by Tim Jones

Created on: February 24, 2007   Last Updated: May 09, 2007

True story. I was on stage in Florida talking about the war, and a woman in the audience actually asked me out loud, "Who's Colin Powell?" I was in shock for a moment, then it dawned on me. These people aren't laughing because I'm not funny, they're not laughing because they honestly have no clue about anything I'm talking about. But, they know who won American Idol, who was Dancing with the Stars, and who traded spouses that week. It is quite sad, and somewhat sickening to me.

The Anna Nicole story is a fascinating one, I must admit. There have been more twists and turns than The Usual Suspects, and just when you think it can't get any stranger, of course it does. The parade of characters in her life is truly one of the weirdest assemblages of human beings I have ever seen, topped off by the phone call to the chicken cook she married when she was 19. I'd say she managed to go through the entire spectrum of human personality in her sad, brief life, including all areas of economic class as well.

But, people are missing the point of it all, as usual. What killed Anna Nicole? Who killed Anna Nicole? I'll tell you who did, WE did. For 2 years we watched the train wreck that was Anna's life on the E channel, every week like clockwork. Did anyone say, Man, she really needs some help? Did anyone ask themselves, what is going on inside this woman's head? No, I believe the only thing anyone asked was, How are the ratings? When she showed up at the MTV Music awards trashed out of her mind a year or 2 ago, did anyone say we need to do something to save her? Nope, the clip was played endlessly on any news or entertainment channel along with slick little jokes about the junkie.

This same story is playing out now with the flavor of the month, Britney Spears. Britney is obviously troubled and going through some real issues right now. Everyone is all over the TV, "what's wrong with Britney?" She's in rehab, she's out of rehab, paparazzi following her every step of the way. People are on TV laughing, ha ha, she's dying before our eyes, hilarious. Do you think that when the media would see a person floundering before them, that maybe they would back off a little bit? Maybe give that person a little space to get themselves together? Nope, they are camped outside her house right now as I write this. They won't stop until she's dead, then they'll cover that for weeks as well.

This is America, cold and heartless. The almighty dollar driving everything, and too often death is the result. I think it may be time for a great re-examination of this country and the culture we have created here. 3,000 young Americans have died in Iraq, and more people vote for American Idol then vote in Presidential elections. Ain't Democracy great?

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