Examining Discourses of Gender and Consumption in the Media

Linda Tuncay, Loyola University Chicago Katherine Sredl, University of Illinois Marie-Agnès Parmentier, York University Catherine Coleman, University of Illinois*

*Authors listed in reverse alphabetical order. Please note that all authors contributed equally to the paper. 2

ABSTRACT

Gender identity is a fluid concept that has changed considerably over time not only in its representation in media and its interpretation by consumers, but also in its conceptualization by researchers. Using hermeneutic analysis, this paper explores the gender and consumption discourses that are salient in popular media. Specifically, two popular television shows, Entourage and Sex and the City are examined. Despite popular acclaim of each show’s portrayal of pioneering representations of men and women, the characters of both shows struggled to balance more traditional gender roles with the assumption of new, postmodern roles. 3

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

Gender identity is a fluid concept that has changed considerably over time, not only in its representation in media and its interpretation by consumers, but also in its conceptualization by researchers. Using hermeneutic analysis, a method used by prior consumer researchers, (e.g., Humphreys forthcoming; Coskuner 2006; Sherry 1995; Hirschman 1988), this paper explores gender and consumption discourses in popular media. Because gender is a relational and evolving construct, this study explores masculinity and femininity together to gain a holistic view of gender discourses in today’s society. Specifically, the authors draw from two popular television shows, Entourage and Sex and the City, to illustrate how contemporary notions of femininity and masculinity are intertwined with consumption. The researchers found that the characters in both shows struggled with tensions between more traditional gender roles and the assumption of new, postmodern roles intimately associated with consumption (see, for example, Firat and Venkatesh 1995 for discussion on the assumption of postmodern roles). The nuances of these tensions are less frequently mentioned in popular media. Three themes of masculinity emerged in Entourage that were both rooted in prior research as well as interwoven with more feminized notions of masculinity not extensively examined in previous inquiries. The first theme that emerged in the show was the Peter Pan ethos of childhood play and fun (Register 2001) and the Playboy lifestyle of self-indulgence and sexual conquests (Ogersby Osgerby 2001). For the characters in Entourage, consumption is instrumental in enacting the masculine themes of the Peter Pan and Playboy lifestyles. At the same time, it is intertwined with traditionally feminized notions of gift giving and shopping. Second, the theme of buddydom, or the celebration of friendships with other men, was prevalent in Entourage. However, the characters’ enactment of this relationship was more closely associated with a non-traditional family unit than with traditional notions of male bonding. While women are most often associated with communal goals, the portrayal of the Entourage “family” is reflective of broader shifts in the U.S. towards “non-traditional” households, including men living together beyond their college years (Lavigne 2004). Third, the consumption of “toys” has been demonstrated in prior research to be an important part of the enactment of masculinity (Fiske 1987) and is a central part of the male characters’ lives in Entourage. But the quest for acquisition sometimes causes internal struggles for the characters when it conflicts with their desire to remain authentic. The motivation for authenticity has been demonstrated as a core theme of masculinity for Gen X men in prior research (Tuncay 2005). This struggle was particularly evident in the breadwinner, Vince, in a tension between his desire to take on “meaningful” acting parts in independent films and offers to act in commercialized, yet lucrative studio roles that would subsidize the characters’ Hollywood consumption habits. Thus, in Entourage, several themes of masculinity emerged that resonated with prior research on gender and consumer behavior. However, the themes of this study were intertwined with conceptualizations of gender more traditionally associated with females, such as familial relationships, gift giving, shopping, and emphasis on physical appearance. While in the recent past, these behaviors have been associated with a segment of male consumers called “metrosexuals,” such behaviors have now moved into the mainstream Thus, it is evident that new forms of masculinity are emerging, and are represented in popular media. Three themes of gender fluidity and consumption also emerged in Sex and the City. While some of these themes have been discussed in prior research, the show demonstrates anxieties about balancing traditional and changing notions of femininity and masculinity. First, tensions 4 between strict traditional gender roles and gender fluidity are prevalent. Negotiations over gender roles are demonstrated in the character Miranda, who struggles with her non-conformity to traditional gender roles when, for example, she prioritizes her career as a corporate lawyer, purchases a home and is faced with housekeeping. This tension is further demonstrated in the second theme that explores the costs of freedom and independence. Sex and the City displayed notable violations of traditional gender roles; in particular, the narratives of Samantha Jones portray striking examples of female sexual freedom. In asserting her independence and power through professional accomplishment, financial independence, sex without ties and home ownership, she is also forced to face her vulnerabilities. Third, the characters of Sex and the City struggle with the quest for authenticity, both in their consumption and in their identities. Much like in Entourage, the theme of authenticity builds through various storylines in which consumption actions are developed as metaphors for broader themes of life. For example, for the women of Sex and the City, the Playboy Mansion epitomizes notions of fantasy—sexual freedom and an idealized and luxurious lifestyle, especially for Samantha. However, their visit to the mansion ultimately signifies a lack of authenticity and fails to maintain the positive connotations of fantasy. This research demonstrates that the characters of both shows actively explore masculine and feminine roles, though not without anxiety, as they move through new and fluid identities of gender that often are enacted through consumption. Tensions between traditional masculinity and alternative masculinities have been examined by past researchers (see, for example, Holt and Thompson 2004; Otnes and McGrath 2001). But in Entourage, the characters find ways to reestablish and reinforce their masculinities as they create new roles. In Sex and the City, several themes of gender found in prior research also emerged. While the notion of juggling and independence has been discussed in prior research (e.g., Thompson 1996) and despite acclaim in the popular press about ground-breaking portrayals of contemporary women, it is evident that the characters of Sex and the City still struggle to negotiate the gains of feminism with more traditional feminine ideals, much like how the characters of Entourage balance traditional gender roles with new masculine ideals. The authors find that these themes are reflective of ideological gains and shifts exemplified in feminist agenda and that, to a greater extent, they question what happens when these gains have been made. 5

Examining Discourses of Gender and Consumption in the Media

Gender identity is a fluid concept that has changed considerably over time not only in its representation in media and its interpretation by consumers, but also in its conceptualization by researchers. This paper examines the fluid concepts of masculinity and femininity within the domain of the media. Because gender is a relational concept, masculinity and femininity are explored together in this study in order to gain a holistic view of the gender discourses in today’s society. In particular, this study draws upon two popular television shows to illustrate how contemporary notions of femininity and masculinity are intertwined with consumption.

This analysis is important for several reasons. First, gender roles are often expressed and reiterated in the media. In fact, researchers have specifically examined media outlets to identify emergent themes of gender (e.g., Hirschman 2003 study of the masculine theme of rugged individualism in men’s magazines and Schroeder and Zwick 2004 analysis of masculinity in advertisements). Moreover, these representations of gender are often intertwined with consumption practices. Hirschman (1988) argues masculinities and femininities are presented through the secular and profane consumption in the popular 1980s television series, Dallas and

Dynasty. But these representations are more than reflections of realities. O’Guinn and Shrum

(1997) argue consumers learn about consumption patterns from what they see on television.

Thus, it is evident that portrayals of gender in the media serve as a rich area for analysis that is relevant for consumers, researchers, and marketing organizations, shedding light on the larger gender discourses in society. Firat (1994, 223), for example, discusses the gendered messages to which consumers are exposed by the media.

It could be argued that although the modern (traditional) significations of gender are still forceful, the fragmentation of self (images) and the fissure between gender and sex categories create complex and paradoxical experiences for consumers, female and male. Marketing and organizations, the principal 6

players in representation and communication of images in the market culture, currently seem to be playing both sides of the fence…When the images played do not propose clear and precise messages as to what is expected of and proper for a woman or for a man, and when gender categories still represent a dualistic, oppositional quality, both individual consumers and marketing organizations are left with a degree of confusion. Thus, whether it is confusion, as Firat (1994) suggests, or perhaps a sense of freedom that emerges from the representation of such a wide array of gender roles in the media, it is important to understand the mediated messages of gender and consumption to which consumers are exposed in order to move towards unlocking consumer responses to such messages. This research takes that first step of understanding these messages.

Moreover, both feminine and masculine images must be examined. A review of the literature in advertising and marketing reveals over 250 articles examining the gendered representations of women in advertising and media (see Courtney and Whipple 1983 for review). However, despite calls for more research on men as gendered beings (Kimmel and Messner 2001), little research examines representations of men and masculinity in the media (however, see Schroeder and

Zwick 2004 and Hirschman 2003). The limited number of inquiries in consumer research may be due to the fact that notions of masculinity are fragmented and difficult to define (Beynon 2002).

In fact, while some researchers dispute the existence of masculinity altogether, calling it

“fantasy,” (see MacInnes 1998), others define it as consisting of many masculinities. Moreover, masculinity, just as femininity, is a constantly evolving construct. For example, in a study on how male consumers conceptualized their own masculinity, Tuncay (2006) found several themes previously thought of as feminine characteristics as a part of the “new man’s” conceptualizations of masculinity. The male informants in the study emphasized having an attractive appearance (a traditionally feminized notion) as essential to their masculinity. Similarly, while domesticity was once seen as something from which to escape and to avoid for men (see for example the 7 typology of gender role norms developed by Harris 1995), the role of being a family man is idealized in a study of both Gen X men (Tuncay 2005) and in a study of metrosexual men’s definitions of masculinity (Tuncay 2006). Thus, gender is an evolving and fluid concept.

The media is one important domain where issues of gender and consumption are represented.

Previous research has often examined media to explore broader culture discourses, such as in

Cramer’s (2007) paper on morality as expressed in Sex and the City and Queer As Folk, and in

Tropp’s (2006) work on motherhood and Sex and the City. In order to begin to understand the gender discourses in today’s media landscape and their relation to consumption, two popular television shows on HBO were examined for this research: Entourage and Sex and the City. The television shows were selected for several reasons. First, both shows are or have been widely popular among television viewers and have generated much discussion in the popular press about their ability to capture the essence of today’s men and women. With regard to viewership,

Entourage has maintained an average Nielsen rating of 1.2 (2.7 million viewers in its 3rd season premiere) while Sex and the City had an average rating of 1.6 (7.9 million viewers) (Beggs

2006). Next, both shows are rich in content and dialogue about gender and marketplace issues, thus making them ideal outlets in which to observe the representations of gender and consumption in today’s society. In fact, Entourage has been tagged the Sex and the City for men

(Strauss 2007). Moreover, the two shows both largely center around four singles living in urban settings (New York City and Los Angles respectively). Entourage follows the lives of four single men in Hollywood (although a fifth married character is a part of the story line as well), while

Sex and the City discusses the trials and tribulations of four women venturing between various stages of single life, engagement, marriage and divorce. Please see Appendix 1 for a detailed description of the two shows. 8

METHOD

To explore these issues, the researchers focused on the central research question of what discourses of gender and consumption are salient in today’s media landscape, as expressed in

Entourage and Sex and the City. The authors followed the hermeneutic analysis methods of prior research, such as Humphreys’ (Forthcoming) study of gambling in films and the legitimization of casino gambling in consumer culture, Coskuner’s (2006) movie analysis of the relationship between grooming practices and discourses of masculinity, Sherry’s (1995) telethnography of the representation of coffee in American sitcoms, and Hirschman’s (1988) seminal work on the ideology of consumption in Dallas and Dynasty. Specifically, both television series were first broken down by episodes, as listed on the DVD version of each series. Sex and the City had 48 episodes, each episode lasting 25 minutes on average, while Entourage had 39 episodes available on DVD, each lasting 30 minutes on average. The researchers broke up into subgroups, with two examining Sex and the City and two examining Entourage. In addition, both sets of researchers were familiar with the other show with which they did not engage in formal analysis. The researchers examined every element of the show, including the story line, the interaction between the characters, the setting, and the dialogue while focusing on themes of gender and consumption. Descriptive notes were taken on each episode of every season, producing more than 131 pages of notes. The notes for each show were then coded and the teams engaged in comparison and contrast, refining the emergent themes through an iterative process of discussion both with their partners and with the group as a whole, while referring back to their data set and the literature.

FINDINGS 9

Several gendered discourses emerged in the two shows. We found the characters in both shows struggled with the tensions between more traditional gender roles and the assumption of new, postmodern roles in ways that were intimately associated with consumption (for a discussion of postmodern roles, see, for example, Firat and Venkatesh 1995). Despite acclaim in the popular press for each show’s portrayal of cutting edge representations of men and women, the nuances of that struggle are less frequently mentioned in popular discourse.

Entourage

Several themes of gender that emerged in the show Entourage were rooted in past research on masculinity, while some themes were intertwined with more feminized notions of gender which previously have not been examined extensively in relation to men.

The Peter Pan and Playboy Ethos

The characters of Entourage often negotiated the boundaries of their gender roles, living both within the bounds of traditional masculinity as well as venturing outside of such rigid definitions.

Several themes of masculinity discussed in prior research emerged. Specifically, the Peter Pan ethos and the Playboy both have been firmly entrenched in themes of masculinity and were evident in the show. The Peter Pan notion of childhood play and fun dates back to the 1930s

(Register 2001) while the Playboy lifestyle, or a life filled with self-indulgence and sexual conquests, was made popular by Hugh Hefner in the 1950s (Osgerby 2001). In Entourage, these themes were inextricably linked with consumption. For example, the characters engage regularly in endless play, whether it is going to night clubs, drinking, or playing video games (e.g., in

Season 2, “Chinatown,” Turtle plays in an Electronic Arts video game tournament and loses to a little boy). The gang even attends a high school party (Season 3, “One Day in the Valley”). In

Season 2 (My Maserati Goes to 185), Eric’s girlfriend even calls Eric and his friends, “Peter Pan 10 and the Lost Boys.” At the same time, the four men are entrenched in a Playboy lifestyle where the main pursuit is attracting women, along with other hedonistic pleasures. While Vince can use his good looks and celebrity status in Hollywood to accomplish this goal easily, Turtle and

Drama usually rely on Vince’s celebrity status to enact the Playboy lifestyle. Vince happily aids in this identity creation, often engaging in gift-giving to his friends, with goods such as shoes and cars (e.g., Aston Martins as can be seen in Season 3, “Crash and Burn”) and even going shopping for them for clothing. At first glance, this type of behavior seems at odds with a masculine persona. Gift-giving and shopping is most often associated with femininity (see Otnes and

McGrath 2001) or with a segment of men called “metrosexuals,” or men in touch with their feminine sides. However, the gifts themselves are instrumental in enacting the Playboy lifestyle

(e.g., buying designer suits in preparation for a party). In another poignant example, Vince considers paying for Johnny’s plastic surgery for calf implants (Season 2, “My Maserati Does

185”). As Johnny seeks to normalize his body, he justifies this invasive surgery by explaining to the surgeon that he is an actor and, thus, it is necessary for his livelihood. This underlying notion of career success as a means to justify consumption has been identified before by consumer researchers (see for example, Otnes and McGrath 2001). Moreover, in Season 2 (“Aqua

Mansion”), the characters actually go to Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Mansion armed with expensive pajamas (which they shopped for together) in an ultimate homage to the original Playboy himself. Thus, the masculine themes of the Playboy and of Peter Pan are very salient in the show, demonstrating how men seek play and other hedonistic pleasures, all the while intertwined with more traditionally feminized notions of gift giving and shopping.

Buddydom 11

Another theme that emerged in the show is the notion of male bonding. The main characters in Entourage are four men in their 20s and 30s living together as roommates, but functioning more like a family. In fact, they often refer to each other as family. This portrayal is reflective of the broader shifts in household structures in the U.S. from married couple households to other

"nontraditional" households, including men living together beyond their college years.

According to an analysis of 2000 census data, men were twice as likely as women to have at least one roommate of the same sex, even after excluding homosexual couples. This trend was particularly salient in the 24 to 35 age group (Lavigne 2004). Thus, while women are most often associated with communal goals, the household structure in Entourage is indicative of the collective nature of the group, as they not only live together but are shown doing most everything together on the show (going to business meetings, vacations, even tagging along on dates and romantic getaways with significant others).

Moreover, much of the male bonding occurs with discussions around the breakfast table on various topics ranging from the expected work and play to the less strictly stereotypically masculine practice of discussing relationships. As no females are included in this “family,” the characters re-negotiate traditional gender and family roles. Each character has a defined place in the household. Vince is the money maker; Eric, as Vince’s manager, is responsible for the functioning of the household; Turtle, whose role is often less-defined, earns his keep with various chores and driving duties; and Johnny, Vince’s half brother, oversees the kitchen and demonstrates an interest in various traditionally-female household roles. While in one episode

(Season 2, “Exodus”), the characters question if they are too old to all live together, this concern is quickly dismissed. 12

Tensions between traditional masculinity and alternative masculinities have been examined by past researchers (see for example Holt and Thompson 2004; Otnes and McGrath 2001). But in

Entourage, the characters find ways to reestablish and reinforce their masculinities as they create new roles. One exchange occurs (as Johnny is cooking everyone breakfast) on the topic of cuddling (Season 3, “Strange Days”). Johnny clarifies to Eric, “men spoon, women snuggle.”

The male bonding that is so prevalent in the show is a contemporary theme of masculinity, called by Beynon (2002) as “buddydom,” or celebrating masculinity through building relationships with other men.

Boys and Their Toys

The third broad theme observed in the data is the consumption of “toys” as a central part of these men’s lives. Fiske (1987) defines telemasculinity as the enactment of masculinity through action, adventure, competition, aggression and consumption of “male toys” such as cars and guns. One of the central pursuits in the show Entourage is the acquisition of such toys. In fact, this sometimes causes an internal conflict, particularly in the main breadwinner in the show,

Vince. Vince often has to resolve the tension between acquiring the finer things in life (and making his friends happy through a constant onslaught of gifts), and his desire to remain authentic. For example, Vince’s desire to take on “meaningful” acting parts in independent films is at odds with giving into commercialized, yet lucrative film roles. In a situation that spans

Seasons 2 and 3, Vince struggles with his desire to explore the character and complexity of the script for Medellin, and the pull of more mainstream, blockbuster films like Aquaman, a movie about an underwater superhero produced by Warner Bros. When he realizes he can not afford the mansion he and his friends want for $5 million, Vince agrees to accept the Aquaman role. This, despite the fact that in Season 2 (“Boys Are Back in Town”), he states, “As much as I like all the 13 toys, I don’t need them.” While there is an internal struggle within Vince, there are several instances where all of the characters live above their means, or at least strike a delicate balance between maintaining their materialistic lifestyle and generating enough income. For example, in

Season 2, (“An Offer Refused”), Eric begins to get nervous of the rampant spending among the household members (e.g., Turtle’s 70 inch plasma, Vince’s decision to hire a high priced interior decorator) before Vince’s movie contract is official, and first tries to discuss the issue during their morning conversation ritual in the kitchen. In fact, several episodes are centered around the pursuit of consumption, such as the purchase of a home (Season 1, “The Review;” Season 2,

“Aquamansion,” “An Offer Refused,” “Neighbors,” “Chinatown;” Season 3, “The Prince’s

Bride,” “Adios Amigos”), a sports car (Season 2, “My Maserati Does 185”), paintings (Season 2,

“Blue Balls Lagoon”), and the acquisition of a pair of designer gym shoes for Turtle (Season 3,

“What about Bob?”). In one poignant example, Eric’s loyalty to his buddies is tested by asking him to buy all of them expensive watches (Season 2, “Exodus”). Interestingly, however, the desire for authenticity ultimately prevails in later episodes, as the characters risk everything, including their luxurious mansion, to obtain the rights, and thus artistic control, of the Medellin script. In their quest for authenticity, the Entourage characters shed the veils of their commercialized consumption, at least temporarily. It is not surprising that the motivation for authenticity that underlines this theme emerged in our text as past research (Tuncay 2005) found authenticity to be a theme of masculinity about Gen X men.

Moreover, in our analysis of Entourage, several themes of masculinity emerged which resonated with prior research on gender and consumer behavior. Here, however, we found these themes were intricately intertwined with conceptualizations of gender that are more traditionally associated with females, such as familial relationships, gift giving, shopping and an emphasis on 14 physical appearance. Thus, it is evident that new cultural forms of masculinity are emerging.

While in the recent past these behaviors were associated with only a segment of male consumers called “metrosexuals,” originally defined by writer Mark Simpson as heterosexual men who are concerned with their appearance and in touch with their femininity, such behaviors have now moved into the mainstream. The characters actively move between and within more masculine and feminine roles, although sometimes a sense of anxiety exudes in these transitions.

Sex and the City

In Sex and the City, several themes of gender and consumption also emerged, some of which have been discussed by prior researchers. However, as they are played out in the show, these themes demonstrate anxieties about traditional and changing notions of femininity and masculinity.

The In-Between Space

Tensions between adhering to strict traditional gender roles and gender fluidity were very prevalent in this show as well. One important example can be seen with corporate lawyer

Miranda, who experienced the hurdles of purchasing her own home without the help of a male figure such as a husband or a father (Season 2, “Four women and a funeral”). This is juxtaposed with her relationship with Steve, her boyfriend, in which Miranda has the traditionally male problem of communicating and committing. After years of domestic independence, Miranda hires a housekeeper, Magda (Season 3, “Attack of the five-foot-ten-inch woman”). Magda is probably old enough to be Miranda’s mother, spurring fears that Magda is judgmental of her lifestyle and lack of domesticity and, ultimately, leading to a confrontation. Unlike the women in

Thompson’s (1996) study of juggling mothers, Miranda does not have to juggle work and family; she does, nevertheless, need to juggle demanding work hours, her own home, and her 15 social life. She has neither time nor desire to do housework and she has the money to afford a housekeeper. Miranda is not invested in traditional issues of domesticity – she out-sources cooking with take-out, housekeeping work to a housekeeper and the decoration of her home to a decorator. Yet, Miranda feels mixed emotions toward her outsourcing of domestic care for her home. She says, for instance, that when she’s at her place while the cleaning lady is there, she feels like she should be cleaning (as well as or instead of Magda). Miranda wants to be unapologetic about her ways, but yet she also feels that she is somewhat short on femininity and wonders about the status of her womanhood. For example, Miranda struggles with sharing her home with Steve (Season 3, “Boy Girl Boy Girl”). Miranda tries to figure out if something is wrong with her, telling her best friend Carrie that a “girlie girl” would want her boyfriend to move in.

Freedom and Independence…at a Cost

Sex and the City displayed notable violations of traditional gender roles and was widely discussed in the popular media for the sense of sexual freedom demonstrated by the female main characters. The portrayal and narratives of Samantha Jones are some of the most poignant examples of this. Her attitude toward sex and relationships is, in her own words, “like a man.” In

Season 3 (“Are we Sluts?”), Samantha decides to move from her rent controlled Upper East Side apartment after her neighbors ostracize her for her sexual behavior. She feels like her rent control has become life control, so she decides it’s time to move. Yet, she encounters her own vulnerability when she becomes a home owner. In Season 3 (“All or Nothing”), she has a housewarming party with her girlfriends. Reveling in her accomplishments of independence, she opens the large window to her new home and proclaims, “You hear that New York, we have it all!” In this sense, she is talking about independence, professional accomplishment, power, 16 money, sex without ties, everything she ever desired, including home ownership. A home has often been understood as something a man provides a woman, but this woman is providing it for herself. However, the next morning when Samantha wakes up with the flu, contracted through the open window the night before, she encounters the unanticipated realities of home ownership.

Her shades are broken. She has neither a male significant other nor the skills to fix this problem and concludes that she needs a man. But a scan through her little black book demonstrates the consequences of sex without ties, as no one is willing to help her. She experiences a moment of vulnerability and isolation, contradicting her feelings of empowerment of the previous night.

Thus, while the notion of juggling and independence has been discussed by past researchers

(e.g., Thompson 1996), it is evident that these characters still have struggles. They must negotiate the gains of feminism with more traditional feminine ideals, much like how the characters in Entourage balance traditional roles with new masculine ideals.

Authenticity and Fantasy

The third theme that emerged in Sex and the City was of the struggles between the authentic and the real versus the fake, or the unauthentic. Much like in Entourage, the theme of authenticity builds through various storylines in which consumption actions are developed as metaphors for broader themes of life. In one episode, a movie studio in Los Angeles invites

Carrie to discuss a movie option of her column, “Sex and the City.” She travels to Los Angeles, accompanied by Miranda and Samantha, with Charlotte soon joining them. The women experience Los Angeles as a contrast to New York and their lives there, even as they continue with their usual habits of shopping and going out. The distance from home also gives them an opportunity to contemplate what they have left behind in New York, if just for a few days. For

Charlotte, this means dealing with her frustrations with her seemingly “picture perfect” marriage 17 and her husband’s impotence, which seemed to have developed as a result of the commitment of marriage. For Carrie, the “escape” from New York means contemplating the pains and tensions of recently broken relationships with boyfriends Big and Aiden.

In Los Angeles, Carrie and Samantha hunt for counterfeit handbags, following a lead picked up by Samantha. Fashion-conscious Carrie is immediately disgusted by the sight of the fake designer bags wrapped in plastic in the trunk of the dealer’s car. But Samantha’s struggle does not come until later. When the ladies go to a Playboy mansion party, Samantha accuses a

Playboy Bunny of stealing her fake Fendi handbag. Samantha confesses her stolen handbag is a counterfeit in order to prove that the Bunny’s Fendi is hers; but it turns out that the Bunny has a real Fendi and Samantha is left embarrassed. Carrie narrates that Samantha was blinded by the fakeness of the situation.

The Playboy Mansion signifies a haven for the Playboy lifestyle of sexual conquest and hedonistic pleasures for the men in Entourage; for the women of Sex and the City, Hugh Hefner and the mansion epitomize notions of fantasy– sexual freedom and an idealized and luxurious lifestyle, particularly for Samantha. For the characters of Entourage, their visit to the Playboy was an opportunity for masculine enactment. But for the characters of Sex and the City, their visit to the mansion ultimately signifies a lack of authenticity and fails to maintain the positive connotations of fantasy.

In a parallel development during their visit to Los Angeles, Miranda meets for a steak dinner with an old New York friend, on whom she had always relied to spot and chastise phoniness. At first, Miranda marvels at his happiness that has come from shedding New York cynicism, and she hopes to take the same avenue. Later in the meal, however, Miranda finds that the cynicism is replaced by a new characteristic that is more frightening to her than the familiar cynicism. Her 18 friend does not eat his New York steak as he did in New York, but rather chews the meat and spits it into his napkin. Miranda asks him about this, and he says he is tasting his food because, in

Los Angeles, he can not afford the calories that would be the consequence of eating it. Miranda is shocked and, as the three other characters do, she struggles with questions of authenticity and the allure of fantasy.

The fantasies of life, sought in many ways through consumption, also come fraught with the burdens of fakeness. The characters try to cast aside fantasy identities that come, for example, in the form of fake purses and fake sexiness at the Playboy Mansion, or in the exchange of New

York cynicism for Los Angeles fear of the physical pleasure of eating in favor of a perfect physique. While the characters come face to face with the contrast between what is real and what is fake and unauthentic, in the end, the trappings of fantasy (or “what’s on the outside”) are shown to be less precious to the characters than the real (or “what’s on the inside”). Carrie reinforces this when she returns home to her New York apartment and is relieved that “inside it is all real;” and Charlotte ultimately, in later episodes, leaves her “picture-perfect” husband.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Consumer literature has argued that understandings of reality are influenced by media representations (e.g., Humphreys forthcoming; Coskuner 2006; O’Guinn and Shrum 1997;

Sherry 1995; Hirschman 1988), and media representations are valuable as texts because they reflect broader discourses of society. Thus, media texts provide a framework for exploring ideas about gender and consumption. Sex and the City represents and questions the broader ideological shifts of women and men living with the gains of Second Wave feminism, the realities of the

1990s and the Third Wave feminist agenda. Many of the themes of Sex and the City revolve around questions of womanhood and freedom in a changing social landscape and, as the title 19 suggests, the show is about “sex” and freedom in a world that is not yet secure with notions of female sexuality. In some respects, Sex and the City opened the doors for Entourage, which reflects many of these same themes and the inclusion of men in this agenda. In analyzing these two texts, the themes of gender fluidity and an adherence to traditional notions of gender emerged as prevalent and complex in both shows. We find that these themes are reflective of ideological gains and shifts exemplified in feminist agenda, and to a greater extent that they question what happens when these gains have been made.

For example, only recently have single women who do not have children been included in the market as home buyers (Hymowitz 2007). As the notions of family and work have changed in many Western societies, so has our thinking of gender roles for men and women. Sex and the

City represents 30-something, single women who exemplify the “new” independent woman of the 21st century. However, it is clear that these women still struggle with some of the same issues prevalent in traditional notions of gender. Entourage represents 20- and 30-something

“playboys” living the Hollywood lifestyle of which many only dream. However, these men redefine notions of family and friendship, reflecting various traditionally feminine roles, while all the while still adhering to some of the traditional notions of masculinity.

Additionally, in exploring new representations of gender, the characters of both shows struggle to determine what it means to be authentic and to maintain the dignity of not only the consumption of authentic goods, but of personal authenticity. While recognizing that self- appearances are important for the images they reflect and are, in many ways, signifiers of various personal and social roles, the characters of both shows seem to conclude that the authentic is more important than counterfeit display. However, authenticity is achieved through different consumption experiences for the for the male characters of Entourage than for the female 20 characters of Sex and the City in ways that demonstrate, through the storylines, the continued struggles between traditional and contemporary gender roles.

One limitation of this research is that there was a significant amount of rich data to which we could not give justice in the context of this paper. We would like in future research to spend more time with the many nuances offered by the texts. In addition, this research is restricted by the settings of the shows themselves, which take place in New York City and Los Angeles.

Gender roles may be characterized quite differently in media texts such as, for example,

Desperate Housewives, Two and Half Men, or the George Lopez Show which portray the lives of people with different ethnicities, social class, and martial status− important factors which influence gender roles. Exploring gender discourses in these other settings might provide us with different findings, which could be addressed in future research. Finally, this study was conducted by four heterosexual female researchers, which may have restricted the interpretation of the findings.

Future research could explore consumer interpretations of the narratives and consumer explanations of how these shows contribute to their construction of gender. This research might include online communities dedicated to the shows, quizzes designed to determine which show character you are (e.g., Facebook), fans who take tours of the shows, and consumers of the

Entourage clothing line. Finally, we are noticing an emergence of new shows that draw from the themes set forth in Sex and the City, such as Lipstick Jungle (taken from another book written by the author of the book Sex and the City) and Cashmere Mafia (by the producers of Sex and the

City). Future research might explore to what extent these shows are continuing to explore issues of gender fluidity. 21

Appendix 1: Detailed Description of Entourage and Sex and the City

Entourage

Entourage, an HBO series launched in 2004, centers on the life of New York-born Vincent

Chase as a young actor in L.A. Vince (played by Adrian Grenier), is a rising star in Hollywood who has surrounds himself with his half-brother, Johnny “Drama” (played by Kevin Dillon), also an actor, and his childhood friends, including his best friend and manager Eric (played by Kevin

Connolly), friend and personal driver Turtle (played by Jerry Ferrara) and his aggressive and often over the top agent, Ari (played by Jeremy Piven). The show chronicles the lives of this mostly single group of young men (although Ari is married and has children) as they live the celebrity lifestyle as result of Vince’s on again, off again fame. As of January 3, 2008, 54 episodes of Entourage have been broadcast while the first three seasons, or 39 episodes are currently available on DVD.

Sex and the City

Sex and the City, also an HBO series, ran from 1998 until 2004 and is based in part on writer

Candace Bushnell’s book of the same title. The narratives of the show center on the life and relationships of Carrie Bradshaw (played by Sarah Jessica Parker), a sex columnist, and on her best friends, Charlotte York (played by Kristin Davis), a conservative and romantic art dealer who feels the best way to get a man is to play by the rules, Samantha Jones (played by Kim

Cattrall), an exuberant public relations executive who believes women can have sex like men, and Miranda Hobbes (played by Cynthia Nixon), a no-nonsense corporate lawyer frustrated by the dating game, defiant of the ideas of domesticity and dependence, and reluctant to settle for someone less than she deserves. The series lasted 6 seasons, or 68 episodes all currently available on DVD. 22

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