Firing the pigskin real right : Media representations of Simpson and Romo.

The purpose of the study was to examine the media\u27s representations of sport-celebrity couple singer-actress, Jessica Simpson and Dallas Cowboys Quarterback, Tony Romo. One hundred magazine and 100 newspaper articles published between December 17, 200, that coincided with the first publicized notion of the Jessica Simpson jinx and April 15, 2009, were qualitatively analyzed. The investigation revealed the prevailing dominant ideologies of patriarchal structures, traditional gender roles, hegemonic masculinity and deviance, while underscoring the mass media\u27s ubiquitous characteristics. The literature emphasized the mass media\u27s representation of the celebrity and the media\u27s habitual employment of gossip and rumor linguistics to frame the narratives surrounding Simpson and Romo, both autonomously and collectively. The study uncovered typologies that mirror the archetypal sporting partnership: Simpson\u27s polarized physical attributes, her feminine position as a supporter, her function as an antagonist (i.e., the femme fatale, Yoko Ono), and Romo\u27s position as a hegemonic male and a victim. Through the development of the above themes, the researcher sought to illustrate the concepts of villanization and victimization in the mass media, where Simpson was portrayed unfavorably and Romo was portrayed favorably suggesting the need to maintain the patriarchal order while restraining female dominance