Whitney Houston died over the weekend at age 48. If you don't know that and are somehow reading this, you need to check your priorities. I mean, I'm flattered and all that you think you're going to stay updated on current events from my blog, but seriously. Look at your Twitter, or Facebook, or just Google "current events" or something.
The thing about Whitney's death that made me laugh (yes, I laughed) was that everyone was talking about how interesting it was that Twitter broke the story 27 minutes before any AP news channel did. Really? That's what's so interesting about the death of an icon?
Honestly, I'm not crushed by her death. I'm not shocked either. Look at the picture attached to this post and you'll understand exactly why. When's the last time that she's done ANYTHING relevant other than make the tabloids happier than Newt Gingrich if we landed on the moon? Her memory will always be tarnished by her drug abuse and her final days. Thankfully, for people like me, we can remember her as she was. Just listen to her music. There's absolutely no doubt that she was a force to be reckoned with. If you don't know any of her songs, you've been living under a rock for far too long. EVERYONE knows Whitney. Her vocal power and appeal were second to none back when she was on top.
So, we can all remember Whitney as she was. The powerhouse vocalist of old. Or, we can remember her as a cracked out has been. I dunno. They're both interesting to write about at least.
Wow, you are just a little ball of sunshine, aren't you? If you are trying to drive away readers, you have adopted a very effective method for doing so. You manage to be both insulting and condescending in conveying your indifference about Whitney Houston. That's what I'm left with after reading your blog rather than any opinion you have about Houston.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Michael has said anything particularly offensive here. I just think he has bee a little bit tactless about saying something that is undoubtedly true. It is implied here that she has somehow become a waste of space but this is in my opinion merely an example of how crude the English language at times can be. Perhaps this is Michael's true opinion. I do not think it is though.
ReplyDeleteThe way I read this was that Whitney was a shining talent in her youth but that she had lost her way. Anyone falling into that kind of lifestyle will basically lose their will to live. Her death was her freedom from the drug induced misery that her life had now become. Michael projects an indifference but this is not a fully sincere indifference, note he talks about how he will remember her the way she was. There is some fondness here.
As for when he mentions laughing. This laughing is not at Whitney's expense. This laughing is at the fact that the world has just lost 'a powerhouse vocalist' whose 'vocal power and appeal were second to none'. This laughter is instead incredulous laughter that at a time when such a talent has been taken from us the thing that is of more interest to the world is that twitter is faster than old media.
Perhaps this blog post is not coached in the terms and etiquette of a seasoned politician but there is nothing offensive here. It is merely blunt and honest.
Honestly, it sounds like you do care - quite a lot. Having now read and re read you blog a couple of times, what comes across is an attempt to be sardonic. What is clear is that you are insightful. What is clear is that you give a lot of thought to a lot of topics. What is clear is that you need to give voice to your thoughts. But the attempt to inject Seinfeld-like irony only clouds your intent. You seem to watch and think and muse a lot. You'd be a lot more fulfilled - and suffer from inertia a lot less - if you focused on telling the tale that YOU want to tell and focusing a little more on you as your audience.
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