Obama and Heigl and Cigarettes
Jun 29th, 2008 by Micah Tillman | 7 Comments |
So, The Wife had TMZ (the TV version) on for a few minutes. (Have I ever written here about why humans like celebrities? Ah, yes, I did. Here.)
They were making fun of Catherine Heigl for saying she was going to quit smoking for New Years, then not actually quitting, and then claiming it hadn’t been a New Years Resolution. (Is “Years” supposed to be possessive?).
(Here’s a Washington Post piece on her struggles.)
At least I think that was how it went down. Don’t sue me, Ms. Heigl or TMZ if I misremembered.
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Anyway, that reminded me of something Seb said — in the political context that is this blog — a little while back about celebrities being stupid.
And the whole thing reminded me of Obama.
Because everything does.
No. Actually, Obama also tried to stop smoking. And failed.
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I was first made aware of the issue by Shawn Macomber, and had some witty things to say about it in a comment over on his blog.
But the combination of TMZ and Heigl and Seb’s observations and Obama made this the right moment to have my little laugh at Obama and lump him in with stupid celebrities all at the same time. (Semantic leakiness anyone?)
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And now for the punchline:
Person A: “What do Barack Obama and Catherine Heigl have in common?”
Person B: “You mean, besides being actors?”
Is “Years” supposed to be possessive? Hmmm, I think so because in New Year’s Eve, “eve” technically belongs to “new year” so to speak. :D
And LOL to your punchline!! :D
Not to cut the laughter short, but, uh… other than a failed attempt to quit smoking, what’s the connection between Obama and everything else in the post?
And how is an honest-yet-unsuccessful attempt to quit smoking indicative of an innate dishonesty or duplicity? Wouldn’t this be better proof thereof? Are we going to start making fun of junkies and alcoholics, too?
The amusement comes not from the fact that they two may be “honestly” trying to kick their nicotine habit, but that it’s newsworthy. And to think that they’re doing it to “inspire other people in their addictions” is laughable; they’re talking about it to get their names in the news.
:D
Good answer, Amanda.
The connection is you, Seb. You connect everything. Like Kevin Bacon.
PS What’s Obama’s campaign slogan again?
See, that’s the horrible irony: I have no idea what Obama’s campaign slogan is. I haven’t lived in the States since he became a national player, so I’m really out of the bumper-sticker loop.
And keep this in your pocket for your next game of trivial pursuit: Kevin Bacon ain’t even in the top 1000 best-connected Hollywood figures. That honour goes to either Dennis Hopper or Donald Sutherland. And me, apparently. Go, me!
Dennis and Donald, eh?
I could identify Donald by sight, mainly because of his resemblance to his son, but Dennis would be a little more trouble. But I think I’ve got a mental image.
Let’s see if I’m right.
*checks IMDB*
Yep. What was the last thing I saw him in . . . *checks IMDB*
Speed?! Wow. Interesting, however, is the fact that he was in the 2002 season of 24 — speaking of Sutherlands.
Oh, and Obama’s campaign slogan is: “Change We Can Believe In.”