Well, Whitney Houston died last night. And the usual happened. Some posted good thoughts. then came the jokes. "Crack is bad." "Who cares?" "Shoulda cancelled the Whintey SHOW instead," Etc. Etc. Etc. It filled up Twitter and FB. But I didn't see a lot of the FB snarkiness because I have quit FB mostly. Its nice.
This sort of thing happens when ANY major news happens in the world. Its how some deal with things I guess. Its just what we do. but it certainly saddens me when it comes to death that people do these things. It makes me take a step back and think about who and what we are anymore. So desensitized to things that we have to make jokes to cope? An over explained and analyzed post-post-post modern, deconstructionist world full of people who must get to the obvious, most offensive joke about a thing first. It just fascinates me. And saddens me at the same time. Part of the reason I am not much of a Family guy fan anymore is because they do that stuff. How many times can you "laugh" at Micheal J Fox for having Parkinson's? Is that funny? Is it funny the 1,000th time? Really?
Some enjoyed Whitney's music. I liked some of her early hits, but I certainly wouldn't call me a mega fan. I wouldn't have gone to her concerts and I Don't own any of her songs. Still, I noted the small amount of enjoyment she gave to my life with this or that song. And then I noted that I was sad for her and her family that she was not able to escape her demons. Cause it indeed is sad. Everyone wants to be the hero of their story. She was unable to be that. Despite all the cool things she leaves behind for us to reflect on, she was unable to beat the demons. There's something sad in that. I feel anyway. The internet at large, not so much.
For example, years ago I used to say things like "Britney Spears is an air thief and should die." And it got laughs. But I changed the sort of elitist attitude about celebrity obsession a few years later and now I don't say those things. I say like who you like. And if Brintey Spears died tomorrow. I'd be like "Whoa! She's dead. Oh her poor kids. They will be without a mom. Her poor fans, who got some sort of enjoyment out of her work and now they will know loss. That sucks for them." Seriously, thats what I would say. Despite the fact that I've never met her and never will, I feel something for the loss of ANY life. Does that make me a "better person?" I don't feel like it should. It makes me feel HUMAN. At base, thats what we all should feel like. You'd think anyway.
I guess I just don't get on with the snarky mentality when it comes to reacting to things. And I know there will come a day when someone I DO care about will die and people will say disrespectful things. The day Shatner dies, people will say things like "He might be dead, but his toupee and girdle are still with us." Just an example. But I know its coming. Same thing with Paul McCartney. Or David Gilmour. Or people I genuinely look up to. I remember when Steve Jobs passed and people tossed jokes. I got a tad pissed about it. And thats another one that I hate people accusing you of. Like when a celebrity dies and we post things about how cool they were. Inevitably some asshole will post something like "Well, you didn't care yesterday about them! All the sudden they are dead and NOW you care!" Like we are all fair weather fans or something. Well, untrue. We can still be effected by a death. Thats MY reaction to news. I don't have to mention EVERYTHING I LIKE every single day I live in order for my feelings on a thing to feel validated do I? I wouldn't think so. Nor can you say what reaction is right or wrong for me to feel, cause it is for ME.
So it is a person's right to be funny and try to entertain on the death of a person. I get that. And certainly I have laughed at the jokes. But still, it just bums me out that we have to be that way. I just wish everyone could just be cool. I hope when I die you got no jokes. "Oh no, Adam is dead. We gotta cut down A LOT of trees to make that coffin!" "Oh Adam is dead. Now we can feed the world with all he was eating." "Adam is dead. One less porn shop worker in the world. Adam is dead. Now McDonalds will go out of business." "Adam is dead. Now the twenty people who read his comics will have to find something else to read on the shitter." Etc. There. I did your work for you. I'm likely not to trend. And I am fine with that. But I'd rather die being known as a passionate, loving and all around cool person, than just another fucking prick. The world has plenty of those.
T
(Note: This EXCLUDES the Talkshoe show talk. As we're on there giving entertainment. Lee Duhig, I know has no hate in his heart and I know he's saying it as a joke. Clarified. He gets a pass. And we say some things to one up him, cause we have to. That is different and that is the expected venue for such things. I hope that is clear.)
Edit. To add to this: THIS VIDEO from TEAM AMERICA
1 comment:
Well put.
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