Hooked on Hollywood

Since summer started, and now that I'm home and on the computer more, I find that I have gotten caught up in the lives of Hollywood's celebrities. I have read about them in magazines. I have googled them on the Internet. Now I'm about to blog about them.

• Farrah Fawcett - I'm starting with Farrah because even her death was usurped yesterday. I have been keeping tabs on her story through the Today Show and the Internet. I plan on catching the rebroadcast of her documentary, Farrah's Story, tonight on NBC. She was an icon of my generation. My brother had her famous poster on his bedroom wall. Girls in school were getting their hair done Farrah style with the feathering. My friends and I role-played Charlie's Angels, all of us fighting to be Farrah or Jacklyn Smith. She was married to my Big Valley hero, Lee Majors, and we used to fantasize a lot about their life together. Despite her traitorous walk off of Charlie Angels, I followed her life as we aged and cheered her when she finally got the accolades she deserved through television movies like The Burning Bed. I'm sorry that her life ended and especially sorry that she couldn't just have had her own tribute yesterday and today.

• Michael Jackson - The death of Michael Jackson was shocking to me. I knew Farrah was near the end and so her death wasn't unexpected, but the King of Pop? Shocking. I hadn't heard it before picking up the girls at swim team practice so I just stood there on the pool deck taking it all in when informed. I spent last night, early morning, and most of today channel surfing from station to station watching all the footage they offered. For my generation, this is Elvis dying. He was a Hoosier. I grew up listening to the Jackson 5 and later buying Michael's albums as he stood out on his own. I can still remember waiting for the premiere of his Thriller video on MTV, and then just sitting there in shock at the sheer audacity of it. He was truly one of a kind. He had a genius about him, pulled from his childlike mind. I blame his family and those around him for not protecting him more. Today the abuse he suffered throughout his family and entertainment life wouldn't be tolerated but back then I think everyone turned a blind eye. He had so many problems as an adult, although frankly, I don't think the kid every grew up.

• The Gosselin Family - The first time I saw the show Jon & Kate Plus 8 was in April. I was channel surfing during the daytime looking for something to watch while I ironed. I came upon this show and spent the entire time ironing with my mouth wide open. For some odd reason, I really thought this woman had given birth to these six children naturally, without drug influence. I couldn't believe how exhausted I was watching them get these children ready for church and a day in the park. At the time I thought the couple was odd. Their interviews on the sofa were interesting. She seemed very controlling and very much the one in charge. He leaned away from her and seemed very passive and whiny, yet he too had a controlling side. I never saw the show again until last week when I watched the episode where they claimed to be separating. I feel really terrible for the children. They didn't ask for this reality television life. Yet I like to think that the parents did it for them. You want to help your children have a better life and, let's face it, money can make life better, and reality TV brings in lots of money. Somewhere along the line the yearn for money and a better life got in the way of raising children, and that to me is the sad part. Yet I can't stop reading about these people.