Look before you start reading this and think I’m going to be an insensitive fuck, this has nothing to do with the death of or the character of Natasha Richardson. I didn’t even know who she was. After seeing a few pictures I gathered she liked to show off the goods a bit though, and well she should have she was beautiful.
What is it though with us and motorizing people we know nothing about and even more so when they die tragically young or at the peak of their career? I saw one comment on youtube from the movie “Parent Trap”, that read: ” R.I.P. Natasha.. you were a very lovely and caring mother in this movie.. great actress.. we will miss you.”
What the fuck does that mean? She was a great mother- Yeah, in pretend land. MOVIES ARE NOT REAL. I don’t know much about her at all other then Parent Trap was a bad decision in the same way it was a bad decision to ski that slope.
Okay yell at me for being crass if you like but I think it’s just as crass to talk about the death of someone as if you knew who they were. Have a little respect for the people who did know them. Look, she was an actress; she didn’t even know who she was.
It’s not just her though; every celebrity who dies gets all of these ass-twat-morons crawling out of the woodwork to comment on what a loss it was and how sad it is to see them go. I even hear of people doing it with non-celebrities.
I had a friend call me up crying because this kid in her collage class committed suicide. I asked if she was close to him, she said he sat on the other side of the room.
REALLY! It is bad enough we have to morn the loss of a loved one, now we have to have empathy for some selfish fuck who couldn’t cut the pressure of biology class, some girl who didn’t love him and a family who just had no understanding of who he was.
Natasha Richardson, I have no idea what kind of person she was. Let’s assume she was a great lady with a wonderful heart and it really is a tragic loss. The only part I can get behind is the tragic loss part; only because really, most people who are taken from the world are a tragic loss.
What if on-the-other-hand, Natasha was a bitch? What if she hated children, had pets that she neglected, emotionally abused everyone in her life, was a cunt on set and couldn’t work with anyone in her movies without creating mass drama? What if she fucked her way to all the success she had and destroyed other people’s lives and careers at the sake of securing her own? Then would the slope accident be a horrifically sad accident or a fitting end to the icy cold abyss that should have been her heart?
More then than likely that isn’t the case, but since we don’t know her we will never know. If that was the case though and if I were one of her abused pets or emotionally destroyed friends. Seeing comments from total strangers about what a loss it was and what a great pretend mother she turned out to be in that shitty movie. Those comments would be just one more kick to my heart when at last I thought I could finally rest in peace.
So what would I comment about the death of Natasha Richardson? If I was to say anything it would be only on the things I know for sure.
“Natasha Richardson, a beautiful woman, unexpectedly taken from the world. I give my respects to those who knew her best.”
I totally validate your view and I understand it. One theory I have is that for some people, when it comes to death…it’s like…misdirected sadness, if that makes sense? Sort of like misdirected anger. I think you get my drift.
People die every single day, and family and friends mourn every single day, we all know that…but when noone in our lives are currently dying, or have died recently (or dramatically), and then a sudden death happens, and it is so public…I suppose it comes as a more bold reminder to people that your life can really be over any minute. We already know this, sure…but often enough, we get caught up in our day to day lives and we dont think about how short life can be. Sometimes as a result, this reminder causes us to assess our own lives, fate, mortality, losses of loved ones. Even though this can seem somewhat false and can even be innapropriate, I think it is a natural emotional reaction for some of us to face our own mortality when a death (especially a sudden death) is so public…this can cause some to feel guitly “I didn’t die, I didn’t know him/her…so why am I so sad???” “Why am I thinking about my own life and death…this isn’t about me!” and instead of just keeping quiet, they pay respects to the deceased even though they had no connection with them…which can understandably come off as odd.
I was sad when George Carlin died…I didn’t know him, but I respected his work and his place & statement in the comedy world. Therefore, I did say R.I.P. and I meant it – even though it meant nothing to him.
Again, this is totally just one of my theories, which may change tomorrow. I’m not defending attention whores…and I do know that some people use others’ deaths to get sympathy for themselves…I’m not talking about those people. I also 100% agree with you on the ‘Parent Trap’ comment…that was a movie, not real life…some people are suprisingly out of touch with reality.
Natasha Richardson (from what I’ve seen and read over the years – which may or may not be true) was a respected actress on broadway and film, a great mother, a good person, great to work with, and totally in love with her husband, Liam Neeson, whom I also respect as an actor. Now…I, of course, did not know her…but she was a person and actress that people said good things about often – while she was still alive and healthy, and not just after/because she died. I felt sad when I heard she had died…but I think it was a mixture of ‘misdirected sadness’ and empathy for her husband and her children and her whole family. Again, I know people lose loved ones every day, but I think sometimes it’s easier to be affected in this sort of situation because it is so public…and some people (like me) are overly-sensitive. (I cried watching ‘White Fang’ the other day).
I hope this isn’t coming off as me arguing your point…I’m not. It’s just a slightly different view from an overly sensitive hypochondriac, who happened to be a fan.
As always, I very much enjoy reading your stuff and the points of view that you bring to the table. Talented one, you are.
xo
V
I cried more tears for Anna Nicole than I did for my aunt. That being said, there will be the occasional celeb that will kick me in the gut when they die because – damn…that’s a fucking bummer.
But like you, I find the media whoring of a stranger’s death nauseating. And for someone who we mostly didn’t see much of, I’m not sure why we need days (which could turn into weeks) of media attention on this woman’s death. Let her be dead for godssakes.
I’m sure she was awesome. She seemed ‘awesome’ when she was on Top Chef last season. But I’m still not going to lose any sleep over her death. Even if every news and entertainment site thinks I should. *shrug*
This has always irked me.
And another is leaving Myspace comments for the deceased. Do that many people really think that someone is like…Heaven is BORING…I’m gonna go check my MySpace. I dont think so.
Hey, this is a great post, very well thought out a and well written.
Thank you for that. I enjoy the process.
LB