Listening to FM radio today, I finally realized why so many people have switched to Satellite stations as their source of music and news in their respective cars. With all the commercialization and the pressure to keep ratings high, FM radio has become eerily similar to late afternoon network TV. A distorted mixture of unimportant news, celebrity gossip, and the same 8 programs (or in this case, songs) playing on continuous loop. It was under these circumstances that I first heard about Chris Brown’s alleged assault on Rihanna. I must admit that I was surprised by the news, but when I thought about it, I was somewhat happy. Not that the 19 year old superstar singer may have struck his 20 year old, equally talented superstar girlfriend. No. I was happy for other reasons. This is what you can take away from this incident.
1. Chris Brown and Rihanna’s relationship is very real. Many people assume that relationships between budding celebrities in similar realms of entertainment are actually contrived by managers, labels, and agents in order to produce synergy and simultaneously promote two separate careers. Jay Z and Beyonce, Brad Pitt and Angelina etc. But please believe, if Chris and Rihanna were in an argument that heated, that he was ready to go upside her head, the two are as real as any other couple out there. Why am I happy? Irrational anger and intense jealousy are side effects of love, or at least very strong like. It’s noteworthy that two superstars who could have anything/anyone they wanted in terms of relationships, have the same problems as everybody else. The series of events alone are so ordinary that they just bring them both back down to our planet momentarily. We’ve all heard this story with our girlfriend or boyfriend. Scheduled to go out for the night, probably getting ready together, started arguing, one of them said f*** this, I am not even going anymore, the other says “yea you are, but doesn’t not concede the argument, fight continues in the car and reaches a boiling point, things get physical, and Chris doesn’t realize his own strength nor does he realize how gangster his girlfriend really is, now she seeks criminal charges. Only difference is between this situation and that of somebody we all know is that Chris and Rihanna were on their way to the Grammy’s thus more cameras and media were involved than that one time I grabbed my girlfriend’s elbow and she slapped me real hard in the face because we were arguing about who was weirdo she was talking to on New Year’s right in front of my face?! Moving on, it’s good to know that money and fame don’t change everything; relationships are still just as emotionally and physically taxing.
2. Many people I heard call into the radio spoke of how disappointed they were in Chris Brown. And why not. He is the new pop icon, blossoming into stardom as Justin Timberlake fades away while refusing to leave the set of Saturday Night Live. At only 19, he is a grade school girl’s obsession as well as a sex symbol to grown women who straight up celebrated the day he turned 18, thus legalizing their lust for him and removing their feelings of pedophilia whenever “Forever” came on. Knowing that a kid who is so talented and such a heartthrob is the kind of guy who beats on his girlfriend is disheartening no doubt. But if I’m a father or brother to one of the aforementioned girls, I am happy, because not only do I have an axe to grind, but I have a point to prove, and Chris just helped me prove that point and relate to my daughter or sister. Just because he sings about “dancing forever” and “hearts all over the world feeling the way he does” doesn’t mean he won’t get jealous, get angry, get petty, get furious, lose his temper, and hurt you. Badly. On the whole, women idolize, respect, and adore male celebrities more intensely than vise versa. What’s unfortunate is that very few men in this world are worthy of our sisters’ or daughters’ respect or adoration. In all this, I’m making sure that my sister or daughter knows that plenty of guys will approach them with that whole “yo, excuse me miss” routine, but they all have flaws, be selective, be smart. Pick one that keeps his fists to himself, and if he doesn’t, get real on him just like Rihanna did. Let everybody know so you can ruin his ego and his reputation like he ruined your self esteem and your face.
Whether it’s Michael Phelps and smoking pot, Arod using steroids, or Chris Brown hospitalizing Rihanna, there is a valuable lesson available for everyone to learn. It’s about emotions, and the people we choose to assign those emotions to. For now, let’s reserve admiration and adoration for people we actually know, respect, interact with, and whose actions affect our daily lives. As far as celebrities and professional athletes go, give them no more than your affinity and fascination. Though their social status is such that their private lives have become intriguing and newsworthy, we must realize that celebrities do not owe us anything, anymore than we owe them. Thus, we cannot continue to empower celebrities with the ability to disappoint us.
Chris Brown makes hot music, I like it and I buy his hot music. (Or download it for free) He chews double mint gum, and I want to double my pleasure and my fun, so sing the song forever after I buy some at the gas station. Girls think he’s cute; they put a poster on their door or wallpaper on their computer screen. That’s where it should end. If you felt you were close enough to Chris Brown that you were truly disappointed when this Rihanna assault story came out, I urge you to analyze how close you are to all of your favorite celebrities. Life is hard, (for most people) and therefore full of disappointments…Don’t allow yourself to feel so close to a celebrity that now, someone you never met before can now upset you by falling short of your expectations…instead acknowledge the people you see everyday who satisfy your needs and make you happy. They are probably more deserving of those feelings you used to have for your boy Chris.
1. Chris Brown and Rihanna’s relationship is very real. Many people assume that relationships between budding celebrities in similar realms of entertainment are actually contrived by managers, labels, and agents in order to produce synergy and simultaneously promote two separate careers. Jay Z and Beyonce, Brad Pitt and Angelina etc. But please believe, if Chris and Rihanna were in an argument that heated, that he was ready to go upside her head, the two are as real as any other couple out there. Why am I happy? Irrational anger and intense jealousy are side effects of love, or at least very strong like. It’s noteworthy that two superstars who could have anything/anyone they wanted in terms of relationships, have the same problems as everybody else. The series of events alone are so ordinary that they just bring them both back down to our planet momentarily. We’ve all heard this story with our girlfriend or boyfriend. Scheduled to go out for the night, probably getting ready together, started arguing, one of them said f*** this, I am not even going anymore, the other says “yea you are, but doesn’t not concede the argument, fight continues in the car and reaches a boiling point, things get physical, and Chris doesn’t realize his own strength nor does he realize how gangster his girlfriend really is, now she seeks criminal charges. Only difference is between this situation and that of somebody we all know is that Chris and Rihanna were on their way to the Grammy’s thus more cameras and media were involved than that one time I grabbed my girlfriend’s elbow and she slapped me real hard in the face because we were arguing about who was weirdo she was talking to on New Year’s right in front of my face?! Moving on, it’s good to know that money and fame don’t change everything; relationships are still just as emotionally and physically taxing.
2. Many people I heard call into the radio spoke of how disappointed they were in Chris Brown. And why not. He is the new pop icon, blossoming into stardom as Justin Timberlake fades away while refusing to leave the set of Saturday Night Live. At only 19, he is a grade school girl’s obsession as well as a sex symbol to grown women who straight up celebrated the day he turned 18, thus legalizing their lust for him and removing their feelings of pedophilia whenever “Forever” came on. Knowing that a kid who is so talented and such a heartthrob is the kind of guy who beats on his girlfriend is disheartening no doubt. But if I’m a father or brother to one of the aforementioned girls, I am happy, because not only do I have an axe to grind, but I have a point to prove, and Chris just helped me prove that point and relate to my daughter or sister. Just because he sings about “dancing forever” and “hearts all over the world feeling the way he does” doesn’t mean he won’t get jealous, get angry, get petty, get furious, lose his temper, and hurt you. Badly. On the whole, women idolize, respect, and adore male celebrities more intensely than vise versa. What’s unfortunate is that very few men in this world are worthy of our sisters’ or daughters’ respect or adoration. In all this, I’m making sure that my sister or daughter knows that plenty of guys will approach them with that whole “yo, excuse me miss” routine, but they all have flaws, be selective, be smart. Pick one that keeps his fists to himself, and if he doesn’t, get real on him just like Rihanna did. Let everybody know so you can ruin his ego and his reputation like he ruined your self esteem and your face.
Whether it’s Michael Phelps and smoking pot, Arod using steroids, or Chris Brown hospitalizing Rihanna, there is a valuable lesson available for everyone to learn. It’s about emotions, and the people we choose to assign those emotions to. For now, let’s reserve admiration and adoration for people we actually know, respect, interact with, and whose actions affect our daily lives. As far as celebrities and professional athletes go, give them no more than your affinity and fascination. Though their social status is such that their private lives have become intriguing and newsworthy, we must realize that celebrities do not owe us anything, anymore than we owe them. Thus, we cannot continue to empower celebrities with the ability to disappoint us.
Chris Brown makes hot music, I like it and I buy his hot music. (Or download it for free) He chews double mint gum, and I want to double my pleasure and my fun, so sing the song forever after I buy some at the gas station. Girls think he’s cute; they put a poster on their door or wallpaper on their computer screen. That’s where it should end. If you felt you were close enough to Chris Brown that you were truly disappointed when this Rihanna assault story came out, I urge you to analyze how close you are to all of your favorite celebrities. Life is hard, (for most people) and therefore full of disappointments…Don’t allow yourself to feel so close to a celebrity that now, someone you never met before can now upset you by falling short of your expectations…instead acknowledge the people you see everyday who satisfy your needs and make you happy. They are probably more deserving of those feelings you used to have for your boy Chris.
2 comments:
Hey B.U.S.E....long time reader, first time poster. Love the blog, but one thing really set me off - "He is the new pop icon, blossoming into stardom as Justin Timberlake fades away while refusing to leave the set of Saturday Night Live." Justin Timberlake....fades away??? I don't think so. Did JT fade away in the almost four years between his solo debut "justified" and the classic "futuresexlovesounds"...i dont think so. After he make a hit record like that (and still manage to guest on all sorts of other hits...T.I. dead and gone for example) you are able to take a break and do something fun - like rock SNL. You can't tell me that "Dick in a box" was not hilarious. What about the single ladies skit- hilarious. JT is at the top of his game right now...and CB (although he is recording a new album in miami right now) wont be able to get on his level for quite sometime.
I cannot believe you are "HAPPY". that is just sick. ur happy that chris beat his gf to bloody pulp? have u seen her pic after. when she was in the hospital. he didnt just slap her upside her head. he took a baseball bat to her face and had batting practice for awhile. but im glad ur happy. this really does show all those girls out there that this relationship is real. cause relationships are not real unless u beat ur significant other. also... im glad to let u know that rihanna has decided the best course of action is to get back together with her abuser!
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