Tag: Entertainment

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Celebrity Train Wreck

Over the years I have watched our culture go from one that had great admiration for education and the opinions of those who were intellectually gifted to one that seems hell-bent on showcasing nut bags whose incessant dysfunction becomes fodder for the media. This past week was a case in point. Charlie Sheen became the darling of daily talk shows who allowed his ranting, so they could up their ratings. The question is WHY?

I could understand if it had been a movie star of great merit like Colin Firth or Clint Eastwood, or a politician like Hilary Clinton or President Obama. But I’m sure they would have been medicated and taken someplace for treatment before they had the opportunity to fill the airwaves with dribble. What has Sheen done of any merit? Maybe living with two porn stars will help his children feel he’s a great dad? I’ve never watched Two and a Half Men, but from what I gather from the media, it replicates much of who Sheen is in real life.

If that’s the case then we’re in trouble. Sheens’ rants have spawned several fan sites, and product lines that have gear for sale that have Sheen quotes emblazoned on them. A few choice sayings include “Duh! Winning, “ Team Sheen” and “ Your face will melt off and your children will weep over your exploded body”. Wow now there’s something I want to go around advertising. Why not just buy a t-shirt and have “I am an idiot” printed on the front and back. Are we so pathetically bored and devoid of any ability to entertain ourselves that this kind of garbage is how we amuse ourselves?

Fans of “Sheen-isms” say he’s doing something plenty of people wish they could: say whatever he wants.  There is even talk of a Charlie Sheen store. Yes we all have things we’d like to say and do that we hopefully learn to recognize as inappropriate if we are to live in a civilized society, but this is no longer viewed as a valued skill. The nuttier you are the more visibility you have. Today you have a greater chance of getting media attention if you act idiotic, go into rehab, have parents who take advantage of you, have an eating disorder or  live in a cult. We aren’t we embarrassed or appalled at what’s happening instead of being amused or trying to catch the wave of insanity through products or web-sites? The good news is that Sheen’s popularity will soon wane, the bad news is that we all know by now that another cretin is ready to take his place.

 

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Sex is part of a LARGER picture.

I have often wondered why America seems so at odds with its’ sexuality and aging. Europeans have always seemed to be more relaxed about nudity and sex even as they age.

When I was visiting the French Riviera as a young woman, I was in awe of the women walking topless along the boardwalk, many of whom not very young. They did not appear to have any concerns about not having youthful bodies. They even dare to put older women and men being romantic and sexy in their movies. We rarely do that and if we do it’s viewed as an anomaly.

When I saw “It’s Complicated” I loved the fact that they had finally made a movie that allowed the actors to look their age and still be sexy and seductive. We, on the other hand are always showcasing youth in almost every aspect of the media. Reality shows are rife with women and men that look like they’ve been botoxed from head to toe. Nothing moves.

Any advertisements I’ve seen for erectile dysfunction always has youthful looking partners. Where are the sixty, seventy, and eighty and ninety year olds? I guess their considered dead in that department. The irony is that research shows that older people actually have more sex than their younger counterparts. Probably because they have more time, or maybe they realize that it’s more important than returning e-mails, texting or talking on their blackberry’s. Years ago Time magazine had a couple sitting on a bed with a headline over it “DINK” (duel income no sex).

Oprah got on the bandwagon and had a show with a few young couples that complained they had no time for each other, because of jobs, children and other obligations. The Psychologist who was there to give advice told them they needed to put a date to “get it on” in their organizers. I found this to be so hilarious that it had me giggling for days. Now the overwhelmed couple could look forward to another “job” on Friday night. Maybe as we get older we recognize that sex is part of a larger picture. That it begins with how we treat each other through words, actions and deeds.

Tenderness, kindness, thoughtfulness, respect and compassion are part of feeling connected and wanting more. Great abs, a tight butt, and abundant cleavage without the aforementioned may be exciting for a while. But it gets old and so do we.

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