tdaxp

"Has the Maturing of Generation-X prompted the rise of 'New Dude Cinema'?," by Movie Marketing Blog, 9 August 2005, http://www.indiescene.net/archives/Comedy/Has-the-Maturing-of-.html.

"Generation X - Dudes Growing Up," by Nellie Lide, New Persuasion, 14 August 2005, http://newpersuasion.typepad.com/new_persuasion/2005/08/generation_x_du.html.

Nellie Lide's New Persuasion blog is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Madam Lide writes mostly about branding, but almost all of her posts can be generalized to struggle. In her latest post, she uses an article at Movie Marketing blog about male "Generation X" actors -- men from their mid twenties to mid forties

1. A Desire for Adolescence

The New Dude company of actors, dubbed the "frat pack," includes Will Ferrell, Jack Black, Ben Stiller, and the stars of Wedding Crashers. Unlike the dude comedies of a generation ago, these new films' heroes aren't fighting the system -- they're fighting maturity. You see this phenomenon everywhere. Whether it's Esquire or Adult Swim or Xbox, the modern man is battling to stay in a perpetual adolescence where you never have to grow up, but you get to have tons of cool gadgets and expensive material possessions anyway. Remember how you always told yourself that those fraternity blockheads would be in big trouble once they entered the real world? Well, guess what happened? There's a whole industry devoted to them now.

As they embark upon middle age, the oldest Xers are coming into their own for the first time, generational experts say. They're getting married, starting families and embracing traditional values that set them apart from the "Me Generation' of baby boomers.

I actually think what Gen X brings to the table is something the baby boomers lack - A SENSE of FUN. Wedding Crashers is a hit because it's fun and funny - and that's something we baby boomers are picking up from the generation behind us. It's starting to be found everywhere - from movies to work to church.