By: CatFight

In moments of quiet, my mind makes noise. Thoughts like a symphony, at times chaotic but all serve to point to a bigger picture of how I really feel about any given thing.

I find myself wondering why is it we do the things we do? “Human civilization” is such an oxymoron when you consider all the atrocities committed by humans against themselves through the years- most of which were done in the name of RELIGION.

 I  find it pointless to try & cultivate or maintain relationships w/ most people I deal with these days because they don’t know what “friendship” is, let alone the idea of true acceptance or reciprocity & yet they reflexively EXPECT these things from me. I’ve been a better “friend” to most than they’ve ever been to me. So finally I did myself a favor & pulled away from these loser sponges & I stopped trying to pretend like I believe in the “general good” of humanity.

Do I care what you think about the above statements? No, not really. Because unlike you, I’m quite comfortable with being honest with myself & admitting the truth of what I see, whether it’s “popular” to do so or not. I’m also capable of reading & thinking for myself- rather than depending on the latest reality show or rigged “news” media outlet for my sources of information. AND…after too many years of naivete about my own standing in this racist, sexist, homophobic, sexually repressed/religious obsessed society due to my truly blended existence…my eyes have opened to cold, hard, truth. If it drives you away from me, then you weren’t anyone I needed around me in the first place so it’s better for me.

Encounters, conversations & even watching some of these people on various social media outlets only served to remind me how little in common I have with most. That’s not to say I’m “better” or “above”…hardly that. Simply DIFFERENT & that’s always been the case…the PROBLEM for you & most like you. What you dont know or understand you judge, dismiss & wrongfully marginalize with your false sense of moral superiority…your religion…your ”group think” induced foolishness.  Different amongst a sea of people who play at being “accepting” but are lying frauds. Why waste my time with these fake & insincere posers who wont give me a chance but expect such consideration to be granted to them for far worse than they attempt to judge me for?

I’m misanthropic, & quite comfortable with admitting that. It will save me & you alot of wasted time. You go back to your poser existence & sheep like mentality- watching the latest reality show, spending money on technology you cant afford [while you're barely able to make rent], believ. You can feel free to look down on & judge me all you want. Your opinion is none of my business. You can continue to hold on to some silly notion of RELIGION & other forms of conditioning that are MAN MADE in order to justify your lemming like devotion to things that don’t serve you or your well being well. Just understand that I don’t have to “fall in line” with that crap & you can’t make me.  All the “praying” & condemning you do will not effect me or my life or my afterlife. YOU don’t even know what happens after we die but you want to try to “evangelize” others with your belief system? *snicker* the same system your ancestor’s captors & slave masters used on them to dull them into submission. The same thing the “colonists” used when they came to the Amer[KKK]a & stole the land from the Native Americans- all the while using their children as [literal] DOG FOOD for their hunting dogs & murdering them. 

I just don’t have it in me anymore to be civil with most people & I don’t care.

It”s much more satisfying being true to self & avoiding the sheep than to waste time trying to maintain a farce.

By: Catfight

I’d been doing my annual personal memorial to MJ & FF on my facebook page but I realized I was wasting my time & creative energy since no one reads or pays attention to anything on FB unless it’s to do with gossip about NON ”celebrities” like Kardashian or “Real Housewives”, something to do with sports or stupid religious posturing so I’ve decided to share this on my blog.

5 hours apart...5 miles apart

 June 25, 2009. It’s now one of those days where you can ask “Where were you when…” & the reason is because on that day in the city of L.A., within fivehours of each other & just five miles from one another, two superstars, two global icons passed away.  Farrah Fawcett’s death occurred first.  The golden blonde haired Charlie’s Angel had lost her painful battle w/ cancer. News of her death spread & the shock & sadness could be seen & felt everywhere including the net. It was awful. Then, within five hours of losing an Angel, some disturbing reports of ANOTHER well known icon began filtering across news feeds, tickers  & other outlets. Michael Jackson, the King of pop…one report said he was alive but in a coma, another said he was dead…back and forth the reports until finally it was confirmed that he had in fact passed. Within five hours…we lost an angel & now a king. It might have been the afternoon & daylight but for it felt like the dark of night. As if the shock and sadness weren’t enough, Farrah’s death was now being completely overshadowed by Michael’s. Certain media personalities as well as parts of the general public were even being CRUEL about dismissing Farrah for coverage of Michael. Larry King on CNN had a touch memorial planned for the beloved actress but then SCRAPPED it then and there causing outrage among friends, family and fans of Farrah. On facebook, twitter and various blog sites, you could see a sad, sick “battle” unfolding between fans of one or the other as people were saying cruel, disrespectful things to justify “screwing Farrah it’s all about Michael.” I  personally was appalled and angered. Some of my so called “Friends” on my facebook were among these people and so instead of wasting my time arguing with them, I just started my now annual tradition of creating a personal memorial tribute to BOTH of these truly legendary icons because guess what?? There are people out here who like BOTH of them and there are people who know that they BOTH deserve to be recognized for their accomplishments, their fame, their beauty and what they gave us- the gift of entertainment that will last for generations to come.  Despite my feelings of offense toward the people who made ignorant, dismissive remarks about Farrah [and i made them known too], I felt it was better for me to channel my energy into doing something that would honor these GONE TOO SOON ICONS rather than argue with people who didn’t know much about Farrah and really didn’t know much about Michael either but because he was black & they were black…they HAD to acknowledge him.  Oh yes, many of the people who now romanticize Michael & his memory didn’t own or wouldn’t admit to owning any of his albums & didn’t rock his music at the time of his passing because the reality was…Michael’s brand and image HAD been tarnished by all of the scandal he’d endured for the last 15 years. Indeed, there was a whole new generation that didn’t know Michael for the talented musical genius that he is- they only knew him for being the accused child molester or for his multiple cosmetic surgeries. These same people & others also didnt know anything about Farrah outside of her image and that she was a “Charlie’s Angel.” But there was…IS so much more to BOTH of them and if you don’t know or don’t remember…let me show you!

Fallen king/Fallen angel

 Every generation has their larger than life stars & icons. The baby boomers had people like Elvis & to this day many of his fans will journey to “Graceland” on the anniversary of his death.  For MY generation- Generation X- there are several outsized icons but two of the brightest, most enduring are Michael Jackson & Farrah Fawcett. Both were entertainers- he, a musical genius; she, an actress.

the gloved one ; the fair haired one

Both were known for their trademark personal STYLES, and each of them were emulated, copied and imitated by legions of fans and even other celebrities for years to come. He had his sequined glove…just one, not two. Along with his Stylized jackets and sequined white socks with black shoes. It was a fashion faux pas for men to wear white socks with black dress shoes but Michael wasn’t most men and after him, many men began to copy his style & look including such celebrities as Usher, Jamie Foxx, Neyo and Chris Brown; She had impossibly perfect smile & yes those were her real teeth. She also had that luxurious golden blonde hair…that was ALL HER’S…NO extensions and her hair itself was a marvel but when she created her signature look, “the farrah fawcett feather”, it became something all together different. Her Charlie’s Angel co-star Jaclyn Smith once fondly joked that “there were two trailers on the set of the show, one for Farrah & the other for her hair.” Her hair style was copied by women the world over including celebrities like Heather Locklear, Madonna, Mary J. Blige, Beyonce among others. Michael’s glove and Farrah’s hairstyle have both become record makers in the history of American pop culture and as fashion cycles you can still see women at different times copying Farrah’s hairstyle.

well known faces

There shouldn’t be any reason to try and compare these two in a “face off” because they each were masters of their craft. They lived for what they did and loved knowing their fans enjoyed it. There was no rivalry of any kind between them and while it’s never been stated that they were “close friends.” There is more than a little evidence that they not only knew each other, but frequently crossed paths.  Michael and Farrah could be seen partying together at the legendary Studio 54 and later in the 80′s while Michael was turning the world of music on its ear with his talent and Farrah was defying movie critics and nay sayers with her phenomenal acting skills, Michael was also reported to have been close to and even dating Tatum O’neal, which is Ryan O’neal’s daughter…Farrah was already dating Ryan O’neal at the time  and was essential Tatum’s stepmother so I’m sure that its more than likely Michael and Farrah not only knew each other but were friendly. Michael had peers in the music industry that he had rivalry with but Farrah was not a musical artist. She was an ACTRESS, painter & sculptress and so the two icons were not in competition…nor should so called “fans” of MJ have tried to turn the tragedy of them dying on the same day into a “competition” of who deserved to be recognized. Farrah was a kind hearted woman and Michael was a gentle soul. I doubt EITHER of them would have wanted that. 

dynamic talent and beauty

What they WOULD want and have both stated in individual interviews over the years when asked what they wanted to be remembered for or what was important to them that people should think of when talking about them was that both were first and foremost- HUMAN BEINGS with hearts, souls and feelings. They also wanted to be recognized for their work and the dedication they each had to their craft.

Madonna sang about the beauty of being “on the cover over a magazine”  and these two both achieved that many times over as well. For decades, all across the globe both Michael and Farrah graced the cover of magazines big and small, everything from the teen idol magazines to the serious coffee table adornments to the high fashion mags. 

Beautiful Michael

Each one garanteed to be a collector’s item for the fans always on the prowlfor memorabilia as well as a good read. When it came to the glamor of magazins, Farrah was no stranger to that since her career began as a model but through the magazines she scored herself yet another accomplishment when in 1995 at the age of 48, she defied her critics and naysayers yet again by posing in a special holiday pictoral for Playboy.

Angelic playboy bunny

Two years later, in 1997, the same year she received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, she appeared in another issue of Playboy complete w/ a special payper view program called “Farrah Fawcett: All of me” featuring Farrah showcasing her talent and passion for art & sculpting…in the nude. It was a smash success and these two issues of Playboy earned Farrah the achievement of having the HIGHEST selling issues for Playboy in the 1990′s, beating out such competition as Drew Barrymore and Anna Nicole Smith. Farrah prooved she definately had what all the guys, and some of the girls wanted!  Michael and Farrah come from a time where a person’s career and fame did not DEPEND on having a “brand” of products bearing their name or reprinted image. They had TALENT to ensure people would be interested in and talking about them for years to come but that did not stop the interest in collecting memorabilia for either them. 

   Among the many items that are now rare collector treaures are the special Farrah Fawcett Barbie doll edition, which debuted after Farrah’s death but almost immediately sold out. Michael Jackson also had several special edition dolls made in his likeness. I had a neighbor who had all of these proudly displayed in their home.

MJ Dolls

From dolls to hair care products, clothing and more, yes these two had it all and it wasnt that they needed it to thrive like the Kardashians do today, it was simply because they were that special, that popular and truly that talented to so many. They deserved every bit of fanfare and  they recieved.

soft and slow....we let you go

They each  recognized that music (for him) and acting (for her) were forms of entertainment that would make people laugh, cry, shout, dance and more. They each wanted to give only the best to their fans the world over and they did just that. That’s why even in in the 00′s, with a new generation coming up that would not necessarily have the same emotional attachment to these two icons that my generation or others have, it was telling that even if these younger people today didnt know much about MJ or FF, the recognized their faces just the same. For two icons that had both been in the entertainment business for over four decades, that is damn impressive. Will people be saying the same thing about Justin Beiber, Nicki Minaj, Paris Hilton or these other no talent hacks who are lightly “talented” yet heavily marketed in this age of youth & technology OVER talent? I DOUBT IT.  Michael and Farrah hail from a time when TALENT was what opened the door to fame. They each came into the same arena from different ways- he from the push of his domineering father who recognized his talent which lead him and his brothers to form the legendary Jackson 5 and she due to her bewitching yet natural beauty which an agent KNEW would be her golden ticket to stardom that lead her to Hollywood to become a model and one of the most prolific pitchwoman/spokesmodels on TV commercials. Those were their individual stepping stones that would help them to become the legends we know them to be now.  The paid their dues, worked their way up and took us into orbit right along with them and unlike these “stars” and [non] “celebrities” that dominate the headlines and tv today these two icons did not have to sustain their careers on tacky reality tv or going from one scandal to the next. 

forever remembered

As I mentioned, these two have entertained us for decades. Time passed and eventually as one generation gave to the next the music and entertainment industry changed as well. the factors that helped propel Michael to superstardom were no longer there and he was not getting the support he once had as there were now a generation of kids that knew him better for the unpleasant scandals he’d been pulled into rather than his musical genius. In Hollywood, the sexism and youth obsession was worse than ever and while Farrah was still well known and respected as an actress, she stayed out of the spotlight after her last big screen film, “The Cookout”.   In the most recent years, Michael endured another painful and damaging legal battle and Farrah began her battle with cancer.  Michael survived his scandal at least physically and was aquitted but it was clear he was never to be the same again. Farrah, proving true to that fighting Texas spirit she was born into, scored an initial victory in her battle against her cancer and Michael,after several years of reclusive absence began to emerge and let us know he was once again going to remind us of what made us love him in the first place.  Sadly, that would never come to pass. Farrah Fawcett, after her long, painful battle with cancer that was even broadcast on NBC in May of 2009 to huge successful ratings and even scored her her last Emmy nomination, passed away in June and Michael soon followed her.  From their beginnings, to their ascent into global fame and stardom through their twilight years…whatever they were doing, whatever people thought of them, people knew who each of them were and they both had fans the world over.  I loved them both very much and I am still saddened by their passing but they gave me, you, all of us gifts that keep on giving in movies, music, pictures, stories and more.  Michael will not dance across a stage again physically, nor will Farrah dazzle us on the small or big screen but with the treasure trove they’ve each left us?  We will be able to delight ourselves and do what they wanted us to do….be entertained by them and remember them for their TALENT. Remember Michael and Farrah for their TALENT and their AMAZING accomplishments, so many that I could mention here but it would take too much time.  But before I close, I will highlight what I felt to be the absolute BEST highlights of each these two icons.

a record setting, BREAKING monster of an accomplishment

For me, with Michael Jackson it was most certainly the Thriller album which followed on the heels of the critically acclaimed hit album “Off the wall.” Thriller changed the world of music forEVER. From the emerging “music video” medium, to how artists handled their personal style and appearance, the quality and attention to detail with production and so much more, this album and its mastermind, Michael changed the game foreEVER and to this day it is a record setting/BREAKING monster that no other artist has been able to surpass. Whatever happened before OR after…this album and all that came of it cemented Michael’s place in history, entertainment, pop culture and the global consciousness.

all american beauty for generations

For me, with Farrah Fawcett, it’s three fold. Her BEAUTY is the first part. The reason why there have even been COLLEGE COURSES discussing Farrah Fawcett is because her physical beauty was so “impossibly”[but still all the same] NATURAL. People were absolutely smitten by her. This poster here is what she did just before she took off into orbit with her role on Charlie’s Angels. This poster set (and holds) the record as THE HIGHEST SELLING pinup poster of all time in America w/ over 12 million copies sold thus far. It has been included in the official listing of “America’s 1oo most important pop culture symbols” as well. Farrah’s beauty lead her to acting[the 2nd part of what i feel is her greatest accomplishment] and usually a beautiful model does not translate into a successful actress but Farrah defied her critics many times over with that. Of course “Jill Monroe” on Charlie’s Angels is her most known work but I’d like to submit this movie montage that highlight’s Farrah’s amazing work as a big AND small screen actress. With over 14 big screen films, numerous small screen projects , an Emmy win & a posthumous Emmy nomination, a golden globe  nomination, multiple people’s choice award nominations AND wins, multiple saturn and cable ace award wins  as well as a seat on the Academy of The Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voting board,  I definitely feel that Farrah’s acting as a whole is the 2nd part of what she should be most remembered for and the third part for her is her bravery in battling her cancer and choosing to share that journey and battle with us.  “Farrah’s Story” broadcast on NBC in May of 2009 to amazing ratings and earned her the final emmy nomination of her career but aside from that, to watch the program…it showed that Farrah was truly the fighter that her REAL and close friends always said she was. It reminded everyone that Farrah was NEVER “the dumb blonde” that some had assumed she was ( then she’d always prove them wrong ) and in an age where every so called “star” will launch a reality show to try to revitalize or ignite a career…Farrah’s program was something all together different. I can tell you that when she lay on the ct scan table crying, asking for a miracle…I was sitting in front of my tv, crying and asking for a miracle for her too.  She wasnt doing this for “fame”, she was doing it to give a face to the type of cancer she had which is rare and was attempting to highlight the inadequacies of the american healthcare establishment.  I would say she definitely gave a valiant effort in what would be her last appearance before her passing. 

picture from Farrah's funeral program

Michael Joseph Jackson, 1958-2009 ; Farrah Leni Fawcett, 1947-2008