Saturday, July 23, 2011

Amy Winehouse and CNN

Amy Winehouse died today. I think we all saw it was a possible upcoming event. It’s still sad, though. I really thought that somehow she was going to pull it together. But I guess it’s especially hard to heal with cameras poking in your face and paparrazi chasing you around every time you stick your head outside. CNN mourned her loss by showing video of her smoking a crackpipe, staggering around drunk and being booed off stage, being led around by police, etc. Then, Don Lemon said: “Is this how she will be remembered? I hope not!”

I know he probably hasn’t thought of this, but it has occurred to me that if they hadn’t shown that particular footage of her, but rather, showed film of her performing at the height of her abilities, she may not be remembered like he said he hoped she wouldn’t be. But I’m not a newsman, so maybe it’s a violation of journalistic ethics or something not to use the most salacious and sensationalistic material available, and I just don’t know about it. So if there are rules about that and stuff, well, I’m sure we all understand.

It still seems a little ironic, and also a bit mean, to run wall-to-wall derogatory coverage of someone’s life, and then to say they hope the person won’t be remembered for that. CNN was kind-of in charge, as it were, of how she would be remembered by the people watching CNN today, and they chose the tabloid-y turpitude approach. Way to go, guys!

I just hope CNN won’t be remembered for being such douche-bags about this.