On Wed, Jul 25, 2012 at 5:43 AM, Joe Hass <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > On Jul 25, 2012, at 7:04 AM, Jon Delfin <[email protected]> wrote: > > > I heard the Morning Edition obit on NPR, which tactfully but clearly > > identified Ride's longtime companion. As far as I'm concerned, it's > > what the "Barney & Clyde" comic strip refers to as an "huh fact" -- > > you hear it, you say "Huh," you move on. Same with Hemsley. > > I should clarify my comment: the difference here (to the best of my > knowledge) is that Ride had a companion, that fact was reasonably well > known, and thus it's valid to point that out and the listener/reader can > connect whatever dots they wish. Hemsley was a euphemistically-called > "confirmed bachelor", so to note in an obit that there were always these > whispers would go against that. The best still-living example (until > recently) would be Anderson Cooper. > The Sally Ride case is in fact what prompted my question about Helmsley. Ride and her companion (also not living in secret, but also carefully keeping their relationship out of the public eye) apparently planned to announce their relationship, and Ride's orientation, in her obit (they knew she was dying). I believe it was her companion who carefully crafted the language that revealed it for her obit. Hemsley apparently did not have a "longtime companion" (the traditional term used in obits to refer to LGBT partners in obits in the old days), or children, and I guess did not plan on a public coming out party at his funeral. But I am just wondering, assuming that an obit in a major newspaper is still a new story, what the rules are for deciding what goes in and what does not. When Jerry Sandusky dies, will his family be able to ask the papers not to include that unfortunate bit about anally raping 10 year olds in the Penn State showers? When Bill Gates dies could his family ask that they not print that he was really rich? When I die can I request that they overlook that unfortunate period in the mid 80s when I dressed like an extra from Miami Vice? -- TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en
