Well…that would be any of them. I no longer care who gets a pat on the back. I don’t care what the stars wear to the event. I don’t care what they have to say. And I am so very tired of seeing and hearing things I wish I hadn’t and then trying to blot the same out of my memory! “Stars” are still people and they wear, do, and say some very, very stupid things.
Yes, I appreciate good music and I admire talent. Yes, I am a huge movie fan. Yes, I watch some television shows and have my favorites. But I no longer feel the need to be assured that others like the same music, movies, or shows. And let’s face it- that is real reason we watch. We don’t really care if the stars are glorified and get their little trophies. We want to be part of the “in group” that supports them. We want the reassurance that our choices match those of our peers. We want to belong to the best fan club!
When I first moved from California to Caddo one of my new classmates wanted to know if I “loved” the Beatles. I think she was shocked to hear that I barely knew who they were. Another was surprised that I wasn’t an Elvis groupie. Little did they know that my family was still watching Mitch Miller and I was listening to Andy Williams and Johnny Cash!
It was much easier way back then to just enjoy a song or movie or television show. I didn’t read fan magazines or keep up with every little bit of gossip about the private lives of singers and stars. Now I don’t even have to try to learn the sordid details of the lives of each and every member of the entertainment industry. Stories of their sex lives, political aspirations, arrests, addictions, and designer wardrobes are everywhere- from the evening news to talk shows, reality shows, commercials, newspapers, magazines, and of course, the internet.
For years I tried not to let the personal lives of stars influence my appreciation of their talents. I tried to enjoy songs and movies and television shows despite knowing the person in front of me had beaten his wife, cheated on his taxes, and was addicted to cocaine. Who didn’t love hearing Whitney sing, knowing full well she had serious problems? But it is getting more and more difficult to do so. I can’t listen to Randy anymore without thinking about him lying drunk and naked alongside our local highway. I can’t admire someone I saw in a mug shot on the evening news or watched being escorted into the courthouse to face charges of drunk driving. So he can sing…so what? It is getting harder and harder to separate the person from the persona.
So, no, I won’t be watching the Grammy awards Sunday. I have better things to do.
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