One of my favorite movies of teen years was Fame. I mean really, a whole school of cool dancing and playing music at lunchtime? Dancing on cars and running around New York City completely unsupervised and unchecked? It’s the only time in my life I ever wanted to live in New York City. One visit in my early 20’s took care of that silliness. Yuck, not for me.
But those kids, the best of the best. It was very cool. It was also very dark and touched on basically every taboo topic around. In fact, think of any movie today who would have the courage to address multi-racial relationships (hook-ups); teen suicide; homosexuality; competition; abortion; abuse; and there have to be a couple of other uplifting topics I’m forgetting that were in there. Nope, Fame is not always pretty.
As seen on the FB yesterday.
So, okay, one famous dude calls out another famous dude on the Facebook. First dude says most famous face in America dude was rude to people who came up to ask for an autograph and picture while sitting at the ATL airport. OH! First three fans were actually airport employees. Most famous face dude didn’t want his picture taken and was sitting in a corner with he and wife’s luggage while she went to the TT room. SO, what does first famous dude do? Well, take his picture of course and then post it on the FB. Cuz that’ll show ’em. OH! First famous dude is a retired special forces Major and now writes both fiction and non-fiction books. He is highly respected and I have no reason to believe that is not deserved. However dick this one situation is. Respect is given to many assholes, fo shizzle.
All we have in this exchange is first dude’s story and the picture. So let’s take that piece by piece.
The most famous face dude was Samuel L. Jackson and I didn’t recognize his face. The picture was taken at an empty gate and SLJ was in the corner with a hat on, a scarf (maybe two but it’s hard to tell), a coat, and his head is down (assuming into something electronic.) Dalton Fury (name has been changed to protect the innocent. Not really, that’s his writers name) was the picture taker. He is sitting about two EMPTY rows away facing SLJ. First observation of this tale, I didn’t recognize the assumed most recognizable face in America. I keep my eyes on things at the airport, everyone should, but I don’t hone in on someone because he may or may not be famous. I hone in on someone who may be fidgety and sweaty and keeps checking their back pack. Uhhh, security!
My second observation is that YOU’RE AT AN EMPTY GATE! Duh. Samuel L. didn’t plop himself into a full gate possibly KNOWING he would be badgered a bit so he stopped off at an empty one. So, as a former Delta force leader, I’m going to assume you’ve had maybe at least one class on how to read body language and situations. Cuz I’m just a silly 46 year old mom and strength coach and I can read that this is a dude that doesn’t want to be bothered. And no, just because he’s an “actor” he does not have an obligation to bow to “his” public every time he walks out in it. He can choose to give an autograph or choose not to. Choices are his. But that’s only my opinion and I’m trying to stick to the facts. Fact is, he attempted to be discreet and private. The picture shows that.
Number 3: airport employees should never address a famous person for autographs. You are supposed to be a professional, act like one. Working in any capacity in one of the busiest airports in the world (I just made that up, I have no idea how busy ATL is) means that seeing famous folks of all make up will probably happen at some point in your career. Sure, you’d love to act like a silly schoolgirl when you’re at work but you can’t. Cuz you’re at work. So behave and know that the fact that you’ve sighted someone famous makes a fine enough story for your drinking buddies later that bothering said person to make YOU feel good is an unnecessary intrusion.
My fourth, and most important observation, is this: you Mr. Fury for some reason took that opportunity to use YOUR fame and YOUR facebook to call out another person trying to discreetly avoid his. That’s dick. But again, okay. You get to, it’s your FB and you have enough nutswinging followers to back you up. But I’m not one of them and may have commented as such. I try so hard to just shut up. SO HARD! Suddenly I’m accused of living in a dream world (unicorns were mentioned); some type of shame on me for disrespecting such a decorated hero blah blah blah. But like I said before, I own my words. And I own these. I don’t care that you are a military hero, cuz in this case, you were a dick. You probably don’t care that you’re a dick, THAT is something I respect.
This has nothing to do with respecting the military. This has nothing to do with not supporting our troops (hilarious.) This has nothing to do with race (it never takes long for that to come up…see hilarious post game Seahawks sideline postgame interview accusations.) It has to do with a darker side of fame and when the famous throw the other famous under the bus and use social media to do it. That’s all. I do feel bad for the one very nice and well spoken lady who tried to defend SLJ’s actions in various ways and the attacks she took because of it. Personal attacks. Like Fury needs defending to that degree? Hopefully he’s bigger than that, but who knows. This will be my last view on the dude, lots more impressive people on the planet to read of and about than him.
Not everybody can be famous but everybody can be great, because greatness is determined by service.
Martin Luther King Jr.
tosabarbell 