This is quite a sad week in entertainment. First with the sudden and tragic death of Ms. Anna Nicole Smith’s son. I wish her my condolences as I can only imagine how devastating the loss of a child could be. I also feel sickened by the media in how it is in a frenzy to try to gain information on this event.
Last week Fox News (yes I watch it a bit) had a 5 minute blurb on a massive fire that is raging in the Northwest. Because of an email request they went back to the story for another 3 minutes. The same was the case on the news about the typhoon that hit Wake Island. But they have spent probably an hour on Ms. Smith and her son. Let the woman have a chance to grieve, and go onto another story that deserves more time.
In other news, on a subject I rarely speak about, there is news of a celebrity separation. I’m sure this will capture far more attention than it should, but Mr. and Mrs. Brown have filed for a separation. I mean Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston. Normally I don’t speak on such a subject as it isn’t really worth much attention and is a private matter. Already the news has caught the attention of Fox News and the Associated Press (note the email address from yahoo, there is no divorce).
The thing I am surprised by is the direction the media seems to be taking in this matter. It seems that Fox and Mr. John Rogers of the Associated Press are taking sides. I’ve heard and interpreted that the focus of the news story is on Whitney Houston and the potential for her career to come back. They seem to almost say ‘it’s about time they broke up’. How dare they. What gives them the right to imply such.
Every time Mr. Brown has had trouble, and yes he has had a few run-ins with the law but not nearly as many as half a dozen rappers I could name, I’ve noticed the media has appeared to try to console poor Mrs. Brown. The AP story discusses how the couple was a mismatch, and the travails of Mr. Brown. The tone of the piece seems negative to him and the relationship. Why?
Over the last 14 years, Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown have had probably one of the best marriages in the entertainment industry. I mean that. They have stayed together thru drug and alcohol addictions, jail sentences, media hype and tabloid intrusion. The majority of the time they have been supportive of each other, no matter the situation. And they have never had difficulty expressing their affection even in public. I mean how many wives to you know jump into the arms of their husband when he gets release from jail? That is not only a loving Black African American couple, that’s an example of truly giving and being in love I think.
Yet the media has rarely missed a chance to mention how ‘street’ Mr. Brown is. How Mrs. Houston’s career has dropped off since they have been together. Or to discuss rumors that Mr. Brown was involved or responsible for Mrs. Houston’s drug use. And now the immediate concern is a possible comeback because she will not be with Mr. Brown. That is wrong. Let me remind people that this is a separation, and not the first the couple has had.
While they may not be the glamour couple that Mr. Brad Pitt and Ms. Angelina Jolie may be, they have out lasted perhaps a dozen other celebrity marriages. To a degree they are a model couple, not only for Black African Americans but all Americans, as they have worked through problems together that many in this nation give up on and divorce for. Well over 3.6 – 4.7 divorces per 1000 people occurred in 2005 (estimate, the data is not totally clear). That makes America the 3rd highest divorce rate country in the world, and throughout the 90’s the number was often quoted as being 50% of married couples. Data states that the average is 8 years, the Brown’s are at 14 years and counting.
So maybe the media can get off their high horses. They aren’t perfect by any means, but I don’t know a couple or person that is. At least they did what the vows say, “For better or worse, in sickness and health.” And they may still get the next one too, “Til death do you part.”
This is what I think, what do you think?
1 comment:
Mike,
You've got some valid points. However, I am not talking about her career being restored, but her spritual well-being. And believe it or not, HIS as well. There are sometimes, when you have to stop beating a dead horse; regardless of how much you love each other. In the end, there will be nothing but a continual spiral of pain, dysfunction and internal emotional death.
I and many others have been there. And was glad that I was given the strength to cut my losses and move on. I really feel that this is what they BOTH need.
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