Today I heard that Tiger Woods has been publicly chastised by the chairman of the Augusta National Golf Club for disappointing us, and worse, disappointing our children and grandchildren.
And then I heard that Nike has released a new commercial featuring Tiger looking like a humbled schoolboy while his dead father’s voice says he wants to know what he’s thinking and what he’s learned from his experience.
This whole Tiger thing is becoming pathologically ridiculous. It’s practically a parody of America’s celebrity culture.
The man had consensual sex with multiple partners outside of his marriage. He cheated on his wife. His transgressions were against his wife, not against you or me or a generation of children or the moral fiber of America.
As far as I’m concerned, Tiger Woods doesn’t owe any of us anything. Not impeccable behaviour, not an apology for falling off the pedestal, nothing. He’s just a golfer. I don’t expect him to be a role model for my children any more than I expect the carpet cleaner to be a role model for my children. There’s something wrong with a society that feels its sports celebrities owe them anything other than entertainment.
I don’t understand how Americans can tolerate so many of the immoral things they tolerate – such as their government invading other countries without provocation – but draw the line at a golfer cheating on his wife.
There’s also a lot of talk about his “sex addiction”, which has irritated me. I suppose perhaps this could be connected to a mental illness, but I think it’s more likely that he just did something jerky, like millions of others before him. If someone is your neighbour he’s an adulterer, but if he’s rich and famous, he’s a “sex addict”.
SING IT SISTER. This whole thing is crazy! It’s time to move on, people!
BRAVO! Finally a voice of reason and sanity. I have always loved your blog, and when I read this entry I had to speak up and let you know how much I appreciate your well-voiced entry on this matter. You have so beautifully articulated what I’ve been feeling and thinking about the unbelievable manic idiocy focusing on Tiger Woods. Thank you for reminding me that there are still intelligent, thoughtful folks out there.
Amen!! Thank you for putting it into words so articulately.
“sex addiction” was apparently invented by Michael Douglas when he got caught with his hand in the metaphorical cookie jar – he was astounded that anyone bought it.
Thanks for publishing what so many of us were thinking. This is private matter, it doesn’t hurt anyone besides the principals, and if his sponsors want to pull away, that’s their prerogative. So freaking what???
On behalf of all like-minded ‘mericans, I apologize for foisting this crap on our Canadian neighbors.
I was just hopping on to voice a big loud “AMEN!” but it seems that Eve has beaten me to it. Amen from me, too.
Agree 110% with this post Zoom.
I thought American celebrity ‘culture’ was a joke to begin with.
Health care reform, massive job losses, homelessness and that is the big issue?
I predict that there will be a reality show created as the result of this.
Couldn’t agree more, Zoom! That crappy corporate-owned CTV Newschannel actually had a “body language expert” analyse his last press conference. The so-called expert’s brilliant findings: whenever Woods talked about golf, his body language reflected genuine interest and passion. But whenever he discussed his extra-marital affairs, his body language demonstrated “arrogance”, and the fact that he really doesn’t believe that media and the people have a right to know. I actually found myself screaming at the TV: “because you DON’T have a right to know, you f’ing morons!!!!”
There is, apparantly, nothing worse you can do in the USA than have sex. If you’re not having missionary sex, no more than once a month, with someone of the opposite sex bound to you in holy matrimony, you are going to burn in everlasting hell and/or be publicly dissected,chastised, berated and fed upon forever if you’re any sort of celebrity-type.
I couldn’t have said it better myself
So. Freaking. True.
I think also that by the media paying so much attention to him, even if it is negative attention, it is adding fuel to his apparent megalomania. Ignore him and he’s nobody.
Bravo! Tiger owes me nothing (well, except maybe to get back out on the course and play golf the way he was born to), not an explanation, not details, and certainly not an apology.
A certain segment of the “news” media are responsible for perpetuating the Tiger saga. A poll of Americans (US type) would likely show that a very small percentage cares and that a large percentage has had enough of the coverage.
Zoom, this flowchart was recently sent to me and I think it pretty much says it all.
Brilliant! Well said.
Now, not so fast Zoom, I think he might have hurt my feelings. Oh, wait… no, I’m wrong, it was just gas.
I have felt this for some time but couldn’t put my finger on what exactly bothered me. Thanks, Zoom, for nailing it.
I am an American and I totally agree with you. I don’t know when the media started this B.S. about what we (the public)need or require from celebrities. If you sing, sing…I don’t give a damn about your life or your opinions…I’m paying to hear you sing and the list goes on.
and then there’s this hilarious mashup of the Tiger commercial with a Morgan Freeman voiceover from the Shawshank redemption.Make of it what you will…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TO6wI9OQRE&feature=player_embedded
agreed, Zoom.
I always suspect the publicity around these celebrity hijinks is designed to distract people from all of the really terrible things that the military-industrial complex is up to. Imagine if folks paid 1/2 as much attention to investigative journalism as they do to “People” magazine….
AMEN!
I agree totally. I couldn’t care less about “Tiger”. I think starving children in 3rd world countries and child slavery issues are vastly more important issues.
However people do not want to be made uncomfortable and reading idiotic articles “eg. tiger” does not upset their comfort zone and makes them feel their lives are better than others.
AMEN! Preach it, sister!
Your post reflects how I have felt about this ridiculous fiasco from day one: “who cares?” and “why is this even being reported as news?”
And the Nike ad is just ridiculous. When I saw it here yesterday, I thought it must have been a joke video someone had made and put on youtube. Now I realize it really was an actual Nike ad!
“I don’t understand how Americans can tolerate so many of the immoral things they tolerate…but draw the line at a golfer cheating on his wife.”
It’s very simple. The golfer is black and the wife he cheated on is white (albeit a rather ugly one). Black people are not allowed to become wealthy and famous in America without making sacrifices that whites don’t have to make. Just ask Michael Jackson who had to turn himself into a mockery of a white person just to appease his mainly white audience. Generally, it is threatening for whites to see overt displays of a black man’s enjoyment of his wealth whether in terms of philandering or some other form of worldly indulgence. Philandering, of course, is something that no one does more shamelessly than white men, especially rich white men. But Tiger is expected to be a “role model†to white people’s children.
Of course let’s not forget the sickeningly hypocrital outrage that the white public and media feign when confronted with black sexuality while at the same time disgusting and outrageous displays of white immorality are praised and applauded. Compare and contrast the difference in treatment by the media of the “wardrobe malfunction†Janet Jackson incident and the disgusting Britney Spears, Madonna and Christina Aguilera tonguing done in front of millions of children all over the world who watch the grammies. Yep, this is God’s own country indeed, the most godless and hypocritical country on the planet.
Thanks for the comments!
Well said! Now why can’t everyone else think the same way. Every time you turn on the TV or flip through a magazine it’s all about Tiger and how he has to make it right. The only person he needs to apologize to is his family. The press needs to leave them alone so they can repair what is broken. Tiger is almost as annoying as Kate Gosselin and man don’t get me started on her
Thanks for the post!
Does anyone else find it funny that though we all ” don’t care” this post got more comments than most? Just sayin’
Yes, Redfraggle, but the point is that while I (we) don’t care about Tiger and his actual escapades, I (we) do care about the fact the people and the media who do care won’t just shut up about it! It is impossible to avoid hearing about it.. and I don’t even watch TV!