2010. a Year of Social Entertainment

As 2010 is coming to a close, we have picked out a few of our favorite things to keep from 2010, and take into the new year. These are some entertainment outlets that really brought people together this year. Some are fun, some are controversial and others just promoted a great discussion about diversity.

 GetGlue 

This social media application, which was launched in 2009, but gained most of its popularity this past year, has been credited as the first social networking tool to really make a connection with culture. Get Glue is a social entertainment app which (much like Foursquare) lets users 'check in' to movies, books, TV shows and even wines to share their cultural experiences with their friends. Why didn't we think of this before?

I absolutely love the app and the idea, even though it is still in its early stages. The best part is that, different from Facebook and Twitter, but similar to Foursquare, users can receive social rewards called stickers and even earn discounts and coupons after they have reached certain levels. This is definitely a great app to keep and take with you into the new year. 

Modern Family

One of the best shows of 2010, this show really does portray what the nuclear family of today really looks like: unconventional. Here is a synopsis of the show:

The story follows the families of Jay Pritchett  his daughter Claire Dunphy , and his son Mitchell Pritchett  who live in a Los Angeles-area suburban community. Claire is a homemaker mom married to Phil Dunphy ; they have three children. After splitting with his longtime wife, Jay has re-married with a much younger Colombian woman, Gloria Pritchett , and is helping her raise her pre-teen son, Manny Delgado . Mitchell and his partner Cameron Tucker  have adopted a Vietnamese baby, Lily Pritchett-Tucker. (source)

Modern Family does a fantastic job of addressing how diverse American families truly are. While many still strive to meet the high expectations set for them by the Leave It to Beaver days, with shows like Modern Family it is clear that we have come a long way as a society in terms of admitting who we really are. It addresses issues like homosexual relationships, split-home families, bi-cultural relationships and ageism with humor and compassion. This is my favorite show on television right now and I cannot wait for more seasons to come in 2011.

 Google T.V.

OK, so while I haven't actually tried Google TV or any other social TV viewing platform, I have to say that I think social television viewing will be a huge way that people get together the future. Think about it. How many of you already watch TV shows online and participate in a conversation about what your watching on Twitter and Facebook or a blog? Or call or text your friend during the MTV Music Awards or the Grammys?

Now think about what would happen if you could do all of these things in one place.

Google TV is a platform that allows you to access the internet and watch shows on your television at the same time (you can view a demo of it online). Another service is Boxee and some websites are even creating their social viewing platforms that you can access on your computer, like Bravo and MTV.

Google TV will definitely have some hurdles to jump, especially with most major networks rejected to optimize its websites for the platform. But I would say that Google TV is something we should definitely keep our eye on in 2011.

Kelly Cutrone's No B.S. Feminism 

Kelly Cutrone is a fashion public relations specialist who started her own public relations firm in New York, called People's Revolution. So you may think her memoir would be a dull recantation of the woes of working in fashion, laden with a bunch of PR-talk. Wrong.

This book exemplifies true feminism in its best. At the heart of Cutrone's book is the struggle of being of a woman and how to overcome the challenges that life gives you. In this masterpiece, Cutrone takes us through some of her struggles with love, marriage, drugs and just living in the 80s, 90s and modern day time.

No matter what your race, creed or gender this book is empowering for anyone that has gone through a struggle. Put this book on your nightstand and highlight some things to remind yourself of in 2011...

Mark Zucherburg

According to his nomination as Time magazine's official Person of the Year, it is safe to say that Facebook's founder and CEO, Mark Zucherburg has officially taken over the world. And I would argue that without the movie The Social Network, which gave movie-goers around the world insight into his story, most of us wouldn't know his name.

OK, so maybe that is isn't true. But if definitely helped. The Social Network is a great story about how Zucherburg founded Facebook and all of the controversy that surrounded its foundation. What was also great about this film, is that it really showed us why people want to use social networking tools.

Facebook started out as a college-based tool that only allowed users with a .edu address to register and view others in their 'network'. The truth is, in the beginning, people weren't interested in using Facebook to meet new people, but to (pretty much) stalk the people they already knew; to find out if your ex-boyfriend was in a relationship or how the frat party was that you missed.

Overall, the Social Network was a great film that added to the real Zucherburg's fan base and told us what social networking was originally about and it should definitely be up for an Emmy in 2011.   

 Word With Friends 

This scrabble-esque social game and mobile app really brought people together this year. With Words with Friends, you can play with your friends, family or strangers to compete to see who can get the most points by piecing words together on a (virtual) board.

What's great about this app is that there are really no strings attached. Other than the simple chat feature, users really just come together for fun and to play a game together. There is no profile or added social networking burden. The simplicity of this app and the way it brings people together will likely hold strong in 2011 with other variations sure to come.

What were some of YOUR favorite sources of entertainment in 2010? 

Any predictions for 2011?