Pop: Pop culture power women – take two!

Pop Culture: Women of pop culture & the unashamed use of cutesy clichés!

After experiencing some minor audiovisual issues (during which time I had a little jokey internal monologue with Tina Fey about the "computer sticky thingy") and giving my introductory lecture on feature writing on Monday, I opened up the opportunity for questions.

"Are you going to be referencing Sex and the City every lecture?" deadpanned one male student channeling Daria. Touché!

I actually hadn't intended to make reference to the show (in fact, I genuinely try to curb such things, knowing how tiresome it can sound), but sometimes a pop culture reference comes to mind that fits the occasion aptly enough to illustrate a point and simply must be voiced (cue the scene in Sex and the City when Candice Burgen, playing Carrie's Vogue editor, returns her piece on shoes dripping with red ink).

Though more "serious journalists" prefer witty literary/historical/political references and high-brow in-jokes, I love a good pop culture reference in a feature; preferably if it's Gen-Y nostalgic. It says, "you speak my language". Gillard and Abbott (or, rather, their speech writers) should really think about throwing some random Simpsons/Mad Men quotes into the mix (okay, as duly noted by Liz, it didn't work for Joe Hockey).

Give me Seinfeld, give me slinkys, give me scrunchies, give me The Goonies and Gilmore Girls and I'm yours. As Elle Woods once said, "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy." So does good pop-culture (and puppies). And Ellen DeGeneres.

So who better to inspire the writer's muse – that voice that sits upon your shoulder like trusty Tinkerbell – than some of the feisty and fabulous gals you pointed to in response to the pop popularity poll? Make like Buffy Summers who, said one of you, "slew all manner of demons and even had breath to spare for puns and quips".

Pic by Sophie.

Pic credits: Tinkerbell (fotos.imagensporfavor.com); Tina Fey (harpersbazaar.com); Elle Woods (fashionmagazine.com); Ellen DeGeneres (images.starpulse.com); Lorelai Gilmore (images.eonline.com); Rory Gilmore (gilmorenews.com); Daria (techpin.com); Buffy (sundaypaper.com)

See also: Pop Popularity Poll: Chicks who kick butt

Yours truly,
Girl With a Satchel