Well there are odd bits of news and then there are dumb and oddball ones. I mean this bunch of items I ran into caught me off guard. Let me start with probably one of the worst Emmy nominations I’ve ever heard of. Ms. Ellen Burstyn is an Oscar-winning actress, and is known for solid performances. But I cannot imagine that she is so good that 15 seconds of acting rates an Emmy nomination. Much like the Academy Awards, there is no restriction on how long a performance must be to earn a nomination. Of course common sense (which seems more and more like it is uncommon) would dictate that a shorter performance be something highly memorable and defining. It should enhance the movie or television program, and leave an indelible mark on the viewer. As good as some entertainers are I cannot see anyone being able to do the above in 15 seconds. There is barely enough time to see the entertainer let alone make an impression. And who knows what actresses were looked over to provide Ms. Burstyn this honor. She may be good, but does HBO (who submitted this performance for consideration) truly think that 15 seconds is worth it? Then again, since she got the nomination they might be right. Odd I say.
Moving along in this theme is news that yet another couple that opened their lives to the public as newly-weds has filed for divorce. Why do people do this? Is 15 minutes of fame worth the embarrassment? How can anyone share themselves with their ‘one true love’ while sharing their experiences with millions? What kind of intimacy can be formed when Joe Public knows every detail about your daily life and relationship? When you’re being rated on every action for its entertainment value. Would you want to have your life judged for how entertaining the pitfalls and joys you endure are to anyone else? So is it any surprise that Mr. Travis Barker and his wife Shanna Moakler have failed to hold together their union. I’m not saying they didn’t try, or that they don’t love each other. But I will say that placing one’s relationship in such bright lights at such a critical time isn’t very advantageous to long term prosperity. So I’m not shocked, nor do I expect better.
Of course a serious drop in IQ seemed to provide this bit of news. It seems that 4 men decided that jumping in front of cars on a highway was something that needed to be taped and spread on the internet. Not even 15 minutes of fame and they are willing to risk their lives and those of others. I’ve only thought that idiocy like this occurred on shows like Jackass and such. How such mindless and dangerous crap is considered entertaining by anyone escapes my reasoning. Thankfully this happened in Spain and was done by Frenchmen. Of course similar idiocy has occurred in England and of course on MTV here in the USA. Hopefully this is merely a fad, and a short-lived one at best. Watching fools doing foolish acts is not funny to me, just mindless and dumb.
But something meaningful did happen today. Mr. Shawn Carter, otherwise known as Jay-Z, announced his work with the United Nations to highlight the lack of fresh water many suffer throughout the world. Truly a worthy cause and something that I am happy to hear of. I may not be a fan of hip-hop or rap as it exists today, but when entertainers can use their fame to highlight causes that help I’m always willing to acknowledge their contributions. And Mr. Carter is not just talking about the 1.1 billion without drinkable water; he is helping to change the figure. While the 1000 combination water pumps and merry-go-round are just the tip of the iceberg, it is an act to create a better world. It is an action and hopefully it can get others to act on this as well. It’s not often that an entertainer gets to work directly with the UN on something that directly helps people throughout the world, nor that they get to have the U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan endorse publicly their actions. I admit that I am impressed and I hope that this effort results in awareness and improved conditions of those currently without fresh water.
This is what I think, what do you think?
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