Morgan Freeman recovering - respect is due

The news is spreading fast so I am sure that most have heard the news, Morgan Freeman was in a car accident. So far the news has been clear to point out that his injuries were not life threatening. The last I heard he suffered a broken arm and shoulder.

Of course I have also heard a good and bad thing along with that news. The good thing is possibly the bigger issue. Before rumors run around, all indications and statements at this time from the police and other sources state that he was not drunk driving. He was driving very late at night, and it is believe he may have fallen asleep at the wheel. While that is still very bad, it is something any driver on a long trip, or after a long hectic day, can attest to having done at least once. Thankfully there have been no fatalities reported.

The other item that I heard is the potential gossip and venom that the major news and entertainment media loves to put out on any entertainer in the news. It’s the shadow of the negative spin that normally occurs in any news about an entertainer, especially if it’s a Black entertainer. In this case it’s the question of the passenger in the car.

It was a woman, that has been confirmed. Who the woman is has also been confirmed but I will not mention it as that is not relevant to me. The state of her injuries is unreported though. I hope that she is relatively well and not in danger of any complications or critical medical state.

Morgan Freeman is a superb actor. He has worked diligently to gain the recognition and acclaim he has today. His ability to display gravitas on the big screen is nearly unmatched by any actor, and certainly unmatched by any current actor now.

He started in his acting career at 8, in a school play. He won a statewide drama competition at 12. He has served in the Air Force. In 1964 he was a dancer in the 1964 World’s Fair. He has worked with Pearl Bailey and Cab Calloway on Broadway. He is famous for his role as Easy Reader on the PBS show Electric Company (which I grew up with) at the age of 34. But he gained prominence after his movie role of Fast Black in Street Smart in 1987 at the age of 50. He has been married for 24 years.

I mention all this because at 71 any injury can potentially be serious. In addition I think he deserves some respect. Morgan Freeman grew up before the Civil Rights Movement in the South, which was no easy task. His achievements in his youth meant that he was not just good but stellar to be recognized at that time in America. His time in the military reveals a dedication to America and a will that exceeded the segregationist policies of the time. And his ability has stood out enough (1 Academy Award and 3 nominations, 1 Golden Globe and 3 nominations, and 2 Screen Actor's Guild Award nominations) that when many other actors end their careers, or have extreme difficulty in getting work, he is now in demand.

Respect means that the tendency of the media to create rumors about the woman in question should not happen. Respect means that whatever her reason to be in the car is private and not fodder for Entertainment Tonight, The Globe, or the gossip blogs.

I do not presume anything about the woman in the car. I don’t know of her, and really don’t want to. But I shudder to think that the Freeman family may be dragged through the mud because some media outlet will hope to increase ratings and circulation. No one deserves that kind of treatment, especially after an accident, especially at 71.

So I hope Mr. Freeman and the lady in the accident are well. I wish them swift recoveries. And I have my fingers crossed that Paris Hilton or Britney Spears will do yet another stupid thing to keep the dogs of journalism away.