In which Kate comments on the Celebrity News of the week.
The first site I visit in the morning is Facebook, followed by Twitter. Then I check my email. So my news comes from the masses. People post links, and I see the Top 10 at Twitter and click, thinking "Hmmm... why is he/she/that trending?"
I watch the news on TV and read ABC headlines, but for pure bat shit crazy, you cannot go past the world of Twitter (and the Yahoo! comments section). News is analysed, over analysed, unfair judgements made. The most fun is the Celebrity news.
So... what's the big news for the week?
We'll start small.
EMMA WATSON IS A BITCH COS SHE HATES BEING RICH
So, apparently Hermione Granger has been complaining about how awful it is being all rich and famous (as well as being mega-smart with like 150 A levels or whatever she's got). Yahoo! is awash with "Whiny brat!" and "Boo frikkin hoo!"
I'm a Harry Potter fan, but I don't care two hoots about the actors and actresses. However, I am also a reasonable person and when I see unfairness, I feel the need to say something. To that effect:
Just lay off Emma, ya'll. Here's why!
Watson DID use the word "sick" in relation to how her money makes her feel. But she did NOT say "money makes me sick". What she said was that her parents gave a her a 50 pound allowance as a child. (That's about $80 Australian). Hardly small pocket money, but nowhere near what she was earning at just 9. The word sick was used in the following context:
"I felt sick, very emotional."
She was referring to her feelings when her father sat her down and told her, at just 17, that she had AT LEAST (we don't know the full amount) 20 000 000 pounds sitting in the bank. her father managed her money from the day she got the job in Potter. She knew she was earning a lot of money, but that's a big revelation. If my Dad sat me down and said "You have $32 000 000 in the bank, and I think you're old enough now to spend it" I would freak RIGHT THE HELL OUT! Oh my God! What do I do with that money? Should I invest it? How do I invest? What are shares anyway? I need to give some to charity, but how much? I can take care of my family, but will they let me? Will I be a bad person if I go and buy a shit load of frocks?
I don't think it at all unreasonable to feel sick at that moment. Becoming an adult is hard, and imagine being told "I'm not going to manage your vast fortune for you any more. You're responsible now." Wouldn't that terrify you? What if you messed up and lost it all.
Emma Watson, very sensibly, went straight out and enrolled in a money management course with her bank.
So look at this story with a bit of perspective. This is not a rich brat complaining that she's famous and her life sucks. She's just being honest about how she felt when she found out the extent of her wealth.
The following has also offended the "I know more than everyone" crowd:
"For the nine years I was on 'Harry Potter' I was contractually obliged not to cut my hair, not to tan. All the normal things girls do, I couldn't. So when I got the chance to change my appearance, this is what I did."
She is referring to going out and cutting her hair very short as soon as her contract ended. "Aw boohoo,' say the mean spirited nay-sayers "I'm in the most popular movie franchise ever and I can't cut my hair!"
When you read the quote, and actually take in the words, it's not a complaint at all. She was asked "Why did you change your look all of a sudden". The answer is "because I'm allowed to and I wanted a change."
Fair enough, Hermione.
(Sorry, love, you can cut your hair all you like, but you're typecast to me).
Now, the BIG CRACK-INDUCED Bitch Fest of DOOM that's going down on Twitter.
BELIEBERS SAY LILY DESERVED TO LOSE HER BABY
Click on the Twitter Trending Topic "Lily Allen" and you will see a massive show down. Why? Apparently the story goes like this.
Lily Allen, the British singer, called Justin Bieber, the American chipmunk, a "fag". Cue Bieber fan hysteria, death threats, etc. Saturday, Allen had her second miscarriage. And apparently (according to what I read on the feed) many many Bieber fans are delighted. They say she "deserved" to lose the baby. Karma's a bitch apparently, blah blah blah. And others have hit the ROOF. How dare you? Bieber fans are all bad people, I hate Justin because his fans are arseholes, blah blah blah. And then there's the group I will call "Bieber fans who aren't on Crack" who are all tweeting: "Not all Beliebers are the same. I feel sad for Lily. I hope she is okay. If you're glad she's suffering, you're sick and I'm unfollowing you."
So... thoughts on this 3-Sided-Triangular-Fight-of-Death.
Let's take things in chronological order. First of all...
Shame on you Llly Allen for using such homophobic language and spreading hate. Even if Justin Bieber does happen to be gay, what of it? Bad form.
Beliebers: Whay are you offended? Would you not like Justin if her WERE gay? Shame on you. Homosexuality is not shameful. You have no reason to be offended. The Queer community does, because this kind of homophobic mudslinging is keeping us on the fringe of society.
Justin Bieber: Very kind of you to forgive Miss Allen, but how about a word to the fans? "Homophobia is not okay. I am not offended by Lily's words, because being gay is nothing to be ashamed of."
Now to today's events.
I'm terribly sorry that Lily Allen has lost her baby. The second miscarriage brings with it horrific thoughts that you may never be able to carry to term, that it is your fault, that something is wrong with you. Whatever offensive words she may have used that insult me and many of my friends (and apparently, Beliebers) she does not deserve to lose her baby. End of story.
To the deranged Beliebers who claim Lily got what she deserved, I can only say that I hope you are merely young and following the crowd. I hope that you will grow up and see that your behaviour is heartless and irrational. I imagine none of those decrying Lily and mocking her in a time of grief have ever been through anything as real as this in their lives and are therefore merely unable to understand what they are saying.
To those tarring all Bieber fans with the same brush: There are more Beliebers tweeting support for Allen than there are those laughing at her. Your venomous attacks on every member of a particular group (in this case, fans of a musician) is just as bad as making unkind remarks about someone who is grieving. Just as Lily does not deserve to be told she deserves her miscarriage, so Bieber fans to not deserve to be told they are all bad, insane people. Because they're obviously not.
As far as I can see, the only group of people in this whole sorry, tragic saga who have no cause to be ashamed of themselves are those Bieber fans sticking up for Lilly. And so I say kudos to them for having an unpopular opinion and the guts to express it (apparently a poll found 62% of Beliebers were glad to hear about Lily's loss).
And that's my opinion on all the news you didn't need to hear.
If you'd like to discuss another matter of overdramatised crackalicious news, let me know. I can see myself getting into a habit with these.
I watch the news on TV and read ABC headlines, but for pure bat shit crazy, you cannot go past the world of Twitter (and the Yahoo! comments section). News is analysed, over analysed, unfair judgements made. The most fun is the Celebrity news.
So... what's the big news for the week?
We'll start small.
EMMA WATSON IS A BITCH COS SHE HATES BEING RICH
So, apparently Hermione Granger has been complaining about how awful it is being all rich and famous (as well as being mega-smart with like 150 A levels or whatever she's got). Yahoo! is awash with "Whiny brat!" and "Boo frikkin hoo!"
I'm a Harry Potter fan, but I don't care two hoots about the actors and actresses. However, I am also a reasonable person and when I see unfairness, I feel the need to say something. To that effect:
Just lay off Emma, ya'll. Here's why!
Watson DID use the word "sick" in relation to how her money makes her feel. But she did NOT say "money makes me sick". What she said was that her parents gave a her a 50 pound allowance as a child. (That's about $80 Australian). Hardly small pocket money, but nowhere near what she was earning at just 9. The word sick was used in the following context:
"I felt sick, very emotional."
She was referring to her feelings when her father sat her down and told her, at just 17, that she had AT LEAST (we don't know the full amount) 20 000 000 pounds sitting in the bank. her father managed her money from the day she got the job in Potter. She knew she was earning a lot of money, but that's a big revelation. If my Dad sat me down and said "You have $32 000 000 in the bank, and I think you're old enough now to spend it" I would freak RIGHT THE HELL OUT! Oh my God! What do I do with that money? Should I invest it? How do I invest? What are shares anyway? I need to give some to charity, but how much? I can take care of my family, but will they let me? Will I be a bad person if I go and buy a shit load of frocks?
I don't think it at all unreasonable to feel sick at that moment. Becoming an adult is hard, and imagine being told "I'm not going to manage your vast fortune for you any more. You're responsible now." Wouldn't that terrify you? What if you messed up and lost it all.
Emma Watson, very sensibly, went straight out and enrolled in a money management course with her bank.
So look at this story with a bit of perspective. This is not a rich brat complaining that she's famous and her life sucks. She's just being honest about how she felt when she found out the extent of her wealth.
The following has also offended the "I know more than everyone" crowd:
"For the nine years I was on 'Harry Potter' I was contractually obliged not to cut my hair, not to tan. All the normal things girls do, I couldn't. So when I got the chance to change my appearance, this is what I did."
She is referring to going out and cutting her hair very short as soon as her contract ended. "Aw boohoo,' say the mean spirited nay-sayers "I'm in the most popular movie franchise ever and I can't cut my hair!"
When you read the quote, and actually take in the words, it's not a complaint at all. She was asked "Why did you change your look all of a sudden". The answer is "because I'm allowed to and I wanted a change."
Fair enough, Hermione.
(Sorry, love, you can cut your hair all you like, but you're typecast to me).
Now, the BIG CRACK-INDUCED Bitch Fest of DOOM that's going down on Twitter.
BELIEBERS SAY LILY DESERVED TO LOSE HER BABY
Click on the Twitter Trending Topic "Lily Allen" and you will see a massive show down. Why? Apparently the story goes like this.
Lily Allen, the British singer, called Justin Bieber, the American chipmunk, a "fag". Cue Bieber fan hysteria, death threats, etc. Saturday, Allen had her second miscarriage. And apparently (according to what I read on the feed) many many Bieber fans are delighted. They say she "deserved" to lose the baby. Karma's a bitch apparently, blah blah blah. And others have hit the ROOF. How dare you? Bieber fans are all bad people, I hate Justin because his fans are arseholes, blah blah blah. And then there's the group I will call "Bieber fans who aren't on Crack" who are all tweeting: "Not all Beliebers are the same. I feel sad for Lily. I hope she is okay. If you're glad she's suffering, you're sick and I'm unfollowing you."
So... thoughts on this 3-Sided-Triangular-Fight-of-Death.
Let's take things in chronological order. First of all...
Shame on you Llly Allen for using such homophobic language and spreading hate. Even if Justin Bieber does happen to be gay, what of it? Bad form.
Beliebers: Whay are you offended? Would you not like Justin if her WERE gay? Shame on you. Homosexuality is not shameful. You have no reason to be offended. The Queer community does, because this kind of homophobic mudslinging is keeping us on the fringe of society.
Justin Bieber: Very kind of you to forgive Miss Allen, but how about a word to the fans? "Homophobia is not okay. I am not offended by Lily's words, because being gay is nothing to be ashamed of."
Now to today's events.
I'm terribly sorry that Lily Allen has lost her baby. The second miscarriage brings with it horrific thoughts that you may never be able to carry to term, that it is your fault, that something is wrong with you. Whatever offensive words she may have used that insult me and many of my friends (and apparently, Beliebers) she does not deserve to lose her baby. End of story.
To the deranged Beliebers who claim Lily got what she deserved, I can only say that I hope you are merely young and following the crowd. I hope that you will grow up and see that your behaviour is heartless and irrational. I imagine none of those decrying Lily and mocking her in a time of grief have ever been through anything as real as this in their lives and are therefore merely unable to understand what they are saying.
To those tarring all Bieber fans with the same brush: There are more Beliebers tweeting support for Allen than there are those laughing at her. Your venomous attacks on every member of a particular group (in this case, fans of a musician) is just as bad as making unkind remarks about someone who is grieving. Just as Lily does not deserve to be told she deserves her miscarriage, so Bieber fans to not deserve to be told they are all bad, insane people. Because they're obviously not.
As far as I can see, the only group of people in this whole sorry, tragic saga who have no cause to be ashamed of themselves are those Bieber fans sticking up for Lilly. And so I say kudos to them for having an unpopular opinion and the guts to express it (apparently a poll found 62% of Beliebers were glad to hear about Lily's loss).
And that's my opinion on all the news you didn't need to hear.
If you'd like to discuss another matter of overdramatised crackalicious news, let me know. I can see myself getting into a habit with these.