempsey as Tom Bailey and Michelle Monaghan as Hannah. In this movie, Tom plays the happy-go-lucky male who has delayed growing up so that he can hang out with buddies and date a string of women.

Tom also has a close friend, Hannah. Tom takes Hannah's friendship for granted and fails to capitalize on opportunities to advance his relationship with her. Frustrated by Tom's inattention, Hannah goes to Scotland for six weeks. While she is gone, Tom realizes how much he really misses Hannah. Before long, Tom finally realizes that he has real feelings for Hannah. Tom decides that upon her return from overseas, he will let Hannah know about his true feelings toward her.

In a rather obvious movie "twist," Hannah returns and she is engaged to another man. Tom is unpleasantly surprised. He is even more astonished by Hannah's request that he be her Maid of Honor because they are best friends. Tom agrees.

Why would Tom agree to be Hannah's Maid of Honor? Well, because he is in love with her. Plus, his friends tell him that it will be easier to stop the wedding from the inside because he will be her confidant. (See of movie trailer of this movie at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGVpvkMmjK4.)

My niece Patti was married last week. She was a beautiful bride and the wedding and reception went off without a glitch. The only non-traditional aspect of the wedding was Patti's Maid of Honor. Yes, you guessed it the duties went to a male. But not some would-be lover of a best friend; instead, it was her cousin, Mike.

Mike and Patti were born a couple of months a part and grew up together. They are as close as brother and sister and spend a lot of time together. For Patti, the decision to ask her cousin to be the Maid of Honor was a logical choice as he is her "best friend."

Just as the movie character Tom Bailey had to learn to perform certain duties associated with being a "Maid of Honor" for his friend, Hannah, so too did cousin Mike for my niece. And, there are a lot of duties! I looked it up online and among the requirements of a Maid of Honor:

...Assist the bride with ideas on where to have the wedding; volunteer to address some of the invitations; help with decisions on decorations; go shopping for the wedding dress; help plan the Bridal Shower and Bachelorette Party; (the following occur on the wedding day) assist the bride in getting into her dress and makeup; assist the other bridesmaids; look for the unexpected; if single, it is mandatory to catch the bridal bouquet (!); and, provide moral support.

Wow, that's a lot of duties! I don't think Mike performed all of these (as I know he did not catch the bouquet)! Although, I must admit, I saw him straighten out the bride's gown while she was saying her vows.

All in all, Mike did a great job as a male Maid of Honor. It worked for Patti and her new husband "J.J." and the entire family was pleased. I think the lesson here is-there is nothing wrong with wanting many of the traditional aspects of a wedding; just as there is nothing wrong with nontraditional aspects.