I read alot while I'm at work. It's a computer job, so a large part of my day is spent reading online news-- everything from MSNBC to OhNoTheyDidnt! (my favorite entertainment blog). The former is for obvious reasons (I'd like to know WHY my country is so f*cked up, thanks). The latter is...well... let's just say it's research. Ok, it might be trashy at times, but working not only on this blog, but in the entertainment industry, it's worth it to know what's going on in entertainment. I mean, who wants to make the faux pas of thinking they saw LC and Heidi being BFFs at Le Deux (obviously it would be LC and Lo, hello)?

Every once in a while, however, I come across something I've never heard of. I look quizzically at this too young face, and wonder "Who the hell are you?" The world of pop-culture is changing, my fellow college-students, and is, in many ways, leaving us behind in the dust. Whether you want to better understand your little brother, or just know what the hell is going on, here are a few Pop Culture Icons, best explained by relating them to the counterparts we would understand.

1) Jonas Bros

These tween-pop-kings seem to be some odd cross between 'N Sync and Hanson. They have the raging-hormonal-fan-base and (apparently) the utter sexual appeal that 'N Sync had, but the wholesome goodness and "Hey-Ma-I-Play-My-Own-Instrument" appeal that Hanson did. They talk about wearing purity rings, and how they just want to play their music. Their stuff is tolerably enjoyable, but does lack the utter stuck-in-your-head catchiness that "MMM Bop" created. (Oh God, now it's stuck in my head..)

2) Miley Cyrus

I'm gonna be straight up with you-- I hate this girl. Her mouth is too wide and her singing makes me want to scratch my eyes out the way I do when I hear the cats in the alley fighting. And her acting ability is slim to none. Still, like early Britney Spears (who, to be fair, didn't have a ton of vocal chops either), Miley has the girl-next-door charm that makes little girls want to be her and older men count down the days 'till she's 18. She is one of the fastest growing name brands in the world, and my little cousins can't stop raving about her. She seems to have taken over the market. She also seems, however, to be headed for scandal much faster than Spears, with her nefarious "Vanity Fair" cover.

3) Zac Efron

When I was 12, I was so certain I was going to marry Leo DiCaprio. "Titanic" had just come out, and I was certain that he would swoop into my small town, see me, and instantly decide that a few decades isn't that big of a deal and fall in love with me. Now, little girls around the world are doing the same with Zac Efron, the star of the "High School Music" f*ckery and "Hairspray". I'll give it to the kid that he was good in the latter, but don't even get me started on the HSM craze. Anyway, he's got all the innocent-sex appeal that Leo had for my generation, plus, he can "sing". Apparently. 

4) Twilight

Harry Potter is the sh*t, I don't even care what anyone else thinks. The generation behind us, however, seems caught up in this "Twilight" nonsense. What it seems like is 14 year olds in love with Vampires. ...Right.

Needless to say, I think the pop culture trends of my time were way better than the flack that's coming out now. Of course, the generation before us were just talking about how NKOTB were oh-so-much better than 'N Sync. And I'm sure the generation behind will be saying the Miley was better than whatever else Disney will pump out. If we survive that long.