Everyone knows what's going on in New Orleans and the Gulf coast. Everyone knows the destruction that this latest hurricane has caused. I leave the real news to the real news people. But I feel like if I don't at least mention this event, it will seem like I'm ignorant to the turmoil going on around us. I'm not. Quite simply, this is a pop culture blog. I don't mind mixing social issues with entertainment, but I don't want to rehash the same old depressing news. So, I'm going to look at this ordeal with my good eye closed and my pop eye open.
First off, let's just address the whole "Katrina and the Waves" thing. Ok, it was funny the first 5 times I heard it. It was funny before people started dying and a whole city was engulfed. Some hundred-something puns later, it's more than lost its appeal. No one is walking on sunshine. It's old, it's tired, it's disrespectful at this point. Move on.
Secondly, this story aggravates me. I was checking out Yahoo! for the latest news and this is one of the first stories I came across. It seems that Fats Domino, who was reported missing during the storm, has been picked up recently by a rescue boat. Now, I'm not aggravated because he was rescued, don't get me wrong. I like Fats. I dig his tunes. It would have been a shame if he had been a casualty of this disaster. I'm glad that he's alive and well. But, is his life any more important than anyone else's? I wish I heard more rescue stories in the wake of this catastrophe...about anyone. But this always happens when any type of tragedy strikes. If there is a celebrity involved, their loss or misfortune always overshadows everyone else's. Not saying that it's not newsworthy, because everyone knows who he is, but it just irks me. And I'm sure it irks the families of those who are still missing and/or presumed dead. I'm sure they feel that their loved ones deserve a full-page story as well.
Also in the very same story, it's noted that singer-songwriter Allen Toussaint (if he's jazz, I don't know him) was also reported as missing. The writer goes on to say that, "Fox News reported that Toussaint may be among the 20,000-plus refugees seeking shelter in the Super Dome". And there it is. There are over 20,000 folks out there, missing, lost, homeless, desperate and destitute, and two guys get the spotlight shone on them simply because they're in show biz? Again, I realize that the media focuses on celebrities because of the name recognition. Obviously they're not going to pick a random person to write about. But in an event of this magnitude, why single anyone out? They're all people, struggling to keep their homes, their families and their lives. Am I overreacting? Does this bother anyone else?
Celebrities do, however, have the power to help greatly with relief efforts. (Not all of them choose to help though, which is sickening considering how much money they make. Even the C-list celebs.) Several benefits have been set up already to aid victims of Katrina. We can all make a difference as well, by donating funds to the Red Cross, United Way, or other charitable organizations.
Courtesy of Yahoo! News, the following are the televised events that will be airing in the coming week:
Friday, 9/2/05 - A Concert for Hurricane Relief, airing on NBC, MSNBC and CNBC at 8 p.m. The hour-long special, hosted by Today show co-host Matt Lauer in New York, is scheduled to include performances by Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr. and Tim McGraw. Leonardo DiCaprio and other celebrities are expected to participate.
Sunday, 9/4/05 - Jerry Lewis' Telethon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The first four hours and concluding four hours will feature celebrity appeals for donations for hurricane victims. The annual Labor Day weekend broadcast begins at 9 p.m. Sunday and ends at 5:30 p.m. Monday (check local listings for stations).
Friday, 9/9/05 - BET's telethon will air as a two-part, four-hour broadcast. From 6 - 7:30 pm, the network will present a special edition of 106 & Park: BET's Top 10 Live, followed by the telethon, which continues until 10 pm. Russell Simmons, Chris Rock, Wynton Marsalis and rappers Master P, Juvenile and David Banner are among those scheduled to appear. Announced Thursday, the initiative is in partnership with the National Urban League and the American Red Cross.
Saturday, 9/10/05 - An aid effort by MTV Networks, starting with Saturday's music special airing on MTV, VH1 and CMT. Scheduled performers include Green Day, Ludacris, Gretchen Wilson, Usher, Alicia Keys, John Mellencamp, The Dave Matthews Band, Rob Thomas and Linkin Park's Chester Bennington. The special also will be available on MTV2, mtvU and VH1 Classic, as well as broadband video networks MTV Overdrive and VSpot.
First off, let's just address the whole "Katrina and the Waves" thing. Ok, it was funny the first 5 times I heard it. It was funny before people started dying and a whole city was engulfed. Some hundred-something puns later, it's more than lost its appeal. No one is walking on sunshine. It's old, it's tired, it's disrespectful at this point. Move on.
Secondly, this story aggravates me. I was checking out Yahoo! for the latest news and this is one of the first stories I came across. It seems that Fats Domino, who was reported missing during the storm, has been picked up recently by a rescue boat. Now, I'm not aggravated because he was rescued, don't get me wrong. I like Fats. I dig his tunes. It would have been a shame if he had been a casualty of this disaster. I'm glad that he's alive and well. But, is his life any more important than anyone else's? I wish I heard more rescue stories in the wake of this catastrophe...about anyone. But this always happens when any type of tragedy strikes. If there is a celebrity involved, their loss or misfortune always overshadows everyone else's. Not saying that it's not newsworthy, because everyone knows who he is, but it just irks me. And I'm sure it irks the families of those who are still missing and/or presumed dead. I'm sure they feel that their loved ones deserve a full-page story as well.
Also in the very same story, it's noted that singer-songwriter Allen Toussaint (if he's jazz, I don't know him) was also reported as missing. The writer goes on to say that, "Fox News reported that Toussaint may be among the 20,000-plus refugees seeking shelter in the Super Dome". And there it is. There are over 20,000 folks out there, missing, lost, homeless, desperate and destitute, and two guys get the spotlight shone on them simply because they're in show biz? Again, I realize that the media focuses on celebrities because of the name recognition. Obviously they're not going to pick a random person to write about. But in an event of this magnitude, why single anyone out? They're all people, struggling to keep their homes, their families and their lives. Am I overreacting? Does this bother anyone else?
Celebrities do, however, have the power to help greatly with relief efforts. (Not all of them choose to help though, which is sickening considering how much money they make. Even the C-list celebs.) Several benefits have been set up already to aid victims of Katrina. We can all make a difference as well, by donating funds to the Red Cross, United Way, or other charitable organizations.
Courtesy of Yahoo! News, the following are the televised events that will be airing in the coming week:
Friday, 9/2/05 - A Concert for Hurricane Relief, airing on NBC, MSNBC and CNBC at 8 p.m. The hour-long special, hosted by Today show co-host Matt Lauer in New York, is scheduled to include performances by Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr. and Tim McGraw. Leonardo DiCaprio and other celebrities are expected to participate.
Sunday, 9/4/05 - Jerry Lewis' Telethon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The first four hours and concluding four hours will feature celebrity appeals for donations for hurricane victims. The annual Labor Day weekend broadcast begins at 9 p.m. Sunday and ends at 5:30 p.m. Monday (check local listings for stations).
Friday, 9/9/05 - BET's telethon will air as a two-part, four-hour broadcast. From 6 - 7:30 pm, the network will present a special edition of 106 & Park: BET's Top 10 Live, followed by the telethon, which continues until 10 pm. Russell Simmons, Chris Rock, Wynton Marsalis and rappers Master P, Juvenile and David Banner are among those scheduled to appear. Announced Thursday, the initiative is in partnership with the National Urban League and the American Red Cross.
Saturday, 9/10/05 - An aid effort by MTV Networks, starting with Saturday's music special airing on MTV, VH1 and CMT. Scheduled performers include Green Day, Ludacris, Gretchen Wilson, Usher, Alicia Keys, John Mellencamp, The Dave Matthews Band, Rob Thomas and Linkin Park's Chester Bennington. The special also will be available on MTV2, mtvU and VH1 Classic, as well as broadband video networks MTV Overdrive and VSpot.
Comments
What everyone does care about, is that the fact that, yes, you are bookmarked. And pearl jam blows ass.
Sick sick world
Excellent post.
Not.
http://dancingwithkatrina.blogspot.com/
A.
A