Thursday, September 03, 2009

When a celebrity/icon dies...

Aah! I simply can't stand the people faking themselves in front of media/public just to win some sympathy.

I'm writing this post based on the incident or rather drama of YSR tragedy as they call it and the media reaction as always since two days.

To report the incident in one paragraph,

Yesterday, by 10 or so, a helicopter carrying the CM of Andhra Pradesh deaded Chittoor went missing near NallaMalla forest region AP. Every department went in search of CM but in vain. The copter was mapped this morning by 10:30 or so and the leftovers/victims were identified of whom the CM of AP was one.
The State lost its CM.

This would be exactly what a news reader would have told say, 15 years ago. All news were supposed to be covered within 15 or at the max 30 minutes and they wouldn't have much time to elaborate stories as today. Who had time to sit in front of TV and watch elaborate newscast. Everybody had better work.

Thanks to current media. They have lots of time in the world (so do those people who watch them) as well as bandwidth. They have multiple channels reserved for News exclusive. Many like me are getting bored to watch the same news in all channels, same repeated news clippings, almost same report etc...

While I was having my lunch this afternoon, someone switched over to TV9 a Kannada news channel, to get only news about YSR. Nothing else. My mom called me a bit early for dinner tonight, I sat in front of TV to get the same news. Relatives, family friends and fans crying in front of YSR's house literally chestbeating themselves. Even the opposition party leaders crying like anything. Let alone people of Andhra, even here in Karnataka.

I'd like to tell one thing now. No matter how bad or cruel a person be, he becomes a good hearted once he dies. Atleast when he is a celebrity. There would be some fanfollowing around his deadbody, flowers getting thrown for no reason.

For instance, the same people who criticized YSR in the legislative assembly, cry for his demise. I don't think they are natural tears but artificial. Just to win over the people in front of the media. They say, he was benovalent, brought some very serious reforms in the government et al bullshit... (The same people had complained that YSR is planning to churchify Tirupati by sending missionaries to its base).

To add on to the empathy, he got killed in an accident. A copter crash. May be he wouldn't have gained sympathy in this amount if he happened to die in any other fashion. May be the opposition leaders wouldnt have been so generous in praising him.

Present media, as always show fake sentiment exhibited by such people to get more TRP for their show. They might not be more interested in the content than TRP. Media is grabbing attention more by showing them be it newscast or reality shows. I would reserve a post on reality shows which would be published soon. It has become the norm to exhibit fake sentiment (which was deliberately edited before).

Thinking with a calm mind, no person would act fanatically if a person he respects dies. Rather he would've felt bad for the loss and at max would have cried. People watch stupid movies where characters act lunatically for any loss of life and tend to act the same in real life.

Finally, I'm indifferent for the loss of YSR not that I'm happy or sad. It doesnt bother me coz I don't know about him much. I'm not degrading him by saying this. I have no opinion on his death. May be I feel a bit bad for the people for losing its leader. Nothing more than that. Neither am I writing this post being happy for his death nor sad. This is my view for media coverage on his death's occasion.

Some blogs blog about how famous he was, google was filled up with requests for more info about the incident...blah!... blah!!... blah!!! This is another hype. You can't comapre this incident with MJ's death on June 25th. It had got way more number of requests.

So, stop creating hype. Act sensibly in front of media. Maintain dignity.

Have your say.

10 comments:

Manoj Bhat said...

About the feelings, related to YSR's death,I have none(of course, I got a holiday, :P). The media where more enthusiastic to disclose the matters of YSR's death. We people watching it where interested in seeing which channel would win the race. But the bottom line, all channels have same visuals, same statements etc, but in different ways. And in India, there is a belief of not saying bad about the dead ones. Also, how can you expect the opposition to say bad abt him. otherwise they can just forget Andhra Pradesh. What I also don't understand is why Karnataka and TN Govt. gave holidays?

Unknown said...

@ Manoj - Glad that you got a holiday! =)

I'm not askin the opposition to laugh at his death but be sensible in front of media by not crying, maintaining some dignity atleast.

Even I dunno Why our govt n TN gave holidays. May be coz he did his schooling in Bellary...

Manoj Bhat said...

Also, maybe our Reddy brothers asked for a holiday?

Unknown said...

Quite possible!

Navaneethan Santhanam said...

This is all so silly. Lots of people are apparently dying the day after YSR died, and the media is attributing it to his death. Which is totally bogus because people die anyway, and there's no reason to believe that there's a connection between the two.

Tamil Nadu Govt. is making Friday a holiday 'in honour of YSR's death'. What the hell? What did he do for Tamil Nadu? Also, he's not some national leader to deserve such attention.

Unknown said...

@TSPW - Yeah! true. people who died for normal reasons were tagged for YSR. Crap! Reports also do say that more than 15 people committed suicide for their leader's loss. I don't know how to treat such people.

Neither do I know why other govts gave a holiday.

Shrinidhi Hande said...

Pilots of aircraft that carry politicians often find it tough to say NO, when politicians insist that they have to fly, though pilot knows that it is risky due to bad weather.

Knowing very well that weather on the route is bad, they could have avoided the trip.

Unknown said...

@Shrinidhi - true.

Unknown said...

Sir/Madam, first of all i feel very sad for the sudden tragedy. Its a great loss as a nation and for the people of Andhra Pradesh. Now coming to the comment made by V. Hanumantha Rao, the most senior leader i totally agree with his comments up to the part 600 deaths are bogus deaths, i m not concerned about the second part(”Was he (YSR) more popular than Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi,”). I really appreciate the great gesture of V. Hanumantha Rao for taking this opportunity to tell that these deaths are bogus deaths. Bloody every natural death is counted as if he/she died for YSR. Where the hell these people when YSR is alive, did they do anything for the people/nation, bloody fuckers.

I am really sorry for the family members who lost their family member, but terming the death as for the sake of their leader(YSR)its really shame on their part.

If only one person i.e,V. Hanumantha Rao spoke about this, there are many and many of same openion.

I once again congratulate the senior leader who made this comment and i really appreciate his feelings.

Unknown said...

@venkatesh - Okay. =|