Overkill

[johncorrigan]

What I do not understand is that the media seem to have gone potty over this particular death - i.e. Carrie Fisher.
Sorry, but can anyone explain why the extent of the coverage?

I suppose she was also one of Hollywood's own being daughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher. She also seems to have been very popular with those who worked with her - maybe a bit of a gas to be around. Bit like, I imagine, Liz Smith was...she seemed like a great laugh to be with, if you go by the tributes. I suppose we've all worked with someone who may not be the best worker in the organisation but you love to work alongside...maybe that was Carrie.

[DracoM]

I thought there had been an agreement that "Obituary" Threads such as this should be used or Forumistas to express their sorrow/appreciation of the deceased, rather than to question the validity of the news coverage of the death?

Hey, hang on....I wasn't criticising: I was asking a question which i could not answer. She had not been a 'name' to me, and I was a bit taken aback by the fact that the coverage seemed to be on front pages, and indeed much inside as well, top of radio / TV news etc in much the same way as David Bowie had been, and I was a bit confused.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I am to blame for this. Draco asked a perfectly reasonable question and I jumped on my soapbox. I've moved the relevant posts here to enable the discussion to continue away from the tribute thread.

[Richard Tarleton]

This is sublime - had me crying with laughter. Stick with it to the punchline.

[french frank]

Star Wars is the most successful film franchise ever, that has evolved into almost a cult for its fan base.

Isn't this a phenomenon of culture, particularly of recent decades, when 'cults' have multiplied because the media industry has expanded, especially, entertainment? [I admit I have to check up on the internet to find out who most of these people are, and even if I know, roughly, who they are, I'm surprised at the degree of importance they have for others. But other than to recognise that it's fact, there's little more to say].

[kernelbogey]

I think many people, especially the young, have not experienced a close bereavement. Therefore the death of a valued 'icon' becomes a big event - flowers, candles etc - which in and of itself is then 'news'. I have been a bit surprised by the response about George Michael; but, other than a slight familiarity with his music, knew very little about him and he meant little to me.

[cloughie]

What I do not understand is that the media seem to have gone potty over this particular death - i.e. Carrie Fisher.
Sorry, but can anyone explain why the extent of the coverage?

At a time of the year when not much news is being filtered through the lazy newsgathering ether the opportunity was taken to fill a few minutes, and a page or two of the thin tabloids.

[Richard Tarleton]

I have been a bit surprised by the response about George Michael; but, other than a slight familiarity with his music, knew very little about him and he meant little to me.

An interesting corrective to this in today's Times, from Matthew Parris.

[Stanfordian]

What I do not understand is that the media seem to have gone potty over this particular death - i.e. Carrie Fisher.
Sorry, but can anyone explain why the extent of the coverage?

I know of Carrie Fisher's name only slightly because some years ago I read of the Star Wars connection but other than that I know nothing about her. I've since seen that she was a child of Hollywood Royalty Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. She clearly touched the hearts of many people.

Goodness! Now I read that Debbie Reynolds has died a day after her daughter Carrie. So very sad for the friends and family.

[Sir Velo]

She clearly touched the hearts of many people.

Of whom few, if any, would have known her.

[Lat-Literal]

Kershaw on Michael - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...l-s-death.html

Fair enough but I go back to my piece. If there is to be robust critique, then it requires some sort of consensus - even science - on an appropriate benchmark.

Smokey Robinson, Jimmy Webb......these would not have been played by Peel/Kershaw, nor indeed would the late George Martin. And what of Kirsty MacColl?

There is an element of bias in everyone about these things. Personal meanings etc. In the eighties, was music the key or is mourning naturally linked to sales?

(Re Matthew Parris, I would have liked to have read his comments but I am not intending to pay for the privilege - everything we do on this forum is for free)

[Nick Armstrong]

This is sublime - had me crying with laughter. Stick with it to the punchline.

Tremendous!

[cloughie]

Kershaw on Michael - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...l-s-death.html

Fair enough but I go back to my piece. If there is to be robust critique, then it requires some sort of consensus - even science - on an appropriate benchmark.

Smokey Robinson, Jimmy Webb......these would not have been played by Peel/Kershaw, nor indeed would the late George Martin. And what of Kirsty MacColl?

There is an element of bias in everyone about these things. Personal meanings etc. In the eighties, was music the key or is mourning naturally linked to sales?

(Re Matthew Parris, I would have liked to have read his comments but I am not intending to pay for the privilege - everything we do on this forum is for free)

A piece on Breakfast TV on this year's losses, earlier this week mentioned Prince, Bowie, Parfitt, Cohen BUT NOT the two thirds of ELP, nor George Martin. I know which of these I'll miss most.

[gurnemanz]

I suppose she was also one of Hollywood's own being daughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher. She also seems to have been very popular with those who worked with her - maybe a bit of a gas to be around. Bit like, I imagine, Liz Smith was...she seemed like a great laugh to be with, if you go by the tributes. I suppose we've all worked with someone who may not be the best worker in the organisation but you love to work alongside...maybe that was Carrie.

Just read that Debbie Reynolds has been taken into hospital...

[MrGongGong]

The death of Pauline Oliveros affects me much more than the rest, not just because I met her
BUT i'm not so daft as to think that my concerns are shared by the rest of humanity
sure, Boulez might be more "important" to R3 listeners than Prince (maybe ?) but both are of great significance in the culture of the 20th and 21st Centuries (as are many others who died in 2016)