Mewsings from Lowecat (aka Indianacat)

My rants, ravings, and overall 'mewsings' on life, the universe, and everything.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

The World Went to Church and Also Showed It's Ass





On Saturday, the world celebrated the homecoming of a American Icon. The world was focused on a Baptist Church in Newark, NJ, and celebrated the life and afterlife of Ms. Whitney Houston.


Now, I've not been a fan of the lady, but it doesn't mean I don't appreciate the talent God gave her. My radio and journalism career was on the wane in the 80s when Ms. Houston entered the music scene. I remember all the promoters callin' the radio station, implorin' the program directors to give her single a spin on air. That was 'Saving All My Love For You.'


Personally, I didn't care for the song; a woman moonin' over a man who was already married to another. To me, the song raised the question why on Earth would a woman waste her heart, soul, and mind on someone who was usin' her? All these years later, I still feel that way.


Nor did I like her character in the movie 'The Bodyguard', which Lifetime ran in the wee small hours Sunday morning. (Rumor has it that Gerard Butler is one of those in a crowd scene, but no one's ever found him). Never saw the remake of 'The Bishop's Wife' called 'The Preacher's Wife' because there is something about the original.


There was a lot of fuss and furor earlier this week when it became known that her family was considerin' havin' a private funeral. "How dare they?" came the cry.


I answer, "How dare YOU?"


OK, Ms. Houston was a mega star. Despite her demons - and God knows she had more than her fair share - she had not just a voice, but The Voice. It's natural that the fans would want to pay their respects and say goodbye. She was first and foremost, however, a mother, a daughter, a neice, a godchild, and a private person.


So how dare YOU, the fans, demand the right to intrude into the family's private Hell at losin' a beloved family member? Couldn't all y'all have waited for a more public memorial?


Apparently not.


That was driven home to me while watchin' the movie 'Bodyguard' this early mornin'. Watch that scene at the nightclub, and how the crowd reacted when they first learned the character wouldn't be appearin'. Then watch how they treat her when she does take the stage. How 'grabby' and demandin' the fans became. It's a very scary thing for any celebrity to see.


Somewhere along the line, Ms. Houston's family had to include the world in their private heartbreak. Her church, where she first practiced and learned her craft, was the setting for the farewell. Television coverage was allowed of the service, so that the world could participate.


Yes, I watched the service, though was late gettin' to it. Funerals and weddin's always seem to bring out the worst in people, and that happened with this one as well. In many ways.


Whatever happened with Ms. Houston's ex - husband (and father of her only daughter) at the service should've never come to light. Yet it seemed like some of the media wanted to make that the more important story than the celebration of a life lived and how the world said 'Godspeed'.


Maybe Mr. Brown felt slighted that he was asked to move several times before the service ever started. What SHOULD have happened, in my opinion, was for Mr. Brown - and Mr. Brown only - be allowed to sit with his daughter to comfort and support her. Everyone else with Mr. Brown should've been decent enough to sit elsewhere in that sanctuary.


Well, we know it didn't happen that way, but it should have.


Those who expected a lot of weepin', wailin', and gnashin' of teeth were disappointed, I suspect. This was more like a celebration. I felt a little uncomfortable when people applauded someone walkin' to the pulpit to speak and /or sing. Applause afterwards is one thing, ahead of time was a little disconcertin'.


But, that's the way some churches are. Some take 'Make a joyful noise unto the Lord' literally. Nothin' wrong with that. It was just a little outside my comfort zone is all. But, this wasn't about my comfort, it was about the comfort of those Ms. Houston left behind, and if it gave them comfort to make that joyful noise, good for them.


We, as people, showed our collective asses in a lot of ways yesterday. There was the airing of Ms. Houston's body in the body bag in the back of the coroner's van shown on one of those damn blasted tabloid teevee shows. There were the residents of the area around the church bitchin' and moanin' on national teevee about bein' inconvenienced for the day by the funeral. There were also the fans who bitched and moaned that they were kept from the church and couldn't see the stars.


Pardon me while I roll my eyes here.


I have no doubt that many of the fans gathered behind the barricades wanted to pay their own respects and say 'goodbye' to Ms. Houston. Unfortunately, the ones interviewed on the network news programs were complainin' that they were kept blocks from the action while holdin' their cameras in their hands.


Another eyeroll.


I give kudos to the funeral home that had the foresight to erect a tent that thrawted the paparazzi from gettin' pics of the coffin bein' brought into and out of the building. Too bad LAPD and the coroner and the Beverly Hilton couldn't come up with some way to prevent the cameras from gettin' that damnable picture in the coroner's van.


Later on Sunday, Ms. Houston's body will be laid to rest next to her father. I hope there won't be gawkers and helicopters and paparazzi all over the place. It's my hope her family will be allowed to say goodbye in peace.


I also hope that Ms. Houston finally knows the peace that her later life didn't seem to give her.

Godspeed, Ms. Houston.