Tag Archives: celebrity

Writing

Why Popularity Should Die a Horrible Death

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I’ve spent the majority of my life not popular, and I’m very thankful for that. I never understood the concept of people wanting this as a thing. It’s one thing to be liked by people you have a mutualism with. It’s one thing to not want to make enemies either. However, the excess frequency of which people desire to have throngs of people liking them made no sense to me. I mean, relevant means something integral to the proceedings. Which means most celebrities are irrelevant on a daily basis. Why would anyone care about a random weirdo on the internet and even follow them with nothing in it for them?

I know people say, that’s easy to say, but not many have genuinely walked the path of resistance like I have. Here’s an interesting story.

Social media didn’t exist and back in my teen years, I lived up north from Biddeford and joined the high school. Upon joining the school, I was met with an accidental task, put a bully in his place. I did that and was apparently rewarded with social acceptance or popularity. Nothing like coming home and having the next door neighbor, also the landlord, talk about how I’m the buzz of social circles. Apparently because full grown adults have nothing better to do than talk about teenagers in the 2003 era.

Compared to other schools I went to, where such made you a bigger target, this was different.

So cool, right? Well, no. It was worthless. Compared to when I wasn’t liked by anyone. I made almost no money at anything I tried to make money at. I could not find a job, and this was a aera with zero opportunity , so it’s more intelligent insulting to hear “something will come up.” I was 17, my adulthood was about to start. Not something I wanted to hear at that point. Shit, I wasn’t even invited to parties I wasn’t going to go to anyways. Instead of it just being because we don’t like each other, it’s because I’m more introverted, according to them. To which I was like “No shit, I said that.”

Ironically, I got even less pussy options than I normally get for being disliked. Oh, I was considered attractive, but nothing like most just ignoring you in general. I had like 3 chicks that went to that school, that liked me enough for us to attempt something. one was a Christian that like my Elvis impression and that was probably the most interesting part of those three.

The best option I had up there was a woman who hung out with the sister of my sister’s sister. But her friend, who was also into me, pretty much banned her from being around me. Not a way to get on my good side. Apparently that girl became a low level model or something. I was told by the chick that banned her around me, years later.

So how’s that to the start to adulthood? This is what idiots I went to school with coveted? This is why they wore the same clothes as others to “fit in?” To not get laid? To not make money? What the fuck type of life is this? Needless to say, nothing went anywhere with anything. Not a horrible tradgy when you factor in there was nowhere to take a chick anyways. I spent most my time hanging with a 25 year old and his 18 year old friend playing cards.

Wasn’t popularity the thing that was supposed to be the opposite of this?

This is not how my life had normally gone, up til then. Shit at one point in my life, different area, they threatened to expel me from school for non conformity. I took them up on the offer. in essence, selling my soul for rock and roll. I digress though.

I would later meet some of the kids that went to that high school in a different aera and it turns out, they were confirming to Gen X/Gen Z style “personalities” and was weird, for them, to find out my personality aspects were genuine.

This is all relevant to a future article, I swear, however it’s important to note that this is why few things ever make sense to me and why I write. I need to make sense of a world that has never been intended for a man like myself. It makes zero sense. I may or may not be the only one that sees the insanity, but hey, that is life.

All I know is that infamy, seems to be the better gig in this world and maybe because you can’t spell infamous without “I’m Famous.” or maybe it’s because it forces these bitches to be real for once.

Either way, stay metal! 🤘

Writing

“Scuse me while I kiss the sky“ a Jimi Hendrix Biography by David Henderson

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INTRODUCTION: So I’m not a fan of the biography genre. I’ve read very few of them. Probably about 10 in my 39 years on this planet. Most people don’t intrigue me enough to want to know about their background. Normally it’s trite experience anyways, regardless of skin color. It’s normally birth, shit happens, some people you meet are good, some are bad, other adversaries apply, maybe a lover or two and then the person is famous or dead, one of the two. I went wanting to know more of the psychology of Jimi Hendrix, since I’m learning his music, it only makes sense to get deeper into a man, whose music I’ve heard my whole life, but never thought to learn more about. So this is my first real biography review. Not really sure how to do one, but we will try.

WRITING STYLE: Fair. From my understanding the author isn’t a non fiction writer, he was a creative writer and did this as a favor to Jimi. However, I’m reading the kindle version and the slightly wonky style could be from a bad transfer. It’s not unreadable though. There is a small bias on the authors part, as they were friends. So keep that in mind as well.

lIFESTYLE: So this biography is different than no others, as it’s basic structure as above. To be fair, Jimmy was so unique that the basic structure works here. That’s not what I’m here for though. There’s going to moments you sympathize with him and the occasional WTF moments. If you like that, this is for you.

HISTORY:This book was written in 1978, and it shows. However, the author takes great detail in explaining to you the events of the era, so people like myself get an idea of the world around him. Not necessarily a unique trope for such, but necessary for future generations who will need this context to understand Jimmy or anyone really.

MUSIC: Now this is what I’m here for! Oh god did Jimmy and his family have amazing taste in music. Songs and people I’ve never heard of. Bad bad Wiskey, live, being my favorite of all the songs I’ve listened too.

Amazing!

CONCLUSION: if you’re coming here for something salacious, you’re going to be disappointed. Sure it has its moments of “very 60s” bullshit, however it’s a very conservative portrayal of such. If you’re interested in a man and how he developed his style, you won’t be disappointed. It also offers up and otherwise interesting perspective on Jimi’s death that should not be discounted as being accurate. That’s an article for a different time, though.

5 out of 5 for Jimi fans and 4 out of 5 for a person who may just want a biography of an otherwise, interesting person.

Writing

Why Celebrities Autograph’s should be considered a Crime

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So we have all seen the videos for the most part, someone, normally a man, has his camera running and records a celebrity signing an autograph or multiple of. Maybe he has a kid nearby and ask little Jimmy to help secure the autograph. No harm, no foul, they knew what they were asking for the second they signed the dotted line. Except for one little problem, everything leading up to the signature is a criminal act on the part of the fan.

So let me break this down as to what we just witnessed happening before us. First we have causing an individual distress. You’re a stranger, stopping a fellow stranger to ask for a signature. I’ll give you this, the distress part is part of all of our daily lives. You never know who is who, which is why I conceal or open carry my gun.

That said, though, how about false pretenses? Asking for an autograph with intent to sell is a false pretense. If I went up to a random stranger and said I was homeless and needed money, this is a crime unless it was true, because I got the money under false pretenses.

How about we up the ante. Extortion by cellphone. You think it’s crazy, but how about going viral for being human and not having time for autographs. Next up on TMZ, celebrity refuses poor kids request for an autograph. This is no different from robbing a bank with a gun in today’s day and age.

Speaking of children, besides false pretenses again, you’re violating child labor laws. You’re making them wait in line or dealing with someone they don’t know, causing the child distress. If it is your own child, you’re still an asshole.

So already we have three potential crimes happening at once and with anyone else, like your or me, these are indeed crimes and prosecutions could be possible. Yet, if you’re famous, it’s another day at the office. No one says that about police work, if they take care of a criminal off duty or an emt saves a life at the bar.

Why do we make this distinction between the famous and non famous alike? I think we as a society would be far better off if we all took a step back and saw the autograph as a criminal act and an impediment to someone’s day.

I’m not saying that none of these people could be genuine in getting the autograph, but the lack of respect for a fellow human being, by making them sign a dozen things at an airport, is making me think otherwise.

I’m not saying autographs should be banned entirely, just that it should be illegal to ask for one outside of a signing event. If you go to wizard world conventions and get one, good on you. If you got VIP tickets and it comes with those, cool. But on the street corner, at airports, restaurants, hotels or otherwise, I think you’re over stepping your bounds and it should be considered a crime.

Non-fiction, Review, Uncategorized

Cult of Personality

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Today’s topic of interest is the cult of personality, also known as the celebrity fetish. While America isn’t unique in its love of other people business, it does it best and with typical American swagger. This isn’t an indictment of the country, but rather the throngs of “human” beings that worship other people for what they themselves will never be able to accomplish, which is apparently “greatness.”

There is a quote I’ve always been fond of and it comes straight outta 1985: If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything. Spoken by a Doc Brown, in Back to the Future. Penned from the hands of writers, through the mouth of an actor and forever ingrained into the public consciousness.Writers are the modern day philosophers, but rather than stand on a podium, we have a plethora of ways to let out some of the pithiest aphorisms of our day. The privacy challenged (Celebrity for the Layman) are no different from anyone else, in fact, I mean to prove it within the confines of this blog.

What is a Celebrity?

I want to have a look at basic definitions. It’s integral to understand what it is we’re dealing with, before we dissect it to its root.
1
: The state of being celebrated : fame
2
: A famous or celebrated person

The definition of celebrated is as follows

: Widely known and often referred to

These are too fucking vague. Allow me to rewrite a definition that better encompasses what people seem to think about celebrities.

Celebrity (U.S. Edition)

1. Anyone who is of interest to the public for doing what they themselves wish they could do, but for whatever reason, are unable to do.
2. Idolatry
3. A person who is in the “Public Eye.”

4. Someone who is considered, by the worshiper, far more “fascinating” than the person from whom the worship occurs.

5. A person who is ill-equipped to be a role model for the nation’s youth.

6. A built up fantasy from the primitive mind

7. “Hero.”

8. “God.”

9. Pinnacle of perfection

10. Someone who ignites religious fervor.

11. A Flawed HUMAN.

This is what the term has seemingly evolved into and it’s come to mean by today’s standards.

I’m taking a position here that we’re all celebrities. Not even the 15 minutes of fame, but rather in a much more realistic way. Allow me to express now, how the United States seems to see celebrity.

Let’s start out with a small anecdote to give background into my train of thought.When I was a child, I met a few “celebrities.” Not by my own desire, but because I was usually dragged along or in the wrong place, wrong time. Given the choice, I don’t bother with most of them. The list is quite paltry and meaningless to me. Some off the top of my head, Sam Kennison, A Celtics basketball player, Ted Kennedy, and a few musicians. Quite frankly, as a child, I didn’t understand who I was meeting, why I was meeting them and who the hell they were. I’ve managed to maintain this worldview well into my adult years and quite frankly, I still don’t get it. Not a single one of these people have done a single thing that you are incapable of. In fact, I know so.

One of my problems with the term is how fucking vague the definition is. I’ve been searching for something that goes a bit deeper than it does. I’ve found nothing, so allow me to make some arguments as to the needed change and why we should take a step back as to what celebrity is and isn’t.

If you refer to the definition above, it’s a celebrated person. Celebration is straightforward. How many people are celebrated every day? We celebrate people every day. Loved one, friends, ancestors, children and even the beautiful woman that makes one hell of a cup of coffee. We celebrate these people on a lesser scale, though and not a massive scale. Yet, I would venture to say they are no less celebrities than the superstar.

Now I want to bring light to the part of celebrated that is even vaguer than the definition. “Widely known.” What does this mean, does it have to be state wide, nationwide or worldwide? There are people in my city that have followings. They are known, but you might not considered them a celebrity. Is celebrity, then, only people who are known by a certain sect of people or do you have to be known even by people who detest you or indifferent to you?

The president should be considered a celebrity, he fits the known by loved, hated and indifferent. That just might be nationwide, though. Other countries have presidents you might not even know of. Maybe they don’t cause a ruckus that sends them through the internet or newspapers. They run their country efficiently and retire when their term is up, like ninjas, you never knew they were there.

Here is one other thing to really get to the crux of the matter when it comes to celebrity and that is “Public Eye.”

What does this mean? Aren’t we all in the public eye? A famous character one said the “How to we first begin to covet?”
The answer, of course, is that we covet what we see every day.

A little aside here. I was bullied in middle school, everyday, from 6th to 9th grade. Four years of brutal harassment that would have made a lesser man break down and lash out. I didn’t. I kept going, despite my detestment of school and outright loathing of those who would attack me, verbally or sometimes, violently. I’m not an angel, I fought back with fist and words, myself. One day, after being told by the principal that I was being called something horrible, which I won’t repeat here, but it was slanderous, she refused to express which students were saying such, due to fear of recourse. In other words, I having my name sullied was far less important than what I might do, such as sue the school. After all, the football team needed New jerseys, didn’t they? She had knowledge of slander and I had no recourse. Sound familiar? Apparently being in school made me a “celebrity.”

Sounds familiar, right? I’m aloud to scrutinize someone like Glen Beck, which I have, to the point of what would be considered slander and he has little to no recourse.

The government isn’t allowed to interject on freedom of speech, so most of this is covered as freedom of expression. When all it is, is the principal protecting the bullies and blaming the victim.

To add another bit of fact into the mix, some places, such as the state I live in, allowed for anyone to take a picture of you, your kids, friends, relatives, etc. Their only recourse was that if it was done enough, perhaps they could get a restraining order. Sounds a lot like, well, celebrities.

When celebrities have no more rights afforded to them than the “Commoner” then why are protecting slander? Why can I take pictures of them with their kids and make a profit off of it?

Not everything is open to the public unless you make it so. Yet a person’s sex life can be when they’re in the “public eye.” Even when the details of which have no bearing on their ability to do a job well done.

High School never ends. When they say high school prepares us for life, they don’t kid around. Not with knowledge, but with the typical assholes we’re going to have to deal with the rest of our lives.

When someone goes to a WWE event, which is televised, they can become a meme just like anyone else. A child. Let that sink in. They are not a celebrity by anyone standards, but apparently being in the public eye makes him/her open to scrutiny, I guess. I hope the kid doesn’t have a “deviant” sexuality, such as homosexuality, because the public has a right to know.

I’m not asking for special rights for anyone, in fact, quite the opposite. I’m asking for this to extend to anyone and everyone. If privacy is for a privileged few, those are special rights and it’s something I’ve always been against, baring few instances.

Some people can take the abuse. I’ve run for office and loved every second of it. Nothing like being so squeaky clean they have to lob fallacies and other bullshit at you, in an attempt to discredit you. Yet not everyone is like me and should not be subjected to it. No one really ask for it, they accept it as part of the job they desire to get into. Yet, once more going back to the definition, celebrity is someone who is regarded in their field as a go to person. This is encompasses even less people than the vague definition above, which means a person is only a celebrity when they become a master in their field, which I think, is a much more appropriate definition, since mastery of one’s craft, career or field is a lot more appropriate for such a status. Kids should not be celebrities, regardless of what they’re doing.

I know this is a long piece, so if you stuck with it so far, thanks, but to paraphrase a famous song from the 60’s. Human respect is disintegrating and this whole crazy world is so fucking frustrating.

I personally think something should be done and if I can add something, I’m going to do so.

Binder of Woman, Celebrity, Music, Non-fiction, Review, Writing

The Luchagors:Review

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Luchagors-

     I’m going to stay away from what I did in my last musical review, which, as you may recall linked past to present career paths, and instead look at this from a perspective of a band as if I just found them. I think going this away removes a past bias for the performer in one aspect of their life and creates a far more objective outlook at the present. Although I guess I’m wicked late to reviewing this, though.

     So this is the debut album for a band called The Luchagors. Which, according to the internets is wordplay combination, Lucha Libre and Horror flicks. Right up my alley, as I greatly enjoy both. I haven’t had the chance to see them live, so it is just for the album which you can easily find on Itunes or Amazon.

     The band consist of members: Amy Dumas (Lead vocals), Shane Morton (Guitar and vocals), Jay Hedberg (Bass and vocals.), Racci Shay (Drummer). The latter apparently replaced Troy King on drums.

     Right from the first song titled White Boy, the songs are catchy, fast paced, angst filled with all the good stuff punk music is known for. The theme through most of the lyrics seem consistent through several songs, which are that of a woman scorned. An indictment on an unknown person, most likely an ex, whom seems like a little bitch and a going through the motions of regaining independence of her life and eventually resulting in self-fulfillment of a brighter future.

     Granted that could just be a hell of a lot of inference on absolutely nothing, but you can view the lyrics and judge for yourself.

     The vocals are strong, the music crisp, and the lyrical content is interesting, even if it is somewhat banal for lyrical content. Originality can be overrated, though. You can pick up on many of the bands influences if you know about enough about punk rock. I managed to note and find The Misfits influence and I’m sure many more experienced punk rock listeners will find more.

     The run time is over a half hour long, so you won’t spend too much time having to sit down and really and give much thought to it. Given the edgy sound and style, it still manages to be fun. Which is more than I can say about most edgy bands. Usually they’re dark and brooding. Like back before vampires were twinks who sparkled. I digress and… seriously, fuckin’ sparkle? Never mind.

     If you want something you could speed through, say, shopping or at the gym, this is an interesting and excellent choice. Pick up a copy and you can finally stick it to your hipster friend about how you found and like a new band, but they probably never heard of them. That alone would be worth picking up this gem from 2007, never mind actually enjoying it. Enjoying it would just be a bonus. You could spend $9.99 on far worse, like say, 50 Shades of Grey, or you could listen to something that is at least 25 shades of enjoyable.

     This album gets the fingerofapproval

Atheism, Essays, Non-fiction, Opinion

He’s not the hero liberalism needs, he’s the one it deserves.

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     Everyone see Batman vs Sam Harris? Unlike Batman V. Superman, it’s a lot more lackluster than the viral videos and treads want you to believe. In fact, it’s a non-versastion.

     This trumped up bullshit was trending just a few days ago and quite frankly it’s absurd. Harris had written a piece, as he always does, to curtail any responsibility he might have in creating religious ire over his comments about Islam.

     The problem? Harris is right! Words I never thought I would utter or write, let alone publish. Islam really, truly is the mother load of bad ideas.

     Female genital mutilation? Check. Underage marriage? Check. Blowing up people who don’t agree with your religion? Check. No, it’s not a typical weekend in Kentucky, that’s Islam.
We have to remember two things when discussing the video. 1. Not all Muslims are Arab. 2. Racism and bigotry are not one and the same. 3. Critizing bad ideas is fine. 4. Generalizing is impression upon the whole.

     Harris’ comments would only be racist if he was insistent upon Arabs as a whole being inferior due to the color of their skin. Racism, after all, is the doctrine that one is superior based on race.

     Nowhere did Harris discuss Arabs or All Muslims. In fact, he states the doctrines are highly question and a large portion of Muslims adhere to this belief. True and not generalizing. Not all Muslims adhere strictly to the insane version of Islam.

      Harris’ views that one could question as currently being racist weren’t even mentioned. In the past, Harris has been accused of this for agreeing with profiling of Arab targets on planes, which is an example of a horrible idea, especially with men and woman from other nations joining up with ISIS. Not to mention that terrorism isn’t exclusive to Arabs with Muslim faith.

     He has also expressed torture as being useful in order to elicit information from terrorist to thwart terror attacks. The evidence has never suggested that this works and his 24 hour analogy falls flat on its face as the fallacious crap that it is.

     That said, Sam relies too much on attacking detractors as fans of other detractors who have clearly led them on to think that he is wrong. In no way was anyone able to assert that Sam Harris is full of it, just because he’s wrong. Apprently Sam is of the Opion that he is never wrong, when he is more often wrong instead of right.

      Yet the arguments and other accusations don’t hold water against his point of view, which is grounded in fact instead of biased opinion. Harris and the other four horsemen have attacked all major religions for their insanity and Islam is no different, except in their inability to not use violence against those who would offend Islam. Also, Scientology has yet to be a target on their list. They make clear with examples, just the same absurd crap that is spewed forth from the Muslims religion as they would christainity. The difference is that, and what the nonviolent Muslims would like to do, is have a chance to change the minds of the violent to that of a more peaceful way of discussing Islam ideas. Christianity, for all intents and purposes, has mostly moved away from violent acts and peaceful Muslims seem to think they can do that same. Yet, we don’t exactly have thousands of years for Islam to grow up and the occasional act of violence from Christians still presents itself.

      If we are to move forward in anyway, it needs to be with ideas and not acts of destruction caused by Jihadist and the radicals that want to prevent these discussions of happening. One would think that if Islam is the one true faith, that acts of violence to prevent the destruction of these ideas would be fine. In other words, the faithful lack faith in the ideas presented without realizing it.

      Calling attacks on Islam racist is fundamentally wrong and borderline religious with the fervor from those who attack the ideas.

     Only open dialogue will prevent future destruction on what we desire to accomplish, which is a much more honest word that doesn’t resort to death in order to cling to outdated ideas.