So I'm boycotting Star 94.
As I said last week, George and I went to see United 93 last weekend and were moved beyond words by the movie. By the memories. By the horror. Two days later, it was still with me and, on my way to work Monday morning, I was flipping through the radio stations to see if anyone was talking about the movie and...most of them were. And while many hosts debated the merits of seeing the movie and how they might not want to see it because they just didn't feel like feeling sad... they were still respectful. I don't claim to understand completely the idea that you wouldn't see something like that...a true story of awful events that happened in our country just because it might be difficult, but hey...if you can't deal, you can't deal and who'm I to force you, right?
Yeah, well, that was all fine and well until I got to Star 94, one of our city's most popular 'pop' radio stations. I rarely listen to their music because, frankly, I am now an Old Person (read: nearing 37) and NONE of that crap appeals to me. I've tried to appreciate the melodies (what few there are) and the 'newness' of it, but all I hear is cheap copies of songs that were original 20 years ago. I have to say...if you don't have enough creativity to come up with your own tune? If your only method of producing 'music' is to steal someone else's? Your shit sucks, babe. Hang it up and go serve some fries until you can come to the table with something original. Stealing someone else's creativity and pretending it's your own or that it's some sort of an homage with the ridiculously transparent designation of 'cover'? TOTAL B.S. And we ALL know it.
Uh...where was I?? OOoo! Star 94 and United 93. Right. Sorry.
So I flipped it over to Star 94 since the talk portions of their shows are sometimes amusing and I wanted to hear what people were saying about the movie. I tuned in to Steve McCoy and Vikki Locke (the two hosts who've been with the station for something like 20 years and are quite pathetic...she's a man-hating twit who refuses to act her age and treats the men on the show like utter crap and acts like a giddy groupie whenever they interview someone famous and Mr. McCoy is a wimp who lets people --namely the women on the show-- walk all over him and whines a really lot...no doubt a result of remaining in the teeny-bop sector for several decades and, thus, unable to grow up. Don't worry...most intelligent adults in this city feel the same way. This isn't news and, considering what I just wrote...I can't think of a single reason why I'd ever listen to them in the first place....huh.) and heard them self-righteously acting as the voices of authority because they "..were a part of that day and that event and we're a huge part of that history and so we really know what we're talking about..." hurl. PUH-leeze! Because they reported what they were hearing on CNN...THAT made them a part of history?? Judging from the ignorant platitudes they were spewing forth on their show this morning, I should hope that they won't be what history uses to describe that day's events.
So anyway, I hear them discussing the movie and I am disappointed to hear them both complaining about how 'sad' the movie will be and how they likely won't see it. This isn't the worst of it. That I could handle, though I would have muttered about weakness and pride, but to myself. They went further, though, and that's where my irritation really began to grow. These people have an audience in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions. They have a voice and a platform and influence over many people, for better or worse. And they're encouraging their listeners NOT to see this movie...despite the fact that none of them have actually seen the movie themselves. Vikki wailed that she absolutely wouldn't see it because she just didn't think she was 'ready' to be upset and went on to imply that the people who made the movie are scum for doing so, though, to be fair, she didn't say that outright, so it may not be how she really feels. Regardless, it's been 5 years and the people who died that day deserve remembrance. The producers not only brought in the families for a viewing and asked their opinions, but they gave 10% of the opening weekend's box office intake to the memorial fund. That's pretty great, especially considering they were decent enough NOT to spend obscene amounts of cash on a huge cast. Vikki's partner, Steve, complained that he didn't think it'd be any good because they didn't have any 'big name' actors starring in the movie. He said that the previews looked 'boring' and he'd heard they don't develop any characters and how, during the preview he saw, the cell phone calls made during the movie's climax didn't look emotional enough and the whole thing was, therefore, not even remotely believable. Remember...neither of them have seen the movie. These opinions were based solely on a minute-long preview.
Sigh.
Well, of COURSE I had to call. I've been on the radio dozens of times and while I still get a little shaky at the prospect of having hundreds of thousands of people focused on my voice, it gives me a little thrill, mostly because I secretly believe I'm brilliant and funny and moving and will have some sort of impact on at least a few of the people listening and that was what drove me...what I felt was important...to counteract the negative opinions about the movie. So yeah...I called. Usually when you call the leading station during rush hour, you aren't likely to get through, and if you do? It's even more likely that you'll be placed on hold for upwards of an hour or two. So I was surprised that the second time I dialed, it rang. I was more surprised that the screener answered on the second ring. She asked me what I thought of the movie and I said it was incredible. With slightly detectable disdain in her voice, she repeated what I said, told me to turn down my radio and to hold for Steve and Vikki. And so I did, expecting a long wait. About 10 seconds later, I heard a click and the hosts were talking to me. They asked what I thought of the movie and here's how the conversation went:
Steve McDork: "We have Gracie on the line, Hi Gracie!"
Gracie: "Hi, Steve" and then I made myself cringe by saying what I absolutely HATE to hear when other people call in to radio shows but was wholly unable to resist my polite upbringing and... "How are you?" I hate it when people say that. Not because they're being polite, which is always a good thing (and WAY better than the ass-clowns who insist on starting their conversations off with "Listen! Ahm a-callin' ta tell y'all 'bout beer and wimmin!" 'Listen...' Indeed.) but when every person in a line of dozens who get on the air and invariably all have to ask the host "How are you?" Sigh. He's fine! He was fine when the last 18 people before ya asked him and he is STILL FINE! Yet...despite those feelings, the second I get on the air? TOTALLY had to ask 'how are ya' even though it really didn't matter and I wasn't waiting with bated breath for his response...it was just...what I was taught to say.
Steve McDork: "Good, I'm good. So you saw United 93?"
Gracie: "Yes, Steve, I did. We saw it Saturday night."
Steve McDork: "And what did you think, Gracie? How was United 93?"
Gracie: *I have no idea why I felt the need to say his name before nearly everything I said, but again...there it was.* "Steve, it was...incredible. It was powerful and horrible in its sadness and I can't begin to imagine the absolute terror those passengers felt."
Steve McDork: "Wow. So you liked it, then?"
Gracie: "Oh, absolutely. And I have to say, also, that I heard you and Vikki discussing this a few minutes ago and you mentioned your disappointment over no 'big name' actors being cast in the movie and I want to say that...that was the point...that's what helped make it so powerful, because it wasn't about Julia Roberts or Rachel McAdams or Brad Pitt...it was about those people and that day and that event. And I liked the fact that not only did I not know any of those people, as it helped me focus on the story, but I was also surprised to see that they used real flight attendants and a lot of the people on the ground played themselves, such as the military people, the air traffic controllers, and many others."
Steve McDork: "Huh."
Gracie: "Also, you talked about there not being enough apparent emotion during the passengers' calls home when they realized what was happening."
Steve McDork: "Right. It was boring, right? It was emotionless and silly."
Gracie: "Not even a little bit. It was incredibly emotional and moving. They were sobbing and crying, they were in shock, they were grappling with the realization that they would never again set foot on solid ground, that they were hurtling toward their deaths, and they did a good job of exhibiting those feelings, in my opinion."
Steve McDork: "Wuh...well...well what about the terrorists?? How did you feel about them? Did you get a good understanding of who they were and what they were doing? Because I heard that they didn't explain them at ALL and it was just confusing and stupid."
Gracie: "Siiiigh. No, it was not stupid and yes, it's true that they didn't 'develop' any of the characters, but again...that is what made it compelling; that it was just the story of that day, experiencing what those people experienced, as the events unfolded. Nobody was more important than anyone else or needed to be 'developed' as a character. Nobody knew who ANYBODY was that day; at that time, they were all strangers and it was confusing and terrifying and horrible and that's how it was portrayed."
Steve McDork: "Well what about when the movie was over and everyone was leaving? I heard it was like a funeral" and then his partner-in-shallowness chimed in with "Exactly! I heard that people were crying and sad and I just don't underSTAND why anyone would want to SEE that!"
Gracie: "Yes, people cried and sobbed and I was one of them. And regardless of how hard those 2 hours might be for us, those people's families are dealing with that pain for the rest of their LIVES. We honor them by seeing this movie, by crying for their loss and that nightmare, and remembering them and their loved ones. How insulting it must be to the families of those who died for people to refuse to spend a paltry 2 hours honoring them because it's...uncomfortable. Personally, I am of the strong opinion that we owe it to all of them to see this movie and show our support."
Steve McDork: "So...it was like a funeral, then?"
Gracie: *Cannot believe their insensitivity...their lack of understanding and reverence* "SIGH. Yes, Steve...frankly, it was like a funeral. The last few minutes of the movie were especially intense and people were stunned silent. Even the token jerks who exist in every theater who are apparently required to talk through the ENTIRE movie because they just can't give up the spotlight for a couple of hours and not ruin it for everyone else...even THEY shut up during the end of the movie, and when it was over, they were...WE were...all silent. Nobody moved when the movie finished. We watched the credits roll, and when they were over, people finally began to leave and it was calm and quiet and eerily silent, save for the shuffling of feet and people sniffling. It was surreal and sad and utterly silent."
Steve McDork: "Hehehe that's funny, that's EXACTLY how I felt leaving Gigli!"
Gracie: "Tch. I can assure you, Mr. McCoy, that this movie was nothing like Gigli, and I'm rather insulted that..."
Steve McDork: *CLICK!*
Gracie: "...you would make a joke about such a...hello?? Did...did he...HELLO??...unh! That fucker! He HUNG UP ON ME!"
You know, I get that they like to inject a bit of humor into their 'bits' and leave things on a lighter note, I do. I also get that not everyone can deal with seeing this movie for a multitude of reasons (none of which I believe should prevent people from seeing it and honoring those who died, but that's just me and I get that.) but it was completely unnecessary and cold and, well, stupid of him to make a joke about the worst tragedy to happen to our country in decades, when discussing the deaths of innocent people. And to compare it to GIGLI?? While unceremoniously hanging up on a person who called to humbly tell you how powerful it was and how important she felt it was? Yeah, that's how ya keep listeners.
Dickbrain.
So, yeah. SO not listening to Star 94 anymore.
