Why It Would Be Rad To Be Jem/Jerrica Benton For A Day

So I recently found out about this little show called "Jem, or Jem and The Holograms." I’ve heard about it in the past, and I was familiar with it, but I didn’t know much about it besides that it was once a pretty popular TV show in the ‘80s.

Then, I saw the trailer a few months back for a live version movie of the TV show, entitled "Jem and The Holograms" - staring some new actress, who apparently is my doppelganger according to my friends. So that's pretty neat. Anyway, it's going to be hitting theaters October 23rd this year, and yes. I am going to see it. And yes, I am excited for it because I do think it looks rad. I know a lot of die-hard Jem fans out there are pretty disappointed with the movie . . . and I think that's an understatement.

A lot of people think that the movie doesn't have anything to do with the actual cartoon, and the real Jem story line. There has a lot of "Synergy business" to do with it, if you know what I mean. I can understand why they would be greatly upset. The thing is, I am a newer Jem fan, so I don't really know what to compare the film to, because I have just started watching the show on YouTube. And also, anything that has to do with all girl bands, lots and LOTS of glitter and '80s inspired outfits, I'm totally down for. So if you're a MAJOR Jem fan and you are reading this, I am so sorry and I don't mean to offend you.

As I've become more familiar with "Jem and The Holograms" I've come to admire it and the idea of living a sort of awesome double lifestyle. I know, I know - it sounds a bit Hannah Montana, except it's a million trillion times better. Not only have I had the theme song stuck in my head for a couple of days now, ("It's totally, totally outrageous. Jem is my name, no one is the same, Jem is my naaame!")but the whole concept of the show is appealing. I've always wanted to start my own all girl rock band, and I like that Jem is confident in her own skin and expresses a lot of independence and "girl power".

For starters, she's in a totally rad all girls band, and they don't suck. I am horrible at guitar, and I'm rusty on the drums, so I'm kind of jealous. (yes, of cartoon characters...) Jem, Kimber, Aja, Shana and Raya are basically the definition of "cool"l in my opinion. What's even cooler is that they're all really great friends (Mainly because they were brought together by Jem and Kimber's parents who adopted the other three girls) Why wouldn't you want to be in a rock band, and have a double identity that you can switch back and forth through with the magic words "Showtime, Synergy"? Sounds pretty amazing to me.


Another thing about Jem/Jerrica that I admire is that she is confident and independent - especially when she is Jem, of course. When she is Jerrica, she is strong, hardworking, and she is the manger and owner of Starlight Foundation - which was previously owned by her father before he died. After his death, she takes it into her own hands to keep it alive, and I think that's awesome and shows traits of an ambitious woman. When she is Jem, she is the main reason that Starlight Foundation is even still around, because she is successful and popular.

How can you not dig the fashion? I want Jem's wardrobe, and I want it now. Because this show was made in the 1980s, the clothing was obviously a plethora of crazy, brightly colored, eccentric ensembles of 80s creation. I would wear this. I would wear all of it! When I was younger, I was pretty sure that I was destined to be a teenager in the '80s, and I went through this phase where I would watch angsty teen movies from the '80s (Ya know, the Brat Pack and stuff) and I would try to put together "80s inspired" outfits. I just love the bright colors, the crazy, bold make up, the fun accessories, and the colorful hair.

"Glamour and glitter, fashion and fame." Need I say more? Lots of pink and tons of glitter is a girl's dream come true - mine anyway. I want her make-up collection. I want her make-up artist. Does she do her own make-up, even? I want to look that fabulously on point every freaking day.




So the thing about Jem/Jerrica, is that she gets all of the guys . . . well, mainly Jem - because duh, she's a pop-star in a super rad band with a bunch of other gorgeous girls. Jem seemingly has all these guys flocking to her, including this one kind of important guy named Rio. Alright - so spoiler alert, but Rio is the record producer for Jem and The Holograms, at Starlight, but he is also Jerrica's boyfriend. Long story short, he loves Jerrica but he has the crush on Jem, and that adds complications - creating the typical, weird love triangle. Sounds fun, right? Okay, on second thought . . . this doesn't sound like fun in the least bit. And not telling your boyfriend that you're actually Jem as well as Jerrica is a little bit awkward. However, I'll still taking the record producing boyfriend thing. That would be awesome.

Jem/Jerrica has AMAZING best friends. As mentioned above, Jem/Jerrica, Kimber, Aja, Shana and Raya are pretty damn tight because they're all basically siblings. Jem/Jerrica and Kimber are biologically siblings, and Aja, Shana and Raya were adopted by Jem/Jerrica and Kimber's parents - so the neat thing is that they're sisters, but they're best friends as well - AND in a really successful pop-rock all female band that kicks major a$$. They're all on the same side and they have each others back. #girlpower.

Obviously, the coolest thing about Jerrica/Jem is that her dad left her his awesome invention behind called "Synergy", which was built by him, to be "the ultimate audio-visual entertainment synthesizer" and it was given to her after his death. Jerrica/Jem is able to command Synergy to project "the Jem hologram" over herself by means of the remote micro-projectors in her earrings, thus disguising her features and clothing, enabling her to assume the Jem persona. I mean . . . . what's more cooler than that!? It's fashion and new-age technology at it's finest. The '80s totally knew what they were doing. I want a pair of star shaped earrings that can transform me into a different persona with the simple two words of "It's showtime, Synergy". However, knowing me, I would probably over-use it and wear out Synergy, or I would just be Jem the entire time - or in my case, "Jewel", my alter ego. Yeah, I just made that up on the spot.

And just because, here is the opening theme song for Jem. Yes, it's totally '80s, and yes, it is kinda - well, very - cheesy, indeed. But there's something about it that you can't cannot enjoy and jam out to. I hope this gets stuck in your head just like it did for me.