Image is EVERYTHING...STAR QUALITY!
-Grace Kelly, American born actress and Princess consort of Monaco (1929-1982)
Happy Friday!
I hope this finds you in great spirits this AM. I hope that you've had a great week and are looking forward to a wonderful weekend. I love the above quote from Grace Kelly. She came at a time, maybe a time that STILL exists, in which the images of our celebrity icons are determined by the press that was/is given to them.
I remember vividly the day Princess Grace died. It affected me on such a deep level. I felt I was losing a friend. Of course her end was tragic. But what a charmed life she led, or so I thought. On the other hand, when Amy Winehouse died last week, I felt what a waste of talent and energy and opportunities. It's not that I was insensitive. It was that it felt as it was inevitable. Was that REALLY the image she wanted to project to the world?
When Grace Kelly was in Hollywood, the publicity machinery worked over time to give this wholesome image and the icing on the cake was her marriage to Prince Rainier III.
Even Rainier was concerned about his image. He was determined to make Monaco accessible to the middle class, as well as to businessmen who dreamed of finding a tax haven for themselves and their companies.
The Prince therefore sought the construction of less expensive hotels, even as Aristotle Onassis asserted that what the place needed were more exclusive resorts. Tension grew between them, especially after Rainier persuaded his National Council to create some 600,000 new shares in the Society of Sea Baths, to be purchased and held by the government. This maneuver caused Mr. Onassis's holdings to plummet from 52 percent to less than 33 percent of Sea Baths stock.
Wonder how Obama and/or Boehner would have handled this situation!
However, there are still many, me included that feel that Grace Kelly stole the Oscar from Judy Garland in 1954! You decide!
I MISS CLASS!
This year, best supporting actress winner, Melissa Leo, dropped the "F" Bomb! Her big moment and she will always be remembered for that Nothing succeeds like CLASS!
Listen to Joan Crawford's idea of what a star is:
Amy Winehouse, on the other hand, was tragedy personified. Yes, she had an incredible voice but those demons were just too much for anyone to endure. That to me is sad! Did she have a support system...or was EVERYONE an enabler? Did anyone ever say no to her. Success is a funny thing...people gravitate to it whetherit is a positive image or a negative image.
Can you imagine any of our cultural icons of years prior behaving the way that Charlie Sheen has this year?
What happened? What happened to operating and living our lives with a modicum ofclass, dignity, and respect not only for each other...but also for ourselves?
I had an email exchange this week with someone known to all in the cabaret community. He is ALWAYS putting out an image through EVERYTHING he sends out of being in dire straits. I wrote to him not to chastise him but rather to give him a wake-up call. I told him that a successful image will attract people to him and customers! If it looks like a sinking ship, people will flee.
Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to tell Christine Quinn how much I love, admire, and respect her. The image that she puts out, at least to me, is someone who genuinely cares about ALL New Yorkers and the challenges we ALL face.
Of course gay marriage has been a hot topic of discussion this week. Elizabeth Hasselbeck from The View added positively to her public image this week, at least with me when she spoke out against those protesters who protested o what was for many a very positive day in New York.
Not so sure about Sherri Sheppard's image after this!
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So to wrap up today, I asked for five positive role models. Stephen Mosher sent me this list. I happen to agree with him. Thank you, Stephen!
Jamie Oliver, who tries to teach people how to treat themselves better by living healthier lifestyles and caring about what foods they put in their bodies.
Dan Savage, who uses his art, his passion, his brain and his voice to help (not only) gay youth through their struggles, as well as call out bigotry when it raises its' ugly head.
Reese Witherspoon, who uses her visibility as a popular, young, hollywood star to show people that you don't have to be an indiscrimate, ill behaved, embarrassment to get far in the world - that there IS a place for good manners and good breeding, in the public eye.
Michelle Obama, who sets many an example as the First Lady of this country; more than I can, personally, name. And, finally,
Ben Cohen, who always speaks up for what is right and good, who left his career in sports to do other things that would help change the world and make it a better place to live, who always leads with his heart and his sensitivity, in spite of a career that might lead people to think of him as a macho dude, which could not be further from the truth.
And from Ron Tunning Five People who project A Negative Image:
1. Eric Cantor
2. Stephen Baldwin
3. Anita Bryant
4. Sarah Palin
5. Michele Bachmann
Last night I was thrilled that MY quote, "If I have offended one person, I have offended one person too many" was tweeted! That made my day. I hope this blog makes yours! What image are YOU putting out today? Here's to an INCREDIBLE weekend for ALL!
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TILL TOMORROW...HERE'S TO AN ARTS FILLED JULY!
Richard Skipper, Richard@RichardSkipper.com
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