Don't Take Me Seriously - Book - Page 265
Nostalgia goggles …
… and stardust memories
n recent weeks, I have found myself
needing to comment on these pages
about the passing-ons of notables from the
entertainment field. And, since I haven’t
done that until recent weeks, I find myself
wondering if these notables were really
such important influences on the twisted tale of my life – or if there is a tumor
pressing on my prefrontal cortex, making
me, you know, an overly-emotional, blubbering sap.
Hmmm, I did give the gardener a hug
for no reason this morning ….
But let’s leave the tumor thing aside, at
least until I meet my insurance deductible.
What is it that makes one notable’s
passing more important than another’s? I
mean, there are entertainment “stars” passing-on all the time. Some are bigger stars
than others, it’s true, but the argument can
be made that, during any particular week,
the “rule of three” (stars die in groups of
three) is bunk.
If stars A, B, C … and D die in one
week, and D had one less Oscar nomination than C, everyone touts the “rule of
three” and the press goes on and on about
A, B and C, while D only gets mentioned
in a small paragraph on the back page.
But, really, D just picked a bad week to go
down. He could have been the top story if
it was D, E, F, G and … poor neglected F
I
… that bit the dust that week.
But that’s the public perception of
star-passings. What about your personal
perception?
Well, I figure that, when it comes to
paying tribute to someone in your editorial, say, it’s where you draw your “important to me” line.
And, mostly, that assessment is created by the view through your “nostalgia
goggles.” You see, there are mega-stars
that flame out from time to time, whose
passings mean nothing to me. The world
morns them in excess, while my only
sadness is that I am subjected to their
prominence in the media, yet again, when
I’d assumed they had already passed on.
Such will be the case with Prince, I’m
sure.
Anyway, the view through your particular nostalgia goggles is most certainly
tinted by where, when and how a specific
notable’s stardust fell on you.
A personal encounter with said star will
usually make you remember them fondly,
unless, of course, that star refused to sign
an autograph for you, heaved on your
shoes or attacked your car with a golf club.
A star you never paid attention to might
have suddenly become a “fave” if you fell
in love with your date the night you first
watched one of his or her movies.
Awww.
It’s similar with the artist who sang
the song you listened to when you first
“parked” down by the lake.
Entertainment that “speaks to you”
during an emotional time period will most
certainly become a part of you, as will the
actor or singer who brought it to you.
For example, “Amazing Grace” is so
tearfully haunting, not because of itself,
but because it’s been sung or bagpiped at
nearly every funeral you’ve ever been to.
It’s sad by association – and also why the
mere sight of a bagpiper can make me cry.
Similarly, if you ever loved a French girl
named “Michelle,” such as the Beatles
sang about or, well, any girl of any of 100
names in popular song – “her” song will
make you, you know, change the radio
station.
And if you’ve ever been around when
“The Lights Went Out in Georgia” – well,
you know real pain.
In my case, George Jones’ “He Stopped
Loving Her Today” is crazy-sad all by
itself, but it doesn’t help that I have had a
lifetime problem with “letting go.”
And, finally, pretty much any star from
your childhood entertainments will be
remembered with a fond tear in the eye –
which is why there will be a tremendous
outpouring of emotion by an entire gen-
Video Link of the Week:
‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ Lie Witness News – Coachella 2013
hese people are amazingly good at spontaneous lying – or they
were prepped ahead of time. But, if the former is the case, then
this is amazing. The lengths people will go to so they seem hip.
Jimmy sends a reporter out to the Coachella music festival to ask
people what they think of bands with strange names – that don’t
exist. The lesson here: Don’t pretend you know things you don’t
know … or be sure to do it really well?
T
http://bit.ly/15EeGcz
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WWW.CONNECTSCV.COM • MAY 1 - 7, 2013
Jim Walker
Don’t Take Me Seriously
eration when Barney the Dinosaur finally
goes extinct.
But, maybe not so much, Pee-wee
Herman.
So, goggle-up.
Comment at jwalker@signalscv.com or at
http://Twitter.com/DontSeriously.
