The word of the day1 for April 30, 2007 is “celebrity” — noun. 1 : the state of being celebrated : FAME. 2 : a famous or celebrated person.
We’ve been keeping an eye on the reports from the San Francisco area about the gasoline truck accident that has taken out the converging approach ramps for the Oakland Bay Bridge. Luckily for everyone concerned, the truck driver only sustained second degree burns. Unluckily for everyone concerned, traffic will be snarled for the next half-year or more as they rebuild.
A coworker complained that there had been very little reporting on the incident here in the Mid-West. I explained to him the cardinal rules for what gets on the newscasts: footage, location, horror/grossness, celebrity. If the news people have footage, even if it is a squirrel escaping the attic of a burning building, it will take precedence in the newscast. Next is location—is it local, state, federal, or did it happen to someone from our home town? Then there is horror/grossness, or the amount of damage to life and limb. Also, did it happen to a celebrity? (This is the “John Jacob Astor and 1250 Souls Perish” type of headline.) The best of all possible headlines for a news program is to have footage of a British Royal run over by one of the racecars—driven by a lesbian in diapers—at a Nascar event in one’s hometown.
The quote2 for today is from H.L. (Henry Lewis) Mencken (1880–1956), U.S. journalist. “Sententiæ: The Mind of Men,” A Mencken Chrestomathy (1949):
A celebrity is one who is known to many persons he is glad he doesn’t know.
;^) Jan
SURRENDER
10 years ago
1 comment:
You wrote; The best of all possible headlines for a news program is to have footage of a British Royal run over by one of the racecars—driven by a lesbian in diapers—at a Nascar event in one’s hometown.
Knowing our Royal's capers Jan...the above quote would not even make the back page...Lol! Their thinking and standards are not those of the common folks for sure.
Some have become 'celebrities' like Sarah Ferguson. But like most tabloid celebrities these day...their celebrity status is all they really have to offer. They are 'celebrated' just for getting their pictures in the paper's and nothing more.
I will soon enjoy the 'celebration' of my 60 birthday. Now that is something of note in anyone's book...Lol!
Enjoy your hols and....I will take up the 'competitive offer of photographer of the Hol's'. Just you wait and see.........wooohoo!
Scotland V Oregon and California.
On your mark..... Lol! Jeanie
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