Random Notes On A Random Topic: Patty Hearst
- How many people who didn't live through the event of the Hearst kidnapping and her subsequent bank heist actually remember Patty Hearst? I realize now that it's probably more than I figured thanks to her extensive involvement in pop-cult culture and jokes (as evidenced by her acting career and her extensive "trivia" section on wikipedia). It's also amusing that that's how this story should be perpetuated.
I think asking how she is remembered, if at all, is particularly relevant considering how the movie Network saw fit to parody the extensive coverage the Hearst case got. On one hand, I could see criticizing media excess, particularly in the face of a story centering on a popular personality. The portion of the media that covers the media itself has gone nuts recently in frustration over how Britney Spears and Anna Nicole Smith have gotten hundreds of times more airplay than the current government's foibles and beating war-drum/bloodlust for Iran. That said, I think the story of Patty Hearst was one worth covering, particularly since it involved a self-stylized Robin Hood-like organization, a bank heist, and the granddaughter of one of the most important figures in American history. It's was an interesting story at the time that could have inspired (and still can inspire) a lot of questions about what's going on in our society. The only question that Britney and Anna Nicole seem to inspire is, "Why do we bother being so obsessed with them?"
- Has anyone else noticed how the Symbionese Liberation Army's symbology is a rip-off of Marvel Comics' terrorist organization HYDRA? Granted that the Hydra is a pretty effective symbol to be utilized by terrorist and subversive organizations... "Cut one of us down and two more will take our place," and all that... But I just can't take the ideas of the SLA seriously knowing that Stan Lee, in all his dramatic non-sensery, beat them too it.
- HYDRA also have their own lady representative in the form of Lady Hydra:
Dramatic? yes... And those HYDRA agents sure seem into it with their lit torches. But I'd take Patty and her full auto M1 Carbine over Ms. Fanatic there, personally.
- From the aforementioned Patty Hearst wiki trivia section:
"Singer Madonna arguably based the cover image for her 2003 album American Life on Hearst's famous photo; however, she instead called it a tribute to Che Guevara."
Hmmm... the Che thing was played out at least a good decade ago and unless Madonna was making a comment on the absurd commodification of the Che image in America (she might have been, but I'm inclined to doubt it if she calls it a "tribute"), she probably would've been better off referencing Patty. Actually, by 2003 even that sort of comment about Che (and his image) had been done to death (and probably most intelligently done by the International Center of Photography's exhibit "Che! Revolution and Commerce"). Moral of the story? I dunno, maybe it's that we all get old and unchallenging eventually? Or maybe that remaining so is reserved for the select few and special among us? Notice: I said "unchallenging." Madonna, at this point, might never be "irrelevant," but she's certainly nowhere near the rebel she once was or imagines herself to still be.
-Also from the wiki trivia:
"Washington, DC area sandwich shop chain Booeymonger offers a sandwich named after Hearst. It consists of fresh turkey breast, bacon, melted provolone cheese with Russian dressing served on a French baguette"
Hmm... Can anyone figure the rationalization for this combo of ingredients? I think I could do better.... (I don't fool around when it comes to sandwiches)
-Also, via my poking around for this post:
http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix3/madamehydra2.jpg
"only by purifying my soul -- by the spilling of others' blood by the blood lust of my own -- will i be worthy of my trust"
Wow, that's a doozy