I’ve always been annoyed to hear people talk about “how celebrities die in groups of three.”
Over five days we lost Robert Mulligan, Harold Pinter, and Eartha Kitt. Which are all great losses but is it a frightening phenomenon that they all die around the same time? Does the death of one famous person mean everyone else should be nervous?
No. One celebrity are likely to die around the same time as two other celebrities simply because there are so many of them now.
Andy Warhol said it best, “In the future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes.” There is a constant parade of new artists, writers, actors, musicians, athletes, politicians, reporters, and people who are famous for no reason (people on YouTube, Joe The Plumber, anyone from a reality show, anyone from an MTV reality show) who add to the old classic famous people.
So not only do we have new famous people coming up every day, but now our old famous people are Old! Mulligan was 83, Pinter was 78 and Kitt was 81. As harsh it may sound it’s not uncommon for people in their 80s to die.
So now we have too many celebrities and too many old celebrities. It just makes sense that there would be a steady stream of dying celebrities that observers can group into threes.
Just a few notes on things I was thinking about that should be revisited…
continue reading "A Few Follow-ups"
What a day yesterday was.
Obviously I’m thrilled about Barack. I’ve been wanted him to be president since his speech at the 2004 DNC. And what’s impressive, is that the message he delivered then, is the same thing he promised during his campaign and I am supremely confident that he will deliver. It was a thrill to hear him speak last night in a wonderful speech that managed to encompass his campaign ideals, the history and founding ideals of America and the grand expectations and forward thinking to carry us into the future, what ever that may be.
Also I enjoyed John McCain’s speech. He sounded like he did in 2000, which was a welcome regression. As we stand here and look forward to the future we have a lot to do and I believe we can do it. Barack will need a First Hundred Days akin to FDR and he’s getting ready. His transition teams are moving amongst the government now and he’s constructing his staff. How’s that for Ready on day one?
And I wouldn’t be surprised if the Lincoln parallels ccontinue and we see another Team of Rivals. But hopefully Karen Sebelius gets in there too.
But the triumph of Barack (which I figured was a given in the morning) came with the sting of prejudice and hate in the form of Prop 8. A truly horrific bill that shamefully appears to have snuck through and passed as of now. Things could change but it’s doubtful as they count more ballots we’ll find a stack of NOs. But this afternoon when I stopped by the Supreme Court I was told that 3 different groups are trying to over turn 8, each with a different strategy.
So while we’re moving forward in one way, we’re still dragging in another. But the fight isn’t over.
And here are a few smaller things that I was watching…
Today, right now is the election. I voted early and had a little line, but nothing to complain about.
I have a great feeling that Obama will win. It’s tremendous. But I’m nervous that Prop 8 might. Let’s hope people aren’t so evil and foolish as to pass it.
Today is being called “the most important election of our lifetimes.â€Â And that could be true. But I don’t think we’ll know until in the future looking back. Because 2000’s feels pretty danged important. Though comparing the two elections, this one has much more a build up and Obama will represent much more of a change and a follow through on everything America represents.
But hopefully his presidency will be more important than Bush’s and will leave more of a lasting mark. In fact, if Obama can simply undo what Bush has done, that will be enough and 2008 will be the most important election.