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10/20/2000 - The Globo-ization of Brazil by Susan L. Sterner

The Globo ization ofBrazil October Bel6m Pardi Brazil PeterBirdMartin Institute ofCurrentWorldAffairs FourWestWheelockStreet Hanover NewHampshire 03755 Dear Peter MyItalianhasimprovedsincemovingto Brazil I alone thanks evening telenovela opera Terra Nostra Our Land broadcast bytheRiodeJaneiro basedmediagiant TVGlobo Thedramatold story ofthe great Italianimmigration Brazil Everynightfrom8 9pmthenationfollowedtheromanticsaga ofMatteu Thiago Lacerda Giuliana Ana Paula Ar6sio young immigrants shipload Italians destined coffee fields Sao Paulo state Inthe firstmonthofbroadcastthenovelawassaidtobetheharbingerof Brazil entry international dominance operas For Terra Nostra penny spared create The initial chapters filmed century steamer anchored England As storyunfoldedeachscenetransitionwashingedonvintageblack white photographs andfilm clips ofearly century Brazil Initially novela story Italian grantsinthreegenerationsspanning100years But thecountrybecameso nutty about story Matteu Giuliana subsequent genera tions dumped initial romance dragged months Thenoveladeterioratedintothewho slept whomdramatypicalofprime Themostinterestingaspectof TerraNostra wastheeffect ithadonthe public That I without having watched dozen episodesspeaksvolumesabouttelevisionas acommunityexperience inBra Theinfluencesofthe novela creptinto daily Youngwomenwerewear ingcrochetedkerchiefstopullbacktheirhair Giuliana Allaroundme Brazilianswerespeakingofbeta regatzzas beautiful girls caspita dammed exactly Italianrestaurantsopenedovernight Italianpridesurged Amattress storemarketeditsdeluxeking sizebedasthemaximumforromance calling Giuliana eMatteu model My husband I spent Christmas Eve friend Rita Ippolito Italian working Pommar USAID funded program Over1 5millionItaliansimmigratedtoBrazilfromthe1870 toWWI strengthening rights children adolescents Brazil Rita Sicilian andforChristmas created typical century Sicilian The table overflowed beccafico eggplant rolled around breadcrumbs polpa manzo orientale layered parsle parmesan leafand crushed lasagna dimelanzana eggplant lasagna andplenty ofred Itwas feast But dishes passed around thetable aconflict arose Agusto asuccessfulItalianfash iondesignerand amangiventostudyingJungand history inhisspare couldnotbear toremainseated table He slipped seconds heardtheopeningstrains ofTormentoD Amorethetheme songfor TerraNostra HeateChristmasdinnerduring commercials givingusupdatesontheevening When Formula One broadcast Sao Paulo castof TerraNostra wastracksidetoexpound virtues Italian Brazilian driverRub6ns Barrichelo andtheFerrariteam Itwas astheactorsexclaimed great meeting beautiful traditions Brazilian drivingandItaliancars AndasproofthatBrazil iscon nected motherland Terra Nostra debutonItalian television Perhaps curious meeting cultures concert Gal Costa Maria BetSnia Pavorotti giveninSalvador BahialastApriltokickoffthe official quincentennial celebrations Standinginline Icouldhear members crowd humming strains music tured Terra Nostra Funiculf Funiculd CommeFacetteMammeta The audienceresponded enthusiastically Galand MariaBetnia butwaslukewarmto Pavarotti Likewise Pavorotti seemed chilly disinterested The tension wasrooted Terra Nostra Peoplegrumbled thatthey wanted tohearhim something thing Finally Pavarotti belted emotionlessOSoleMio thecrowdwasjubilant Allwas forgiven atleastonthepartoftheaudience Even Pernambucan sert4o where poverty hiddenbehind ubiquitous parabolic antennas Giuliana Matteus permeated hearts Brazilians Stand middle scrub slightly westofthemiddle nowhere myfriendValdetewaved amanpassing donkey They shouted versation agreed visit other following Sunday As turned waved called shoulder Va Va Alright Everything Italianwaseverywhere WHO SWATCHING Whetherinurbanor rural areas theglowofthe vision constant Brazil In morning television clickedonandoftenlefttorununtilsomeoneturnsitoffinthe middleofthenight Mostrestaurantshaveseveraltelevisions suspendedabovetheirdiningtables It snotuncommontosee dozens couples families sitting chewing andstaringupata glowingscreen AsIthinkovermynearlytwo yearstayinBrazil Ican notrecallahouseholdthatdidnothaveatelevision Even intheverymodesthomesofworking classorpoorfriends there always television Sometimes black whitemodels buttheywerenearlyalwayson blaring In homes middle class friends therewereatleasttwotelevisions ifnotmore Television particularlythe novelas ISathreadofcom experience Brazil Unlike U S operas telenovelas broadcast nightly short eight months Everyone knows least basics current dramas individuals favorite novela oftimes passed The nightly soaps capism In years political censorship whichended formally social issueswere plored extensively Since social themes criticism worked novelas usually plots With spread parabolic antennas satel dishesandsatellitebroadcastinginu sincethemid Brazilian televisionreaches nearlyeverywhere country creating parallel community At thiscommonexperience isdilutedbythebooming cableandDirect TVindustries Thosewhocanafford tuneintoU S sitcoms CNNand subtitledmoviesfrom around world InMay TyroneandIspentafewweeksvisitingrural communitiesinthewesternhalfofBahia Forseveraldays weattendedcommunitymeetingsina quilombo Loosely defined aquilombo acommunityofslave descendents Fortyofuscrammedintoatinycinderblockschoolhouse Onthe walls prayers lists student teacher responsibilitiesand Oneofthe firstthings Inoticedwasthat Iwasinan SLS Afro Braziliancommunityand alloftheillustrationson walls ofhappy Caucasian children Acommu nitymemberdrewattentiontothatveryissue butadded twist He angry about Globo ization children He pressed others recall positive television roles BlackBrazilians Forhimtelevision inBrazil nforced exclusion minorities society Headsnoddedin agreement Outside schoolhouse everyone helped selves watermelon meeting facilita Djanete picked conversation about Globo sayingsomeoftheinfluenceswerepositive She citeda community sharecroppers Bom Jesus Lapa Bahia mighty Sao Francisco river actually inspiration 1996TV Globo Rei Gado CattleKing toorganizeandfightfortheland theirfami lieshadbeensharecropping decades Inthe novela agroup oflandless ruralworkersofthe Movimentodo Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra MST nizedagainstapowerfulrancherandsuccessfullyfought apiece ofland Thenovelawasa realboosttopopular support MST The Bahian community watched thenovelaeverynightandwasinspiredbythe fictitious victory Todaytheircase isbeingconsideredbythe state office Instituto coloniza4o reforma agrdria Institute ofColonizationandAgrarianReform I DuringavisittoPernambuco IaskedmyfriendNeta Silva mother three about amount herboys spent watching television I cited couch potato syndrome U S youth Neta shrugged From point motherofthreeteensinaviolentfavela inOlinda Per nambuco wheredrugsandgunsarethenumber onekill television blessing It P6u Lucas Teco distracted trouble I across sentiment Paragominas Pardi Brazil north Paragominas small foundedinthe 1960swhentheFederalGovernmentbuilt theBrasilia Bel6mhighwaytoopenupwestwardexpan The boomed ranching oneofLatinAmerica sbiggestcentersforhardwoodhar vestingand charcoalproduction Thetownhas nameParago balas The balas partofthenamemeans bullets Thetowninitially earned thenickname Wild West atmosphere early tainedthemonikerasemployme nthasdeclinedandvio lence increased Sitting shady entrance field agroupofmen allofwhomlookedlikethey couldsingle handedlywinsimultaneousbarbrawls clared preferred shuttered their wooden shacks watching television night The previous night colleague theirs killed while walking another shome towatch soccer match Andwhatwas Institute Current World Affairs moral story Watching alonewasbet risking awalkacross IngeneralBraziliansdon tseemuncomfortablewith highratesoftelevisionconsumption Thosethatare blametheevilsofsocietyonTVGlobo regardless channel Globo criticism since dominant andmoviespurchasedfromU S distributors Onefriend NaraCosta aGuaraniIndiandescendentand socialworker inBel6m ParG identifies arrival Globo Maraj6 Island years moment whenher extended family indigenous lifestyle ended Conversation values oncebased onnatureand acollectivelifestyleweresubverted Naratakes italittle furtherand links thegrowth ofyouth violenceandgang activity U S filmsbroadcast nightlyontelevisionand available Brazilian cinemas Idon tknowhowdirectthelinkisbetweenimported programmingandincreasingviolence buttheimpacton youthculture impressive Lastyear inRecife Per nambuco whilemyhusbandwas learning aboutyouth culture became friendly group cians Attheir concert wherethetemperaturewaseasily degreesundertheshowtents fanswere dressed inbaggypantswithchains hightube socks bandanas Obviously these characteristics oflocaltropical attire Thefashiontrend probably Sao Paulo where taken NewYork California groups viaMTV cinema While these violent lyricsprotestedpoverty andviolence againstyouth certainlyhad taken their fashion cuesfrom outside their cultu THE QUEENOFTHELITTLEONES ANDOTHER SAVIORS While traveling recently Iwaswaylaidby series nasty found myself curled hotel ridingoutfeversbywatchingtelevision Afterafewdays myeyeswerebleary butwide It started Xuxa Shoo Rainha baxinhos Xuxa Queen Little Ones Maria Graga Meneghel blonde single mother Xuxa She began career model andgirlfriendofsoccerlegendPele andparlayed itinto current yearrun themost successful children program Brazilian television Xuxa Saturday andSundaymorningmarathonsbeginaround8am continue until It exhausting watch Xuxa sprominenceinchildren sprogrammingisnot without polemics Her become synonymous children privilege whiteness wealth marketing beauty It piled In country which people Xuxa majority tenure entertainment limelightmakesman uncomfortable Supporters argue Xuxa charms transcend class ratings adoring But alternatives broadcast andnurtured Andthere arehintsthatXuxa isnotuni versallyadored Hername isoftenusedasapejorative Iwas talking Xuxa thinks It blonde woman Pssst Xuxa Theshowis split intotwosegments Theearlier XuxaPark isgearedtowardyoungchildren Thesetis filledwithsparklyplaygroundequip puppets In raspy almost squeaky voice Xuxa invites children audience silly games girls against There ofburp jokes Afew lessonsonhealthandlife aresprinkledintothe It commercial geared toward product sales similar program United States Itwas othersegment thatcaughtmy Thelaterhours calledPlanetaXuxaand target faras Icantellthefemaleviewerfrom adolescenc grandmotherhood The filled colors giant screens background images Xuxa Xuxa surrounded scantily dancers mostly young There always celebrity guests popular music group highlight When camera scans studio audience screaming fanswavecards flowersandpresentsforXuxa their queen The quintessentialXuxamomentis lebrity interview Abigcouchfloats stage andXuxahas quiet heart heart front millions viewers Special lighting interview geared elicit tearyconfessionsorinspirational talesfromthe interviewee Guests always couch It mandatory Sometimes showisreallygood Xuxa cries Iwasrecently abirthdayparty daughter friend ofmine The partywas patioofherFortaleza Ceariapartment WhenIarrived thebulkofherhuge sisterfamilyhadnestledaround tablesscatteredonth eterrace Ifoundanemptychairat atableofhalfadozenwomen alleducatedandbetween Three ofthemhad demanding reers outside thehome Whatdidwetalkabout Xuxa They loved details about sonallife Theywatchedhershowandboughtmagazines whenever coven They liked herbecause charge beautiful creative mother The other great success Xuxa mentinwhichshechoosesa letterfromoneofherfans askingforsomesortofhelp I mnotsurewhatthe crite Xuxa choose person extends challenge She obstacles If person successfully completes wishis granted Iwasrivetedthefirsttime Isawthis Astruggling working classwomanburdenedwithcrushingdebtwas Amajor estrela daMPBemfotos exdusivas ntaidas ehistcas JOAOGILBERTOABRESUA chosenbasedonalettershehadwrittentoXuxa Avideo showed gamely Working through absurd obstacles As final challenge thewomanwaslocked chickencoop chickens shehad separate secureby sizeand colorwithintwominutes Shemissed byone chicken Withanorange chickeninherhandsthewomancol lapsed utterly disconsolate Ohplease Lord I needed towin Ineededtowin The program stage Xuxa The defeated woman walked stage withtears Thelightsdimmed Thecrying music started Uh Xuxachidedinherbestmother country Thisisa contest Whenthepersonstartssheknows SLS ornothing Wecan tjust things everyone The woman sobbed But shown pluckthatthe production crewhad voted topay themselves In gratitude woman clutched Xuxa thanked again portunitytoatleastvisitRio ifnotescapecrushingdebt Xuxa stepped great mother Thepublicturns toher forhelp Theylookupto alize imitate Xuxaisthoughttohave influ popular culture national Minister Health Jos6 Serra blamedher choice tohaveherdaugh Sasha without marrying father principal reasons teenpregnancyhas surged Brazil Idon tknowifXuxaiseveryteen sidol Whatisap parent Brazilian viewers addicted jerkingconfessionsandpersonaldramasofXuxa sguests contestants The something collective Cinderella Xuxahas puther finger nerve others following While Xuxa andTVGlobomayownSunday Sunday night belongs SBT Sistema Brasileiro Televis4o Gugu Gustavo Liberato It another marathon beginning afternoon lasting until wellI veactuallynevermadeittotheendofhis Gugu small industry Any happy viewercanchoosefromdozens ofGuguToys clothing andgamesfortheir children His faceevengraces lottery tickets Gugu packages Throughoutthe livebroadcasttwowomenarepo sitioned onraisedplatforms Onewears awhite shirtwhile shower other leopard print snarls poses audience However watched segment little bathtub which female guests invited todonabathing ajacuzziwith abeautiful regular ofthe Onepersonhas forbars ofsoap inthe while other tries prevent action Bodies slide overeach other Camera angles neithershy modest The marvel segment women scantybikinis always place Gugudoeshisbitforhumanitybyrespondingtoper sonalpleashereceivesinthemail Ononeparticularshow Guguhighlightedtheplightofafive oldboy criti cally illwithliverproblems Thestorywassadandmov ingespeciallywhenframedbythemother splightofliv ingon donations However fascinating mother corporations lined donate10 000reaischecks Itwasthewaythecamerafol lowed Gugu response everything With every Institute Current World Affairs jerking scene camerazoomedinonGuguashe fullydisplayedtheappropriateemotions Itwastheen gineering sainthood Everything would Trust Gugu EventheMinisterofHealth Jos6Serra theguyseems watch called Gugu guarantee hospitalcarewouldbe firstrate That spull And whyGugu number release valve The someone cares Individuals businesses ministers inGugu secure visibility place donate their The dependence efficiency charity ofthe government middle class andhigher getsbypassed ThepublichaslatchedontothehipmaternityofXuxa empathy Gugu But quick actiontheyturntoRatinho littlerat CarlosMassa liceofficerturnedtvhostforSBT EverythingXuxa Barbie Doll mother Ratinho He He gressive He rough around edges He doesn tographwell He doesn Ratinho carries billy stage His kicks little ratpuppetsarmedwithlittle ratbillyclubs tobeateachother Andwhilethere areparodyacts talent contests guest appearances draws arethe stage confrontationsbetweenindividualswith bones Ratinho mediating inciting WhatgainedRatinhoafollowing ishisbrandofso activismbased video expos6es miserable ditions unjust treatment government neglect corruption I little about Ratinho before dayCarla awomanwehadhiredmostly tohelpherout since shewas tohave fifth child andhermother wasvery sawmetypingane mailandlaunchedinto elaborate speech virtues Ratinho She cluded aplea forme towrite Ratinho CarlawascertainRatinhojustneededtoknowhername andhelpwouldbeontheway Instead I helped write letter reais registered Sao Paulo Ratinho never answered But thathe ratinho offeringamenuofhowto yourstory findalovedone getjusticeserved cates samepeoplewho scoff Ratinho laritywiththe masses secretlylogonatnight PLAYBOYANDFAME Womendressedinscantyoutfitsanddancingontele vision carved significant careers themselves Three recent examples Carla Perez TiazinhaandFeiticeira CarlaPerezlaunchedherselfinto national limelight dancers musicgroup OTchan Fromtheresheposednudefora magazine thereby cementing route wealth landed children It route Xuxa although started asateenmodelandisnotknownforherdanc ability Tiazinha Auntie Feitceira Charmer creations Luciano Huckwhile varietyshow H forSBT sincebeenboughtby Globo H wasthehottestprogramtargetingteensand youngadults Hu ckpulledinyoungmaleviewerswithsexy Mcks Tiazinha Suzana Alves other barely dresseddancers highlightedthestudiostage dancing crowds providing explicit fodder cameras LittleAuntie specialrole Sheworeminiscule blackhotpantsandbra aLoneRangermaskandcarried riding Youngmenwere selected studio audiencetoanswertriviaquestions Iftheyerred Tiazinha termuchhipswivelingandsuggestivemouthpouting would pullahairfromthelegsoftheparticipant Iftheanswerswere correct theSandMprincesswouldwave hinee contestant Tiazinha tofamewasmeteoric In1999 themost popularCarnavalcostumesoldtowomenwasa Tiazinha Tiazinha stole limelight ningly beautiful official Globo poster Valeria Valenssa whoforthe lastnineyearshaswornonlybody paint dance Globo Globeleza Globo Beauty carnival inRioandontelevision Fromthesuburban Rio working class neighborhood childhood Tiazinha smother whenaskedaboutherdaughter replied I think great I wishshewouldputonsomereal shorts Tiazinha different Ona cialguest appearanceontheGugushow sasmall affirmingworld topromoteherspreadinPlayboymaga Tiazinha sincerely believed vitalinhelpingwomenfindthecourage toembrace their sensualityfrombehindtheblackmask Shesawher great liberator savior stale marriages Thatparticularissue ofPlayboymagazineturnedout tobethehighestsellingofalltimeinLatinAmerica It thatbothmenandwomenscrambledtobuytheedi lattertocheckoutherbod andtheformertosee whatshelookedlikewithoutamask Tiazinha resist She recordedabadalbumand H LucianoHuckhur riedly found substitute muscular blonde Joana Prado Tokeepratingsup Pradodonnedanevensmaller bikini white white History repeat itself before Feiticiera hadcharmedherwayinto Playboy ButBraziliansmete outadoration sparingly Staying powerhaseludedmanystars andBraziliansarequicktomove Noteveryoneearnsthe statusofXuxa Tiazinhahasfallen onhard times She trying tokeep career limping along withanafternoonsuper hemshow Occasionallyshe sjoined byFeiticeira partner naked goodness getherthey world The career trajectories likes Xuxa Carla SLS Perez Tiazinha Feiticeira flukes ordinary As husband jokes become children Playboy There tiniesthintofscandallinkedto unlike intheUnited States where Vanessa Williams Miss America crown stripped after photos surfaced Playboyinthe Theideaofnudity separatefrom virginity andwholesome orgoodcharacter arenot opposing notions Brazil It practical onstration career asset Ther arethousands girlshopingto stardom Just young chase illusions catchingfame withbrilliant performances onthe soccer field younggirlsfancythemselvesthenextmegamodel dancesensationortvhost Globoanditscompetitionhave helped bring dream improbable places WhilelivinginanMSTsettlementintheinterior Pernambuco I joined friends hanging front porch settlementhouse serving atemporary clinic Present teenaged sisters AnaCleideandAnaCleice Ialwayslikedthewaythey sortofloungedoneachotherwhenrelaxing Ihadacam started making pictures They wanted I would images published theStates Irepliedthattheimagesweremoreformyself thananything Theywere disappointed AnaCleideand AnaCleice greatdreamwastobemodels Without crushing their esteem I tried about their grasp reality living communitywithouteducationorbasichealth Even after rotten molars yanked their mouths would break andentertheworld ofglamourandfinancial What blewmymindwashowmuchthe adultsaroundthem agreed could happen The great savior television would pluck poverty everything happen So girls preened themselves dressed closely aspossible totheexamples theparabolicantenna capturedandcarried theirfamily stickhouse And Giselle Gisele Bindchen family children Horizontina Rio Grande Sul She currently forefront awave ofBrazilianmodels surging international market Thoughthe lanky bustyknockout making international fashion worldforthepastyear itwasn tuntilshelandedonthe cover GQ Newsweek Rolling Stone Harpers Bazaar asasthecoverstory thattheBrazilianmediareally ebratedheraccomplishments Brazilianwomenand rlshavebeenwatchingher forsometime The success Gisele andBrazilianbeau tiesfollowingherisfuelingthedreamsofwanna bemod starlets Gisele coveted Brazilian women golden lanky ample especially since claims never exercise whatever wants Her underscored images imported Brazil U S televi movies andMTV Whereas Brazilian television noted producing content recent years balance domestic versus importedprogramminghas tipping other For example headwithGloboproductions SBTpresidentSilvioSantos closed contractwithWarnerandDisney thetune million broadcast rights films through It dominate rating But hascontributedtotheincreasedinflux S cultureinto Brazil Tyrone struckup conversation Brazil security guard The conversation wound around cultural differences WhyareyouAmericans peit4o boobs Brazilian prefer bund4o That changing Whereas ideal izedbeauty Brazilhas longbeenthe stereotype mysterious morena thick cascades small breasts stomach rounded thighs things changing At frequently performedplasticsurgeryonthebodywasbreastreduc tions Now alongwithlipo suctionsandbuttimplants breast augmentations It Everyone Xuxa Carla Perezand It discreet either Unlike Hollywood dency disappear seclusion before surgical alter ations toswearsurgeons secrecy goingunder knife status earning WhenXuxa inches sucked waist couple hundred silicon pumped herbreasts itwasbignews happynews Inapost trans formation interview Xuxa shesawno problem womanchangingherbodyifitmadeherhappy What relieved times women slaves fashion world sured alter their looks Today world ishealthierandmorenaturalforwomen The ironywas suffocating buther attitudewas unique As Brazil Globo globalized Indeed influence television incredible Brazil In country little value leisure reading newspapers books magazines expensive population functionally illit erate adults television primary source infor 2ItjustmakesitallthemorepoetictomethattheBrazilianConsulateinLosAngeles throughwhich securedmyvisa ishoused intheFlyntPublicationsbuilding Husttcr Penthouse Institute Current World Affairs mation entertainment majority population Andtonight theydo nights aweek Brazilians television inavarietyshow adubbedU S movieorthe latestchap ofthe hottest telenovela The current Laos Famllia Family Ties VENEZU BRAZIL Brasilia BOLIVIA BuenosAires ARGENTINA dramacenteredinthe super chicneighborhoodofLebl6n inRiodeJaneiro Oneofthemaincharacters isHelena widow VeraFischer Playboy sJanuary2000covergirl century mature beauty withaman20yearsherjunior Herdaughter Camila inlove sameman carrying hisbaby slated tomarryhimsoon Countedamongthe intimate friends triangle Capitu GiovannaAntoneli amiddle class girlworking successfully supportheryoung sonandparents Whattrends novela spark But pendulum swinging other Brazilian television The Archdiocese Rio Janeiro threatened interfere filming Laos protest immoral family relations though remained silent about character peated sexualviolation ofwomenon theprogram At theendoflastweektheMinistry ofJusticeorderedGu little bathroom segment effort cleanupprime And someviewers callingfor selective censorhip afterRatinhobroadcast avideo unrepentantcriminalabusingandsexuallymolestingthe daughter rival Those interested little Brazilian viewing TVGlobo available U S permonth Don ttouch