I
feel like I need to reach for a bottle, after learning of the things that get
some people all worked up.
WHETHER
IT’S JENNY McCarthy, or the bomber who took out the Boston Marathon with one of
his explosive devices. The degree to which some people are upset makes me
wonder if they’re just determined to be miserable.
As
if they’d be upset with themselves if there wasn’t something (anything) for
them to get all upset about.
I
think I’m more bothered with the people who have nothing better to worry about
than the cover of Rolling Stone magazine – which quite often does serious
reporting about issues of great significance to our society.
In
the upcoming issue, they’re publishing a story about Dzhokhar Tsarnaev – one of
the suspects in the explosion in Boston that killed a few participants in the marathon;
while also injuring many dozens of others.
I
HAVEN’T READ the story yet, although it seems the magazine is trying to write a
serious piece of reporting that shows just how an individual can sink to such a
contemptible level.
Because
it’s the big story, it is the “cover.” Which means Tsarnaev gets his picture on
the cover of the Rolling Stone.
That
has the kind of people who spend way too much of their time on the Internet
making hostile comments. They don’t want him being “glorified,” even though I
don’t see how this is glorification.
I
wouldn’t be surprised if Tsarnaev himself were to view this as demonification
of his persona. I doubt he’s going to be pleased with the image that will be
presented of himself.
YET
THE OVERLY touchy amongst us want to complain. And they even got at least two
significant business interests – the CVS and Walgreens drug-store chains – to say
they won’t carry the magazine’s upcoming issue.
Personally,
I don’t buy magazines at either store (their selections aren’t that
impressive -- I just don't care about "Shape" magazine). But I’m appalled by both actions.
In
the case of CVS, they say their roots as a New England-based company make them
sensitive to Boston’s feelings on this matter. So now, Rolling Stone can claim
they were “banned in Boston.” Maybe sales elsewhere will compensate for the loss, because such a status makes this appear to be a big deal that it really isn't.
I
suspect the people who do wind up reading the story will find themselves disappointed.
Which is why I wish the Chicago-area-based Walgreens had not made such a decision. I’d
always like to think Chicago interests are more common-sense than the rest of
the country.
APPARENTLY,
THEY’RE NOT always such.
Then,
there’s the case of McCarthy – who earlier this week got herself a bigger media
platform than the weekly advice column she writes for the Chicago Sun-Times.
She’s going to be on Barbara Walters’ television creation – The View.
She’s
going to be a regular hostess. But while most of us think of her as nothing
more than the Mother McAuley girl who turned a Playboy spread into fame as a
not-quite actress but definitely a pop-star, she has in recent years come up
with the theory that her son’s autism was caused by vaccinations.
That
has the medical community now upset that McCarthy would get a permanent place
on a prominent daytime TV show. Even though I’d like to think that real people
are too busy working during the day to actually watch The View, it seems they
think Jenny is now going to be using the airwaves to spew her theories on the
matter.
PERSONALLY,
I THINK the people who actually watch the program would be bored to death if
she actually did become the single-note clown that they’re predicting she will
be. She'd get fired if she actually tried to use the program for an autism crusade.
Do
I see the fate of the Republic being threatened by McCarthy’s new job? I can’t!
I’m
actually more frightened by all the people who felt compelled to pounce on this
issue right when it happened at the beginning of the week. Talk about having
way too much free time on their hands.
-30-
EDITOR’S
NOTE: No, I don’t really see any resemblance to Jim Morrison. Then again, I’m
the type of person who never really thought one-time Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin
bore any resemblance to Tina Fey. I just don’t see it.
In either case!
