My friend
Jennifer and I have be friends for what is now
more than half our lives and it would be fair to
say that we know each other fairly well. Yet,
within all that there are still parts of ourselves
we keep private and secrete and don’t discuss.
And, in spite of how well we do know one another,
we still surprise each other and have an innate
insight into that part of us we each wants to keep
private.
That came to
light a few months ago when I visited Jenny and
her family. We found some time to have a private
talk (which with her two sons, husband, Brian, and
dog Webster all vying for attention doesn’t
happen often). I am not sure how the topic came
up, but she hit a nerve when she commented on my
introverted and shy nature. It may seem like a
paradox to her (it always is to me) because the
nature of my work as a writer and photographer
keeps me out amongst people and constantly talking
to strangers. But, I do travel the highways and
byways of my life more often alone than with a
partner or two.
Now, just a
few days ago she got me scratching my head
wondering how well I really know her.
Jennifer is a staff writer with the Free
Lance-Star in Fredericksburg, VA. She writes
mostly features and has seemingly gain the trust
and faith of her editors that allows her to
occasionally run amuck and write about whatever
she feels is interesting.
Her latest
venture down that path was a story about the
reality TV Show on the FOX network, American
Idol. The “cultural” thing – who is US
– is big now-a-days and I guess the paper felt
that that had to capitulate and let her
pontificate about this latest fad less they be
though of as un-cool and a bunch of dweebs. (Not
to mention losing subscribers.) There was a
time when Jenny would never sit through such
mindless lunacy. Times have changed with marriage
and a family, I guess.
Her 16-year
old son, Nathan, got Jennifer hooked on this show
and now her whole week is planned around it. She
has gone so over-board in her obsession with it
that when she had some surgery a week or so ago,
her greatest worry was that she would miss seeing Idol.
She was relieved to learn that the nurses and
doctors at the hospital were also obsessive fans
and ‘felt her pain’ about missing the show.
She didn’t
miss a thing, though, as her husband, Brian, who
has also lost his immunity to this Idol bug
that is sweeping the nation faster than SARS, taped
the show for her. The only positive thing I see in
all this is the fact that Jennifer’s whole
family including the dog (and probably many other
families), actually watches the show together. I
don’t think that has happened since the days of
the Ed Sullivan Show.
For me, I just
don't get it, I guess. I have seen maybe 3 minutes of Idol
and that is too much. I watched maybe 5-10 minutes
of Survivor and none of Great Escape,
Race Around The World, or any of these
other realty shows that seem to be such a rage
today. (I will plead guilty to sitting down to
watch ‘extended’ minutes of Who Wants To Be
A Millionaire and Weakest Link, though
in my defense I was on my second bottle of wine
every time.)
I will admit
that Idol is different. It does give one a
chance to root for kids who, based on the couple
minutes I have seen, are nice, clean cut,
talented, friendly, brave, thrifty, ... .... (do
you see the Boy Scout and Girl Scout mottos here?)
Yet, I can't bother.
The couple of
moment I saw drove me crazy and I was wondering
where Chucky Baby (Chuck Barris) was and I
expected J.P. Morgan to hit the gong at any
moment. (Yeah.... I was ---- And still am - a BIG Gong
Show fan. - I have to see the movie, Confessions
of a Dangerous Mind.
So, how does
one deal with people like me, or more important,
how do I deal with being out in the
world when in every diner, in every line at the
supermarket, post office, bank, or EVERYWHERE,
EVERYONE (except me) is talking about Clay, and
Kimberly 1 and Kimberly 2 and Cliff and .... and
.... and ...
It really is a mania that makes me think there are battle
lines being drawn in city hall, the town square,
between neighbors and neighborhoods, and in living
rooms over who should or should not win. And, you
know what, I haven't a clue as to where their
minds are or what in the hell they're talking
about! I mean, I have been left out a lot in my
life and felt completely alone, but never anything
like this!!!!!
I feel so out
of touch. I feel so far and away and so out of it
and so unaccepted and alien. I am getting tired of
answering question like, "What Country Are
You From?", Have You Been In A Coma?",
"Where'd You Park You Space Ship?", and
more.
All this makes
me feel that everyone on the planet - well at
least everyone in the USA and Canada, anyway –
is hunting and pecking and dreaming of their Andy
Warhol moment. But, not me – or so it may
appear. I am always looking for by-lines and photo
credits and that is really the same thing, I
guess.
There is so
much of the ‘current culture’ that is
completely unknown to me. I think I am too
intelligent, too worldly, and too much above the
mindless masses that plop themselves down in front
of the Boob Tube (aptly named) so they can live
vicariously though the vanity, dreamability, and
squirrel-like chatter of judges, audiences,
family, friends, and their new best friends and
adopted family members - the Clays, Kimberlys,
Cliffs, et al who are out and about chasing
elusive butterflies and the 15 minutes of fame of
the television world. Is it really true,
"You're nobody if you ain't on TV"?
I don't know.
Maybe. Maybe I need lighten up a bit and to get
out more or let my hair grow longer so I can let
it down. I don't get it but I am very grateful
that I have my 8PM solace every night in Sponge
Bob Square Pants who helps me keep a fix on
reality.
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