HADLEY FREEMAN v MICHAEL JACKSON
Hadley Freeman tries to make a case for why we shouldn't show collective grief about the death of Michael Jackson, because such a thing just leads to "false emotion".
Poor love, she can't differentiate between how people might genuinely feel about the death of a uniquely talented global superstar, and how the media will report it. But not to worry - I think we can learn something from her poorly argued and ill-timed article just the same.
As Hadley is so very scornful of "collective grief", I think that when she shuffles off her mortal coil we should take every care not to do anything that could lead us to this same "false emotion".
I think, when that Big Event happens, that the radio, TV stations and newspapers the world over should just ignore Hadley Freeman's sad passing. I don't think we should give her death any newspaper headlines. I don't think we should spontaneously collect in small groups and chant together her many unforgettable newspaper musings. Radio stations should not devote hours to her talent. We should not make any tributes to her on social networking sites. It would all just be so false, wouldn't it?
Much as I am sure the planet will heave with grief over her loss, I don't think we should get hysterical because clearly she would not want us to.
Certainly, any obituary written should not mention her genius. She did, after all, shag Piers Morgan* and so any celebration of her astounding talent for writing bits of irrelevant stuff in an on-line newspaper would seem a little strange, if not dishonest.
No, I really think that when Hadley Freeman passes away, we should just forget her.**
* No she didn't. Hadley Freeman has never even met Piers Morgan.
** On reflection, bit harsh. Now that I know she didn't shag Piers Morgan she should definitely get an obituary in the broadsheets.
13 comments:
Great post Scribbles.
We have all sat quiety through funerals where the deceased is described, bears no similarity to the person we knew. What a scream to just hear a litany of all the failures and transgressions.
I am not rending my garments over Jackson, but being quite bright, and working through the 1980's in the music industry, I am very familiar with his professional life.
Why does this woman think it is not OK to recognise that -
In 1983 Michael Jackson won
13 Billboard Awards,
5 Billboard Video Awards and
was Rolling Stone's Artist of the Year.
1984 he deservedly won 8 American Music Awards,
2 American Video Awards,
5 Billboard Magazine Year End Awards, and
4 Canadian Black Music Awards.
1984 Best Performance Video, Best Choreography and Viewers Choice at the first MTV Video Music Awards show and
EIGHT of his 12 Grammy nominations.
The success of the Thriller album commercially also rejuvenated a slumping music industry that at the time hadn't seen an album with sales numbers like it for nearly five years.
The media, is another thing altogether.
Hadley? Mmm...
"She did, after all, shag Piers Morgan"
He also had a crack at that red-haired one whose name escapes me. Seems to be working his way through the Guardian commentariat.
Do you think he's had Polly Toynbee yet ?
Yeah, that'll show her.
You're an idiot.
Izzat 'Anon' above, just Hadders, here from putting own name in 'Search Blogs' box ?
the comments after the piece are mostly agreeable; here's one:
Now, all you columnists,
go back to your Macs and prepare for redundancy.
Soon the papers will be as dead as Jacko; and you didn't even have a monkey.
There's a reason why she's a brilliantly sucessful Oxford graduate and journalist for one of the leading newspapers in the UK... and you're somebody who likes to complain with badly structured arguments on the internet. Maybe you should read the article properly instead of jumping down her throat and misrepresenting her argument completely because you're feeling sensitive about Jackson's death. Just a thought.
"and you're somebody who likes to complain with badly structured arguments on the internet" Yep, got me nailed, can't argue with that one.
Anonymous, I am sure that brilliantly successful Oxford graduate and journalist Hadley couldn't give a stuff what some obsure blogger like me has to say about her, so perhaps you should follow her lead. I'm sure she'd be touched if she knew how you've been defending her though! If a little creeped out.
Laban, your comment is like something out of the 1970's, with 'men having a crack at birds' type thinking - have a word with yourself!
FGMS - "and you didn't even have a monkey" I likes it!
Ugh she's vile. And pretty talentless for how far she's got, but then that happens a lot these days. Seem to recall she was one of those journos who made it by flicking her hair at the right people. Pleased I left the Grauniad and the whole newspaper biz and found myself a soul.
Dear Scribbles,
A kindly Guardian reader has directed me to your blog and I take issue with your claim that I “couldn't give a stuff” what you think. I most certainly do – I always respond to readers and comments beneath blogs I have written on the web because I think that interaction with readers ultimately improves journalists, if at least by keeping them on their toes.
You are absolutely entitled to your point of view. But I would say that when I do, as you say so gently, shuffle off my mortal coil, I completely expect newspapers, radios and TV programmes to ignore the event. Not even in my most arrogant fantasies have I envisaged mourning headlines or Facebook tribute sites. So I'm afraid your threat of such posthumous neglect does not change my point of view about Jackson.
I would like to correct one or two errors, though. First and most importantly, I have never slept with Piers Morgan. I've never even met him. So next time you decide to criticise someone, please check your facts before libelling them.
And secondly, as to one of your poster's claim that I got where I am by “tossing my hair”, as anyone who has ever met me can tell you, I do not have much hair to toss. It is very thin and scrappy and definitely not worthy of any career promotion.
Yours,
Hadley Freeman
Hadley Freeman - you are not supposed to be real. You are just a name that goes above some articles that I read online. I now feel quite bad that I speculated on what we should all do when you die just to make a point. I also feel very bad about the Piers Morgan mistake. I feel especially bad about the Piers Morgan mistake. Sorry.
Your Jackson article however was poorly argued and ill-timed and so at least that's something I can stand by. heh!
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