from the archives

de Saussure

stands up in the 
audience to point out
that the fact that
Britney Spears was
cleared in the dog 
abuse scandal
negates its nomination
for the MTV award
of arbitrary linguistic
sign. Derrida, who's
presenting the award,
agrees, since it's
become apparent that
the limit of representation 
based on signified-
signifier dichotomy 
has been reached. But, he
continues, an arbitrary 
sign can make playing
with substitutes
possible. He tells Britney
to continue towards
the stage & calls
upon Fed-Ex to
join her, saying that the
second nomination, a 
complaint lodged with DCFS 
involving allegations of 
poor dental hygiene, as 
well as poor eating & 
sleeping habits for their 
kids, still qualifies, if only
to remind the viewing
audience of the lack 
of access of many of the 
world's poor to clean water.

11.24.2008