Let's examine Lindsay Lohan versus Paris Hilton for a moment, shall we?
One is a talented in front of the camera; the other's only real camera work involves night-vision. I know of nobody who would suggest Paris Hilton is even remotely as talented as Lohan, who Garry Marshall called the best young talent Hollywood has produced in years.
Heck, even though both Lohan and Hilton have come out with music CDs in the past couple of years, both of which were cringeworthy, I think most folks would take Lindsay's side on the musical front. It's like picking between Satan and Stalin, musically. If you had to pick one ...
There was much public outcry when Hilton was let out of jail four days into a several-week sentence for driving on a suspended license related to an earlier DUI conviction. Fact: Hilton's DUI was significant but not Eddie Sutton-like. Fact: Thousands if not tens or hundreds of thousands of people right this second are driving on suspended licences right now.
Lohan is accused of participating in a two-car chase while drunk, and authorities found cocaine in her pocket. Plus, Lohan was fresh off another DUI accusation that hadn't even come through the court system yet.
While I understand the outrage over Hilton centered on her early release, I'll submit to you right now that my hunch is that Lohan's sentence will not fit the crime. In my opinion, Lohan should be looking at a year behind bars.
She is significantly more dangerous to society than Hilton.
She is exponentially more dangerous to herself.
Her crime, if true, if she's convicted, is definitely worth a stiff sentence. There was blatancy in her behavior that said to me either that she's above the law or that she's really freaking sick.
Even if Lohan is convicted and sentenced to hard time, will she serve all of it? Will there be outcry if she doesn't, particularly if she serves, let's say, three months of a year's time?
I say the outcry won't be nearly as big, and here's why.
The pop culture, social judgment as to the situations of each of these starlets is less a judgment most make as to the facts, as to their crimes, as to precedent as it is a judgment on how the individuals feel about each performer.
The outcry about Paris was basically America saying, "We don't like this bimbo very much," and the reason why is because there is a sentiment -- a true one albeit -- that Hilton became famous without having any talent whatsoever.
On the other hand, Lohan is an undeniably talented actress, and that will subconsciously sway the majority of Americans when it comes time either to empathize or crucify. As for me, I know Lohan's more talented, and I completely concur that Hilton has no talent; however, the justice system was significantly harder on Hilton than it will be on Lohan, relative to the crimes (alleged in Lindsay's case), primarily influenced by public sentiment.
We'll see, right? I could be wrong.
And for a humorous look at the week in pop culture, particularly Lindsay Lohan, check out the great Michael Buckley's latest YouTube video blog. The dude is funny, a three-times-a-week The Soup Jr. for those of us who revere the E! show.
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Queen guitarist Brian May is completing his PhD in astrophysics three decades after abandoning that pursuit to form what became one of the two or three greatest rock bands ever.
His thesis? Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud
That beats the hell out of me what that's all about, but I know "Killer Queen" is one of the best pop songs of all time, so enjoy the video from 1974.
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Latebreaking news tonight out of Los Angeles, where ABC is just about set to name both Whoopi Goldberg and Sherri Shepherd to the cast of The View, according to UPI.
On one hand, it's a solid pick in that, with Goldberg, the show gets a strong voice generally loved by most, as opposed to Rosie O'Donnell, who was polarizing.
The choice of Shepherd is a bit more startling in that I never really ever noticed when she was on. It's like a so-what pick? If it had been me, I might have gone with Whoopi and Roseanne. The show needs not just a strong voice, it needs an outrageous one to make up for Rosie's departure.
Few daytime shows ever managed the type of buzz O'Donnell brought to the ABC staple, and this pick is uber-safe, which could mean relative boredom for viewers come this fall.
Labels: news, pop culture, television, YouTube
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