Another Rant: Hollywood Version

The Academy Awards and Farrah Fawcett:

The Academy’s excuses are lame.  First they claim that they didn’t have the time to include everyone, so Farrah was cut.  But at the end of the homage they showed an additional series of clips of the same people they had just honored; that time could have been used to include other celebs such a Farrah.  Don’t tell me they didn’t have time.  Then they claimed that she was better known for television; she should be remembered at the Emmy Awards instead.  That’s true, but she had won awards – including a Golden Globe – for her film performances.  Surely that qualifies her for inclusion more than Michael freakin’ Jackson!  How exactly does a musician qualify for an Academy Award memorial?  By their definition, he should be honored at the Grammy Awards, not the Academy.

They don’t even have the decency to apologize.  It’s total crap.

Corey Haim/Brittney Murphy/Dr. Drew/Judgmental People:

Corey Haim died yesterday, and immediately the LAPD declared that it was an OD without bothering to investigate.  The same thing happened with Murphy.  Yes, these celebs had terrible histories, especially Haim.  Definitely Haim.  How unprofessional of the police, however, to make their opinions public as though their opinions were fact.  In reality,  Haim had flu-like symptoms before he died, just like Murphy who, it turned out, had pneumonia.  According to all reports from those close to him, he had been doing well.  He was healthier overall (normal illness aside), had a new girlfriend, had some projects in the works; his career was about to be jump-started again.  Everyone said that he was happier than he’d been in a long time.  According to insiders he had been getting clean and working with a new doctor for a couple of weeks, getting weaned off of the drugs that would have been dangerous to cut cold turkey, and using different medications to control problems such as anxiety.  They say that while there were 4 prescriptions recovered from Corey’s room, they had barely been touched.

His mother revealed today that initial autopsy findings show that Haim had an enlarged heart and fluid in his lungs.

While it is entirely possible that drugs were involved with his death, I think it sucks the way his death is being treated, everyone making assumptions and judgments.  One person on FB said, and I’m only paraphrasing a very little, “Who cares? He had it coming.  I have more important things to do, like my laundry.”

What a cavalier dismissal of a life, and it was by no means the only one of its kind.  I get it if you don’t care, but then why is it necessary to say anything at all, let alone something so cold and cruel?

Then Dr. Drew, whom I detest, went on air essentially blaming Corey for his death because Corey refused to come on Dr. Drew’s show.  Right.  Because the only way to get clean and sober is to expose oneself on national television for strangers’ entertainment and Dr. Drew’s ratings.  I’d love to give that man the good swift kick in the ass he so richly deserves.

We jump to conclusions, pass judgments, and dismiss lives so quickly.  Remember how, after Murphy’s death, everyone was blaming her husband and her mother?  Those poor people had just suffered the most terrible loss, then had to cope with the public’s suspicions.  What a hateful, hurtful way to treat a grieving family!  I just bet that if Corey’s mother wasn’t battling breast cancer the public would be blaming her, too.

How we do love to be judgmental and self-righteous.

Don’t believe me?  Just look at this post.  It’s just dripping with it.

Parting Ways

Is it possible to anthropomorphize a gallbladder?  Because I believe I’ve done so.  My gallbladder only has hours to live, and it’s my fault.  I’ve authorized its death.  Sure, it’s caused me pain.  But all loved ones have the potential to hurt us from time to time, don’t they?  I’m a cruel, cruel woman who is about to be one internal organ lighter.

Here’s my horoscope for today:

Despite a somewhat stressful morning, you can expect a successful conclusion to almost anything by this evening. Your energy builds to a crescendo that feels exactly right for you.

Well there you have it.

RIP gallbladder.  You’ll be missed.

Hungry

I want a steak.  A nice, thick, juicy steak.  And potatoes.  Iced tea.

But mostly steak.