noblenonsense's Blog

My beef with Jessica Chobot

(Fri 12/15/2006 08:39am)

Let me start out this entry with a headnote. I have bronchitis, I am medicated, and I could fall asleep within five minutes if I weren't at work. So please take that into consideration.

Also, I have never met Jessica Chobot. I believe she's a west coaster and I'm a midwesterner. Hard to really meet someone when there's a lot of distance between the two of us.

At the end of each and every entry I always put "Until next time fanboys and fangirls...BANG!". I display that for the sheer joy I get in putting the word bang in an entry AND to show gratitude to the few that actually read this and get a moment of distraction. But each time I make it a conscious effort to add fangirl.

Long is the history that is of male domination in everything from: Army recruits to zoologists. I mean we're everywhere and we do not like to share our toys. We're that kid. You know the one that has the rich parents that give him the really expensive toy and show boats it at recess, playground, classroom, bus ride to and from school, at the park, in the library, and anywhere we can. That's what men have always done. But recently, as in this century, women have gained more attention/rights/abilities/voice/etc in the way of the world. I for one enjoy this.

"Wait...he wants to share his toy?"

Yeah I do. I associate that willingness to having a strong female presence in my life while growing up. My mom always taught me to be a gentleman and to be respectful of the other sex. So I share my toys with them. But for the rest of the world it's taken some time. One facet of the world that has taken a long long long time to give way is the "Geekdom" community. Okay the community that we know hasn't been around for a long time but its stereotype has been with it since it began.

Say the word "gamer" and we automatically think of a 17 year old guy using his parents newly bought 56 inch plasma screen tv with surround sound and next gen console spending 15 hours a day playing Gears of War. Say the word "comic book fan" and we automatically assume that its either a 12 year old male going through puberty who thinks Peter Parker is hot crap OR of a 40 year old virgin who can name off all the past girlfriends of Booster Gold (important geek fact...I know none...that makes me feel good inside by the way). Yet the times are a changing.

On occassion I'll visit IGN.com (though I can't at work anymore as its somehow blocked and noted as being "Mature Adult Material/Pornography") and 'lo and behold it's Jessica Chobot. She's plastered everywhere like the new mascot that they can't wait to show off. It's like the Chinese and their god awful mascots for the next Olympics (haven't seem them? google it). With her updates, Preacher-Teacher, and links to her blog I feel blasted with Jessica Chobotness. Doesn't help that Mania.com brought her over to do a column.

Now normally I don't mind an okay looking woman all over the place. In fact good for IGN on putting out a noticeable figure. But there are three things that just rub me the wrong way with Jessica Chobot ("took you long enough"...yes..yes it did):
1) I like reading my daily news in hopes of delaying any possible real work. So going to CNN.com I REALLY did not want to see Jessica Chobot (or any individual of the "Geekdom" community minus Steve Jobs or Bill Gates) within the pages of CNN.com. Call me an odd character but I like for those two aspects of my life not to mix. It's like drinking OJ after a game of hoops. Both good on their own but mixed its just bad. Some people don't like their food touching. I just don't like my different joys mixing. That's really more my issue.
2) Yes she's good looking! We get it! But you know what?! I don't care anymore! Give me an ugly woman at this point! I'd rather have an unattractive woman bringing me updates of the gaming world and dating advice. Why?! Because an obsessive amount of attention is given to her just for her looks (BTW if Jessica Chobot ever reads this...here's a note for you...STOP LICKING ELECTRONICS!). I enjoy her rants, articles, and updates. She's got an excellent voice thats being overshadowed by her looks. Don't believe me? Try reading something she writes without thinking what she'd look like naked. Go ahead. See! I'm not mad at her for having looks. It's just disappointing to see that its the only thing thats noticed first.
3) She could easily become the voice for females in the "Geekdom" community and she's not taking the reigns. Maybe she doesn't want to. Maybe she doesn't think there needs to be one. But there needs to be one. There needs to be someone on the inside saying "what about us fangirls?!?!" If you haven't had the chance read this: http://occasionalsuperheroine.blogspot.com/. It shows what one woman went through in the comic industry. There's a lot of injustice in the world and the "Geekdom" community has it's fair share. It would be nice to have a role model or a voice. Jessica Chobot has a golden chance to be that voice. That's my real beef with her. She could be more than the model that licked a PSP. She could be the voice for females in a male dominated industry.

But thats just my idea. What's yours?

Until next time fanboys and fangirls...BANG!