Wednesday, October 7, 2009

The Cringe Factor

Is anyone else besides me getting tired of people who air their dirty laundry in public? It seems to be turning into a huge, money making industry, and folks are trying to outdo each other in shock value. The latest to hit all the talk shows is MacKenzie Phillips with her admission that she had a ten-year consensual sexual affair with her own father, John Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas. Ewwwww....! Why on earth would someone admit to something like that?

It is not up to us to decide whether it actually it happened or not. Only two people know for sure, and one of them is conveniently not here to defend himself. In any case, whatever the truth is, the cringe factor is way off the charts. Is it possible that someone could be that hard up for money, they would write a book about something so personal? Does MacKenzie Phillips really believe we would be interested in this particular revelation? Well, obviously a lot of people are interested. That's what shocks me -- not MacKenzie's disclosure, but the fact that people are interested. I'm not a prude -- far from it -- but isn't this just going a little too far? What can we expect next?

The other night I was having a bit of a "lazy" night, watching TV and vegging out relaxing. As I surfed through the TV channels, all I saw -- on almost every station -- were "news" reports about David Letterman, Jon and Kate (with her annoyingly bad hairdo), and MacKenzie Phillips. There they all were -- live and in living color -- being interviewed on almost every talk show and faux news broadcast up and down the channels. It was like watching a slow-motion train wreck. Yesterday I read on the CNN website that Letterman apologized to his wife on Monday night's show. I guess, for whatever reason, Lettermen felt it was necessary to do that in public, but how much more do folks have to witness until this has played itself out.

If MacKenzie Phillips really did have a ten-year consenual sexual affair with her father, well, I feel bad for her, but I really don't want to hear about it. I guess the next step for her will be as a guest host on The View.

25 comments:

Sunny said...

Some people will do/say/write anything for a buck!
Sunny :)

Kym said...

This is one of the reasons that we do not have cable anymore or rarely watch the television anymore....too much info that is not necessary!

The Bug said...

Yeah - I don't enjoy it either.

PhilipH said...

All such 'revelations' are 'the pits' to me. I am just not interested in hearing, seeing or reading such stuff.

Obviously there must be plenty who are ready and willing to partake of such articles and those who impart such awful tales (for money of course) are as sick as those who choose to read/look/listen to any of it.

Scoobyloves2004 said...

Well, look at the society we live in. People feed off of others misery. People like to see others suffer. Ever heard of the Saw movies? They just came out with a 5th. Perfect example of how sick and twisted we are. However insest is on my list of extra creepy and vile. I did not hear about that one until I read this blog....GROSS!

Deb said...

It is dishearting isn't it...people use to keep everything hid...now everything is out in the open...seems like we've lost our balance...perfect strangers will tell you all the gorey details of their life while you stand in the check out line...I don't want to know that stuff....

Alissa Grosso said...

I'm all for being open and honest, but things have gone too far. Do I need to read Facebook updates from my 22 year-old cousin pertaining to her sleeping with her boyfriend? No, I absolutely do not!

The Panorama said...

I so agree with you, Jo. I really do not want to know the details of the private lives of these sick and depraved people who happen to be celebrities.
The real sick part is that this news sells. What does it say about people?

Land of shimp said...

Yeah, I managed to miss that one until I read about here. Ugh. That poor woman, her life has been just an absolute disaster. I have no idea what would possess her to disclose that, it won't help anyone, I doubt it will help her own mental health, either. If the object was to try and sell more books, that outcome seems extremely unlikely. There are so few people who would want to read about that.

After all she probably just made even the ghost of Sigmund Freud hurl. Yuck.

Anonymous said...

I couldn't agree with you more! Its immature and weird and yet there are so many people out there that live on this reality crap. I want a break from my own reality, I don't want to watch strangers lives unfold on TV. I want fantasy and things we dream about that will never happen.

This subject brings up another subject. What happend to good old fashioned movie stars? All these people are famous for nothing. No talent to back of the fame and fortune, just dirty laundry.

Kathy's Klothesline said...

"Have you no shame?" is what I would say to her if I could. There are some things that are best left unsaid. I know confession is good for the soul and that telling this awful event is no doubt cathartic.....but isn't that what a good friend or doctor is for?

Kimberly said...

The public loves dirty laundry - no one likes a feel good story. Feel good doesn't sell at all.

Nancy said...

Hi Jo, just catching up on your posts. Wow - an eclectic assortment they are! You have been very busy, and on this one, I have to agree. This kind of discussion is unseemly, and it appears she wants to sell her book. I guess talking about it might enlighten someone somewhere, but the rest of us feel a little ill.

The one on Marilyn was terrific, by the way!

Brenda said...

This is a great example of why I like to read your blog posts Jo. I was thinking about saying almost this exact same thing. I feel the same way as you. That story about her and her father goes so far beyond anything that you would think would sell. And yet, sadly it does. It is scary to think that there are people that really think that is worth reporting or publishing. It is a real turn off for me to have to turn on the TV and hear this crap. I used to like watching Entertainment Tonight several years ago, but not anymmore. It comes on after we watch the evening news, and I have to hurry and change the channel to avoid these kinds of stories.

Russell said...

Hard to comment. I agree it is beyond disgusting. If this story is true regarding MacKenzie Phillips, I feel sad for her and her family.

The Letterman relevation I found interesting in that most people were completely unphased by it. The fact that people went "ho hum" or "what's the big deal?" I found reflective of our society today.

To me, I think having sex with your subordinates is a very serious matter and I don't care if it is consensual or not. Even if the women wanted to have sex with Letterman, he should have not allowed it to happen.

I am not a prude but I think there are types of behavior that are not proper -- and engaging in sex with people you are supposed to be supervising or serving as a role model for should be a no-brainer -- but, of course, in that situation Letterman was definitely not thinking with his brain....

But that is no excuse.

TC said...

Ewwww is right about the Phillips deal.
Letterman? It was before he was married, if it was my husband I knew he'd slept with other women before, big whup. Boss/subordinate? How many marriages are between boss and secretary, may not be right, but sometimes it happens and works or doesn't. He's not the head of a church or politician (quit laughing) or anything, he's a talk show host.
Jon and Kate, they should do what they are going to do and get it over with already. I'm almost starting to wonder if they didn't want a divorce but stage it all, hey you do this and I'll do this and you claim this......
Sorry, off soapbox now.

Anonymous said...

I know what you mean, here we have so called news current affairs programes that try to pass this kind of thing off as serious news, it just makes me switch off, who cares about their dirty laundry. If it is true, it is sad, but I don't want to spend my time being bombarded with trashy insignificant celebrity gossip. I guess the modern world has just developed a taste for the trashy and the insignificant, how did we let that happen?

Firefly the Travel Guy said...

All I can say is "EEEEUUUWWW!!!!!"

the walking man said...

I agree with you JO, but you know what? That damn genie is out of the bottle and for lucre's sake they lost the damn cork at corporate HQ.

Remember two years ago some "star" got photographed getting out of a car and was sans panties...all of sudden the web was flooded with others in the same position.

I will sell my work sure enough but I can't see being a corporate whore for success. But then...offer me a couple of million for a tell all and I may have sex with my father and go without panties too. NOT.

roxanne s. sukhan said...

If the story is true, why didn't she reveal all this years ago, when John was alive? And why the need or desire to go around to every talk show host and sleezy gossip show around, peddling this personal story like some product of hers? Apparently celebrities aren't familiar with 'descrete' any longer. And whatsamatter with people, that they would lap all this up, like thirsy puppies?

As for David Letterman, I think he wanted to cut the media off at the pass, therby garnering public support. But, yeah, sleeping with your employees is definitely not cool. And why add fuel to the fire by apologizing to your wife on national television. I do hope that he told her before all this fufra.

GRRRRrrrrrr.

Charles Gramlich said...

People are becoming more attention hogs every day and are sharing everything. I'm with you on a lot of it. Especially the sexual stuff. I'm really not interested.

Meggie said...

I so agree...WTF?? Exhibitionism?
As for Letterman,, would somebody please plough him into egotism oblivion!

Bagman and Butler said...

Wide screen high definition stereo news as it happens...we are becoming more and more jaded everyday. We can now see death and mayhem as it happens on Utube and twitter. We hardly need to turn our heads anymore when we pass an accident scene.

Paula Slade said...

I am also weary of these personal revelations that are grabbed by the media as supposed news. (Better these folks get a life or get therapy.)

Carol E. said...

What Russell said about Letterman is right on. What I am thinking of all these revelations is that women in subservient roles are being victimized.

McKenzie may say her business with her father was consensual, but please... it was incest. I don't care how old she might have been or if she said yes. She was being victimized, and after that trauma, who can think straight about what is proper to divulge and what is not??

Same with Letterman's staff, Monica L.. who was so lambasted (she was being victimized by a man in great power also). I hate reading about it, too, and wish someone-anyone- had had the sense to say "NO!" But I also feel some wish to advocate for the women who are stuck in these victimization quagmires and get more of it from media and others.

The guys are rarely looked down upon as much as the women (victims) are. It makes my blood boil.