SubscribeI had a few things in mind for sharing today, but then I read the following article about Michael Jordan's acceptance speech at last nights Hall of Fame induction ceremony. I'm not a big sports fan. Heck, I don't even have a TV. While my soon to be brother-in-law is busy setting up his three television sets in their living-room so that he can watch three football games concurrently, I'm busy scratching my head and wondering why. But I always did marvel at Michael Jordan when I was growing up.
I think it's because he looked like such a little guy on the court. I always cheered for the small guy that could make the big beefy guys look like fools. Hence my love of Bruce Lee. And last night while I was out with a couple of my buddies being reminded why it's so great NOT to be single, I watched clips of Jordan tearing up during his speech and thought, "Man, that guy always had such class."
Then I read this article, an article that's more of a character sketch of the man. It shed a different light on him and his career and totally changed how I look at him. It also made me think of character flaws and how traits can be perceived differently by different people. But don't take my word for it, go read the article.
6 comments:
This makes me wonder...
I have a thing. When it comes to celebrities, I don't care about their personal lives. I hate reading about their flaws, their opinions that seem hateful, or anything that doesn't put them in a good light. I hate all articles that do that. This is one of them.
But that's because I don't care. I don't care if the person's the cruelest person on earth. I don't know him. He's not my buddy.
What I do know, what I do love, isn't the person. Its their work.
When Mel Gibson got caught saying anti-jewish statements in an interview (I don't know, I didn't look into it), I didn't care. When he got caught drinking and driving, I didn't care.
I didn't think less or better of him. I don't know him (and can't) enough to make a judgment on his person. But the fact remains he makes great movies! I judge him by his work.
Same with Michael Jordan. I really enjoyed Space Jam. I love seeing those video reels with all his slam dunks. I love his image of the skilled, hard working, talented basketball player. I even own a pair of his sneakers.
Anything that goes against that image, I don't look at because I don't care about Michael Jordan the person. I care about the image. This is how it is with all celebrities. That's their jobs. That's what they sell. An image. But they aren't paid to do this 24/7 and I hate that people expect them to be perfect ALL the time. Their perfection is an illusion for your entertainment. There's no such thing as perfection. In reality, they're just like you and me.
So if he had some issues with some people and spent the entire speech talking about that, then I'm sorry for those present there who had to experience that, but honestly if thats what he wanted to do, let him do it.
I'll still buy his shoes :)
Holy crap, I'm so sorry for the uberly long comment!
lol, no worries. There's no other comments to compete with anyway. :)
I wasn't so much concerned with who he is as much as I found the psychology of it all so interesting. I've just never thought about it before. I've always looked at him as this kind hearted guy who pulled his team together and did his best. He was the best of the best and for some reason I figured he'd be content with that. But to read what this writer took away from the experience, his insights into what kind of a person does the things that Jordan did, it gave me a new understanding of the quest for power.
I think that so many of us down here on the bottom look at that kind of success and say to ourselves that we would be happy just to warm the bench on Jordan's team. We'd be content. But here's a man who will forever be looked on as the greatest in the game and it's still not good enough for him.
That's something I think we can use in our writing. Or at least I will. It's a character sketch so true that it's hard to fabricate on our own.
And as far as my opinion of "stars" and their personal lives. For the most part I don't give a rip. But if a person does something that I am diametrically opposed to, I will not support them in the least and will not partake of anything they create. This is not one of those things that would change my mind but other stars have done things that push me away from what they do. I look at the giving of money as a form of donation. I'm helping to support whatever it is that person does, good or bad. If the bad outweighs the good, then I don't want to see my money going to that cause.
Hmmm, true that is an interesting character sketch. But a lot of people are like that. I've read of millionaires who don't think they're successful yet cause they're not multimillionaires.
And I never really thought of that. That by giving money, by buying something a person creates, supports their beliefs and actions, good or bad. I've always saw the two things as separate. Also, unless it was Hitler, how bad could a person really be? What's the worst I'd be supporting?
Then again, if my favorite author or filmmaker was also working to destroy all rights for homosexuals and liberals, I would definitely stop giving them money.
Wow, someone should have brought him a potty chair for that pity party. Sounds like a bunch of thankless crap to me, if what this writer says is factual.
Very true in your words - this article sure does change the way that MJ is viewed. Not that I really followed him. Or watched any of his games in entirety. I'm like you - I don't really watch TV or sports.
Great points about approaching characters. Everyone is flawed. I found your site from my friend at Razorblade Brain.
Oh man, I'm really enjoying Razorblade Brain. That girl is crazy witty and in your face honest. I'll never look at baby carrots in the same light again.
Honestly, I still need to watch the actual speech, but I figure it doesn't really matter. MJ's likely not going to do anything in the future that requires me to stay abreast of who he really is, so why waste the time. Better to spend it writing, with family, vegging out, picking lint off of sweaters, those sorts of things. :)
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