Hashi Lebwohl wrote:
People always act like they have lost part of their childhood or part of their teenage self-identity or like they have lost a friend when a celebrity dies. Unless you actually knew the person in real life you did not lose a friend--that person did not know you.
I think people should be allowed to feel the way they feel. Sure, it's kinda dumb when you've never met them, and they never knew you existed, but that doesn't mean the feelings aren't there.
I remember a very dramatic friend of mine couldn't come to school for the next couple of days when Andy Warhol died, and I thought it was stupid. It seems like when I was younger, it was a little sad, but not that big of deal when a celeb died. Nowadays, it seems like it hits a little harder for the ones that meant something. Not like I just want to curl up and cry, but more like I am down for the day or a bit longer. But that's my experience.
I think the death of Robert Anton Wilson, Hunter Thompson, George Carlin and Robin Williams hit me particularly hard because I get that there will never be anyone else like them in the world, and the voices of these people that I feel that are important toward shaping my way of thinking and sense of humor.
For me, Carrie's death has hit a little harder, possibly because she was my first celebrity crush, and around at the awakening of my sexuality. So to me, it feels like my first girlfriend has died that really meant something, but was someone I dated for 3 months and we broke up and it was good between us, but she lived in another state and I won't be attending the service as it is too far to travel. Plus, she did a lot of great things, but nothing that was relevant to me exactly. But I know the stuff she did was very important to other people, and I can see why other people are more upset. People that have a big influence on your life sometimes feel like more than strangers. But people have a tendency to be dramatic.
When Donaldson kicks the bucket, I suspect many of us will be pretty bummed. And I really wanted to meet him because he was such an influence on youth and wanted to express that to him. But he was slightly a bit of a dick to me personally, which I understand, and he doesn't really owe me anything, and I really just wanted to express something he's probably heard a lot anyway. When I saw him the second time, I really just wanted to hang with my friends from Kevin's Watch more than anything. But I will be sad to hear he died because again, he was a big influence on my life. If I was still regularly reading his books, I'd feel more of a sense of loss because I'd never get a new book from him, which plays into this a bit.
I may have proved your point Hashi, but don't tell people how to feel, ya logical robot, you.
And I can name all of those movies named before and Under the Rainbow which she was in with Chevy Chase which I watched several times because she had a scene in just her bra.
Edit: Good thing I'm not Steve Martin, or this would be torn to shreds. People are so ready to be offended these days, aren't they?
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