"It ain't me..."

If my Internet comes back up anytime soon, I’ll post this tonight, otherwise it may be tomorrow when you’re seeing this.

There’s a little something I need to get off my chest. This isn’t a topical blog, by any stretch. Hell, most of the music I post is 15-20 years old. But there is something going on right now that just has me spinning in circles I’m so pissed.

This whole Paris Hilton thing. I know, your eyes are rolling: “Oh god, not here, too.”

Yes, here too. I follow celeb gossip probably as much as the next person, maybe even a little bit more. I love pop culture, and trivial things and people tend to make up a lot of pop culture. I’m also aware of a phenomenon known as “push news”, wherein the mass media (i.e. television) play up short attention span-type stuff and leave the “pull news” to the written format no one reads anymore (i.e. newspapers – and take that with the sarcasm with which it was intended). And there is nothing more short attention span than the trials and tribulations of a person who is famous for no other reason than because she is famous. So this story has taken the lead in every newscast of the past week.

To back up a minute, as a connoisseur of the pop culture, I couldn’t help but be aware that Paris was going to jail. Fine, fine, whatever. Maybe she’ll get out and do another reality series. At worst maybe she’d learn a life lesson. I was mildly annoyed when her sentence was cut from 45 to 23 days. But, again, whatever. There are certainly more dangerous criminals on which to spend those justice dollars.

So a couple of days ago when they let her out after three days – for some still undisclosed “medical problem” – I was pissed. For once I found myself in absolute agreement with the Rev. Al Sharpton: “I think that it's both another glaring display of how race and money seem to get different treatments. There seems to be a different criminal justice system for some than others.”

I usually don’t care about stuff like this, but Ms. Hilton has lived what seems to be a charmed life. She was born with a silver spoon in her mouth and has never known anything different. She ditzes her way through life with her little dog and her sex tapes as if nothing else matters. If it were me violating probation, I could guaran-damn-tee I’d be cooling my heels in lockup. All 45 days, too, I betcha.

When I heard last night that there was a serious chance Paris was headed back to jail, I was overjoyed. No justice, no peace. Then this morning when I read she was back in the clink, I actually cheered out loud at my desk at work. In my opinion, there is no one more deserving of this comeuppance. I sincerely hope that she’ll use this time to reflect on the arrogance and shallowness of her life.

The other thing that has pissed me off about all of this – and now I’m guilty of it as well – is the media play this is getting. Well, actually I’m no sort of official media; I’m just using my small forum to air my views (whether that makes it OK is up for debate, I suppose). Today when I was at lunch, the TV was tuned to Fox News, everyone watching breathlessly as if Fidel Castro had finally died (it’s a Cuban café).

Now that Paris is back in jail, I hope everyone can just let it go. There’s a war going on; there’s executive malfeasance going on; there’s global warming going on. This Paris thing isn’t important. Maybe sometime during her sentence, she’ll realize that, too.

Fortunate Son (live – CCR cover).mp3 Pearl Jam
Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash cover).mp3 STD

*****

I’m working a little overtime tomorrow morning, but I’ll be back tomorrow night and post something that doesn’t involve my being on a soapbox!

Labels: covers, current events, rock

posted by aikin @ 11:43 PM