can i get HEAVY for a moment?
the morning sickness of today's today show suggested that generosity is little more than a commercial enterprise.
we are living in the age of the thing, and our core values only seem tangible when they can be translated into objects, spectacle and packaged hyper-reality.
so, the houses the stars are building in (de)humanity plaza, hearing ann curry scream "i love this hammer" and watching kimora lee simmons stretched out on a bed (in same plaza) shoving babyphat clothes into the hands of the newly-homed-newly-homeless all mask the institutionalized hypocracy that has become our reality. why bother writing a check for katrina, unless you do it on tv?
and this shit is real, when the first lady of the united states guest stars on extreme makeover (the home edition) - we ought to all be very afraid! happy shiny horror!
dont misintepret me people, im not preachin and im not standing on some high (and dry) moral ground. i just genuinely felt a little sick to my stomach this morning watching tv too and wanted to share.

Just wondering?
What have you guys done?

Thank you, Fenton and LA Times, for these stories and for feeling the same as I do about pay-for-pity TV. Has corporate American decided on a color for Hurrican Katrina ribbons, car decals and/or plastic bracelets?

right on!

I've given my prayers, hopes and tears, Anony! .... and they were brought to you by The Olive Garden, where "Everyday you're treated like family - and don't forget half price Shrimp Scampi with a $1 donation to the Red Cross"

i made a personal private donation and i believe fenton did as well. we both thought about turning it into a tv special, but the field seemed crowded,

Television is television because of its power to influence (obviously, seeing as how you guys never shut up about it). If it's a choice between seeing people building houses for those who need them or plotting against each other to get a million bucks for themselves on Big Brother, or Simon telling people they're crap on American Idol, or screaming their contempt for each other on [INSERT TITLE HERE], I'll take the houses.

Sure it's self-congratulating, and probably fleeting. But showing viewers that generosity can be fulfilling is a step closer to building a community. As opposed to all those other shows, which basically encourage us to sit around and judge each other.

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Three Wishes, Starting Over, and any show like them may be laying it on pretty thick, but they've got a hard crust of cynicism to break through in our collective psyche. Maybe when taking care of each other is the rule and not the exception, these shows can afford to be a little more subtle. Like America's Next Top Model.

what difference does it make if they did anything or gave anything? Watching Katie C. in her high heels and goggles hammering nails is CRAZY.

It reminds me of those horrible mini-movies Rosie O'Donnell made for 9/11 with "sad" "moving" music. gag.

Dear Matt D.

"a step closer to buidling a community" PLEEEEAASE.

this will all wear off in a couple months and everyone will go back to fucking over their neighbors. We live in America where we like to bring out the gospel choirs and wave that ratty ol' flag everytime a crisis arrives.

America's Next Top Model is truly the America I love.

P.S.

I tend to agree with Matt D. Yes it's icky and transparent - but at least the end result is something useful. Yes it's turned into a narcissitic, opportunist nightmare - but it's improving people's lives, and that's far more important to me than how much camera time some bimbo no-lister is milking.

The real question we need to asking is why on EARTH the United States is so fucking reactive, as opposed to pro-active. I don't just mean Katrina - we (supposedly) have the best and brightest in terms of military intelligence, weather analysts, and medical science. However, we never put these recources to use in a proactive manner - we bascially wait for shit to happen to us..and THEN decide how to improve and keep our citizans safe.

???

BTW..

FUCKING RANDY!

matt (and rooster!),
in theory i buy what you are saying, but the reality is that the candy-coated worlds of extreme makeover/home edition and three wishes simply dont exist. katie couric cannot fix new orleans, no less america, with a hammer and a pair of manolas. the army of celebs parading in front of the cameras eager to chip in and usually tearing up along the way, begs the question, who's nightmare is it anyway? yes, its great to remind america to be generous - but using others misfortune to experience one's own catharsis feels a little twisted to me. it distracts us from the true issues at hand.
big brother and the other flip programs you mention are just that, flip, superficial, playful tv shows, they arent trying to be anything else...these other "good works" programs are pawning themselves off as something else...something bigger....something more valuable....and in the process they are essentially suggesting that some of the most serious problems that we face in our culture can be fixed with a song and a tear. sure, in the end its better than nothing, its a good thing to remind people to be generous and to get celebrities to pound nails...but on a meta-level i think its fair enough to question the long lasting value...and on a personal level the today show really did give me a tummy ache this morning!
ps - on the pro-active vs the re-active front, i totally agree thats how we behave, but not sure why.

pps - forgot to sign my name

Fucking Randy!, I see your point - however:

"using others misfortune to experience one's own catharsis feels a little twisted to me. it distracts us from the true issues at hand."

Everyone does this - giving out of the goodness of one's heart simply doesn't exist. Mostly. In America, most of the giving is done is small amounts and usually only serves to quiet that little spark of guilt. We all feel better (and we purchase the right the complain) when we've "given all we can." Maybe I'm misinterpreting your statement - but I don't think so...

In terms of Pro-active/reactive it all boils down to money - of course, of course. The powers that be don't want to put a dime into preventive measures..medical, structural or otherwise - predictive conclusions don't lend themselves to pie charts and budget allowance very sucessfully. And that, motherfuckers, is truly sad. Unless the cure for what ails ye can be illustrated in a cost effective manner, fagetaboutit...

YCKTR

I agree with Randy and Fenton here. This brings me right back to the Oprah nuisance. These people "give" at no personal cost to themselves. It's all feel good crap for ratings and the viewing audience which in turn just makes THEM richer. Man they have it down pat. The Today Show didn't cared about those poor black people before the storm and you mean to tell me they care now? The Today Show gang has homes in the Hamptons and their own families and luxurious lives. These Katrina victims have suffered untold tragites and Oprah is getting an on air apology from the president of Hermes? This stuff makes me sick.

randy writes:
"using others misfortune to experience one's own catharsis feels a little twisted to me. it distracts us from the true issues at hand."
rooster responds:
"Everyone does this - giving out of the goodness of one's heart simply doesn't exist."
randy responds:
everyone doesnt do this ALL the time! in fact, its totally human nature to help others. if you see someone fall your instinct is to help them get up, if you hear someone cry your instinct is to comfort them. i think giving out of the goodness of one's heart is pretty instinctual...the problem is that greed is as well!

ps - forgot to sign that again.

Even with the best intentions, there is an exchange when someone gives to charity, joins the peace corp or what have you. The person feels good about themselves because they've done something nice for another person. Altruism (sp?) is a romanticize notion best left to fairy tales and crappy novels.

Helping someone up when they fall down , in the literal sense, is obviously something different -that's (decent) human nature.

You need only drive down the street to see that ALL people, not just celebrities are hung up on this "see what a good person I am" mentality. Hell, we have more magnetized car ribbons than we have causes - I actually saw one for renal failure the other day...and it was an old couple, so yes they were serious.

You have to take the good with the bad - if the exchange is a little press time, or a few car magnets that scream "I'm a good person", just to provide aid for those in need, I say go for it. The benifits FAR outweigh the cost.

Good points though Fucking Randy...

The Today Show didn't cared about those poor black people before the storm and you mean to tell me they care now?

===snip===

and you did?

I doubt it...

The Today Show gang has homes in the Hamptons and their own families and luxurious lives.

===snip===

Are they supposed to feel guilty about that? Apologize?

Your side lost hippie...

Randy,
I sent in for the charity "party" thing but the party I'm putting togeather is for Homeless veterans It's called a Stand Down we try to get the veterans and other homeless to come in get medical check-ups find out if they have filed thier paperwork for disablity and some we can even get into treatment programs. Last years stand down I had two that got jobs the next week! That is such an accomplishment for them!

It isn't some fancy flouncy crap and yeah if you picked us for the show maybe it would help the beast boy but the big parts would be getting exposure for the veterans and showing that there are homeless that are job ready they just need a chance and also our other charity beast boy and I have begged on you for stuff for Operation Military Pride which could greatly use the exposure you could give them.

But we an't pretty so I doubt that we will make your cut either.

It is about the flouncy and ass kissing sometimes. If I put on a star studded gala benifit for the HAC (Homeless Assistance Center) yeah we might be more sellable but that is a waste of resources why should I beg donations and flounce to feed a bunch of rich people to TRY to get them to give money to feed my homeless when instead I can spend my energy and time begging the food and clothes for my people I serve and begging for the medical van and volenteers to do the paperwork for disablity and other benifits. Plus the homeless are a heck of a lot more fun to hang out with than the rich JR. Leaugers.

Plus the homeless are a heck of a lot more fun to hang out with than the rich JR. Leaugers.

===snip===

Me Madre works with the homeless here in the city - and you are sooo fucking spot on with your assesment. Except the paranoid schizophenics - that bunch is not such good times usually.

Oh SNAP!

Roo- My point is I don't have a morning show or an afternoon talk stadium to parade my chairable doings in exchange for feel good points/ratings with a viewing audience. I'm not making millions or getting tax write offs when I donate time or money. When you assume that I have no interest in the poor you are very wrong my friend... very wrong.

God I hate this administration! I want to be a registered Communist just to piss people off.

Roo- My point is I don't have a morning show or an afternoon talk stadium to parade my chairable doings in exchange for feel good points/ratings with a viewing audience. I'm not making millions or getting tax write offs when I donate time or money. When you assume that I have no interest in the poor you are very wrong my friend... very wrong.

===snip===

If people weren't interested in being rewarded for their charity, why are those silly rubber bracelets and magnet ribbons so ridiculously popular these days? That's right, because very few people give without courting some level of recognition. I don't think this necissarily a bad thing - again, benifits far outweigh the cost. But seriously, let call a spade a spade.

I never said you had "no interest in the poor." I just said that before the disaster, you didn't give any more (or less) of a shit about poor people in NOLA than Oprah et. al.

Sure celebrities are making money off the disater - However, if they inspire even ONE person to give or help out, what's the harm? You guys act like you DON'T live in the most exploitative, as seen on TV, 30mins or less country in the world.

That's the way of the world folks - and remember, celebrities only wield (sp?) this level of influence because we allow them to. Think about that next time you're reading Oprah's book of the month.

Except the paranoid schizophenics - that bunch is not such good times usually

++++++++++ snap ++++++++++++

Are you kidding me they are the best. Nothing like talking to someone that is doing chair calastinics and having another conversation in thier head. Plus it helps me get them thier disablity money and or pension faster (and HOPEFULLY into a treatment program) if they are really visably in mental duress.

The best way for me to get someone help sadly is for them to be totaly losing it pissing on themself (literaly) delusional. I had one vet that was real sick he came in we got him in the hospital and those assholes sandbagged him didn't even clean him up or give him some medication knowing he could not fill thier perscription. So he walks the mile and a half over to the office peeing on himself all the way hacking up flimballs on his clothes this guy was in real bad shape. I called an ambulance and told the paramedics if he came back without being given care I would take him to the fucking administrators office and have that ass give him a sponge bath and treat him personaly.

Best moment Beast boy was at work with me once when we were open late and one of my guys came in his bike tire was screwed up so he was havign a tough time getting around to the places for meals and clothing and stuff. He his bus passes but he only wanted to use those when he was going on a job interview so he could stay neat. Beast boy was over with one of my other co-workers while we were talking and as my guy was getting ready to leave beast boy ran up to him and gave him a hug.

Two days later my guy came in with a car he had gotten in a box of cerail from one of our support sites for the beast boy. If you know homeless giveing up something like that is LOVE.

Damn it I'm crying again Damn you Randy!

"They take the paper and they read the headlines,
So they've heard of unemployment and they've heard of breadlines,
And they philanthropically cure them all
By getting up a costume charity ball."

--Ogden Nash

that one goes out to America's favorite pundits (Oprah, are ya listening?).

And you've contributed by doing...what?

That's right, nothing.

Shut the fuck up.

Two close relatives lost their home in St. Bernard Parish. I went. I've put in my time.