Idolizing of the dead

[Dreamstalker]

We skipped my grandmother's funeral; it was over Christmas, and we decided to have fun in NJ with my dad's side of the family. Every Christmas that I can remember with my grandmother alive was always about HER (making everyone else miserable, and my uncle and his family encouraged it to a degree). She made our lives hell; we didn't want to give her the satisfaction of ruining one final holiday.

She was cremated (at that point there was no money left), and we scattered her ashes in her old hometown. Every once in awhile I expect to see that TAPS has been called down there to investigate...

[KellyHabersham]

Have several situations in mind which would fit the topic of this thread, but just to share one...........a few years ago, a musician whom I was acquainted with was diagnosed with cancer, he passed away within a few month's time, and people were posting bulletins on MySpace about how brave and courageous "Carl" had been when dealing with his illness, and what a great guy he was.

Meanwhile, let's just say that based on some unpleasant online encounters, I didn't have a high opinion of "Carl", and so I never really knew what to say when the topic was brought up.

[Gravekeeper]

CNN referred to Amy Winehouse as a "musical legend" and compared her to Jimi Hendrix. >.>

[insertNameHere]

CNN referred to Amy Winehouse as a "musical legend" and compared her to Jimi Hendrix. >.>

I have heard lots by Jimi and like most of it.... who the hell is Amy Winehouse? (23 White male from ohio)

[Andara Bledin]

The only reason I even know her name from any other name is because she was given a thread on some bad fashion blog. I didn't even know she sang.

^-.-^

[Ghel]

Hubby tells the story of his father's funeral. (Hubby's father died before I met Hubby, so this is all second hand.)

Hubby's dad (Fred) was a drunk and an abuser. He died from a heart attack when Hubby was about 17. At the funeral, the minister told this story: (imagine this in the style of a southern Baptist minister) "I was with Fred the night he passed. I said to him, Fred, Fred, come back to us, Fred. Fred opened his eyes and said to me, No, I see the angels coming to take me home." Fred was in a coma for a week before he died. He never regained consciousness. Nor would Fred have said that "if he was stone drunk." (Hubby's words.)

Hubby's sister was shaking all during the funeral, with her head in her hands. Everyone thought she was balling her eyes out. In reality, she was hiding her laughter at the absurd eulogy.

Edited to Add: Hubby is guilty of praising his father for his storytelling (which Hubby learned from him) or his talent as an artist (of which only a few drawings survive), but downplaying the fact that his father was a drunk, an abuser, never held a job for more than 6 months, frequently gambled away the rent money (including gambling away the payment on Hubby's first car), etc. Fred burned so many bridges that about once every 3 years, he would sell everything the family owned and move to a different state to "get a fresh start."

[Ginger Tea]

I didn't even know she sang.

If you went to one of her last gigs you would wonder the same thing, IMO she was famouse for being a junkie way more than as a singer, all the others in the 27 club the other way round, although most seemed to have drug related deaths.

[AdminAssistant]

all the others in the 27 club the other way round, although most seemed to have drug related deaths.

Eh, I don't think Kurt Cobain deserves the praise he gets. Grunge was coming whether Nirvana brought it to us or not, all of their songs sound the same, and he killed himself (leaving behind a likely unstable wife and baby) because he couldn't 'handle it'. Why is this guy on a pedestal again? Although...a while after that, Dave Grohl went on to found a very good rock band, so there's that. The Foo Fighters might not be as 'groundbreaking' as Nirvana, but they're good, they don't play the same song over and over, and hey, I can actually understand the lyrics.

[Andara Bledin]

Grunge was coming whether Nirvana brought it to us or not, all of their songs sound the same, and he killed himself (leaving behind a likely unstable wife and baby) because he couldn't 'handle it'.

Actually, Cobain had a pretty major chronic pain issue due to a stomach problem that was never identified, and his family had a history of mental illness, with two older male relatives having also chosen to commit suicide by firearm. It's highly likely that if the pain issue could have been dealt with, he'd still be alive today as it was probably the root cause of most of his problems.

^-.-^

[LadyBarbossa]

I especially don't get this with the recent death of Amy Winehouse. Last year we were mocking her because she was cracked out and half dead and making a mess of her life. Now she's a saint just because she's dead? Um, no.

[Andara Bledin]

I honestly didn't know that Winehouse wasn't just famous for being famous.

But I don't follow music, really. I still have yet to listen to anything she did.

^-.-^

[Ghel]

Her big song was called "Rehab" in which she talks about all the reasons why she didn't want to go to rehab. Is it any wonder she's dead?

[PepperElf]

Not sure if this was covered already, but I really hate when someone, especially a young person, dies, and suddenly, every person you meet is devastated because they were best friends and the deceased was such a pillar of the community.

We had something similar to that at my college.... My first college teacher killed himself during the semester... and killed his elderly mother too.


The college was filled with people mourning him, and creating official tributes to him - even naming a chair after him - ... but one female student caused waves - and she was right.

"If he hadn't killed himself, he'd be in jail for murder."

The college kept trying to sweep that under the carpet however...

[mikoyan29]

Eh, I don't think Kurt Cobain deserves the praise he gets. Grunge was coming whether Nirvana brought it to us or not, all of their songs sound the same, and he killed himself (leaving behind a likely unstable wife and baby) because he couldn't 'handle it'. Why is this guy on a pedestal again? Although...a while after that, Dave Grohl went on to found a very good rock band, so there's that. The Foo Fighters might not be as 'groundbreaking' as Nirvana, but they're good, they don't play the same song over and over, and hey, I can actually understand the lyrics.

I never got that "voice of a generation" thing. I never really liked Nirvana when they came out but over the years that has changed. I prefer Soundgarden or Alice in Chains to them though.