I don't watch much TV other than a few recorded shows so I can be distracted and live vicariously through Ziva David in "NCIS" and Alicia Florrick in "The Good Wife." With my shows -- as I refer to them -- I fast-forward through commercials to get to the good stuff.
I occasionally dine at Google News, where I am fed excerpts of the important drama of the day in helpings of U.S., World, Health, Entertainment, Sports and the stuff I could care less about, i.e. Business and Sci/Tech. I am purposely asleep at the media wheel because it's all too much for me to take and feels like my brain is near explosion.
Danger Will Robinson, danger!
However, over the past week or so I noticed while surfing Google News the overabundance of articles referring to Casey Anthony. I understand her murder trial was underway but I don't click to read more because I don't care to know until the end, when the verdict is given. It's a lot of he said, she said baloney and, although I am saddened by the death of sweet little innocent Caylee, I don't need to read daily about the trial. It's not like there's anything I can do to change the outcome (smells like Amanda Knox, doesn't it?).
But the media swarms and panders to the stupid and tells us who to care about. Casey Anthony is everywhere and will never go away considering the recent news of a not guilty verdict. Can you say tell-all-book-and-reality-TV-show?
At the gym working out on a treadmill, I glanced up from my book and noticed on each TV screen, with a news station tuned in, there Casey was in court. Ah, lovely, the trial was live on TV. A newscaster discusses her day in court, followed by another show being advertised for later that night to discuss what's going on behind the scenes. Did her mother's testimony harm her? Why did the court recess today? What's the deal pickles, is everything Kosher?
The public had access to live updates, live video from the trial ... we could discuss our take in chatrooms online, blah blah blah ... Talk amongst yourselves.
Do people have such shitty lives that they need Casey's Circus as a distraction or is the media creating its own monster. Giving us story after story online and on TV so we become addicted, obsessed. Mastering headlines with bombshells and surprise witnesses so we become interested and then, hook line and sinker, we are a fish dinner fresh from the ocean for the powers that be. What's trending now? Oh, it's Casey Anthony ... well then let's feed the masses! Tempting us so we can be fed more later with an autobiography telling Casey's side of the story, a television series showing us what Casey will do now with her life -- The Next Chapter: Casey Anthony Starts Over.
Oh yeah little baby,
She want more,
More, more, more, more, more!
Or, perhaps, with all the bummer news dude -- i.e. the debt crisis, problems in Libya and Syria, the fire in New Mexico skirting around a nuclear lab, etc. -- people want to read something meaningless, something they can grasp. I don't have any answers on how to fix the economy or world affairs because it's over my head, and honestly it's all very frightening to ponder, so I will play the role of Jane Doe Americana and pretend this doesn't matter (la, la, la, la, I can't hear you!) and instead focus my attention and judgement on Casey Anthony, Lindsay Lohan, Snooki and whether Jennifer Aniston will ever find a man. Will she ever find love? Easy topics I can comment on and discuss.
Did you see the people protesting outside the courthouse? Each day of the trial there were 50 tickets distributed on a first-come, first-served basis for anyone wanting a sneak peak. Dozens of people from across the country (possibly world) lined up daily for this ... Step right up! Get your Casey Anthony tickets!
Sorry boss, can't come to work today, gonna protest the Casey Anthony trial. Oh wait ... these people probably don't have jobs. They are contributing by doing their American duty by protesting this filth.
After the not guilty verdict, the protestors went mad, chanting and yelling about no justice for Caylee, about Casey being a monster (while the TV cameras were rolling .... hmm 15 minutes anyone?) all while Nancy Grace went on national television and did what she does best, self-righteously bitch and moan about Casey, about the legal system, and about how she's "standing up for what she believes in" by being so involved in this case.
Excuse me while I lose myself in another episode of "The View" and important topics such as sex, trust in marriage and menopause.
Is all this Casey Anthony mania because of Florida's Sunshine Law, which provides the media and public with access to Anthony's letters from jail as well as video footage, evidence, depositions and interviews?
Reports allege that Anthony wrote this in a letter from jail:
"I've told you about all the mail I've gotten. I'm up to the thousands with positive letters and cards. Low 20's for the negative. Good stuff. Well...there are a couple of fellas who have either become infatuated with the celebrity or with the fair damesll ... in distress. One is more hooked than the other...Is this what "celebrities" have to deal with? Yikes! It is sweet in a strange sort of way..."
Cult celebrity status.
I understand she's a good looking (well besides her Michael Phelps ears and mousey face) white chick with a dysfunctional family who is known for partying (at least that's what the media fed us with picture after picture of her cheaply clad out at da club). She allegedly murdered her daughter and dumped her body. She pleaded not guilty but offered up a melting pot of lies since her daughter's body was found in 2008, including being molested by her father and brother.
Did she do it? Did she smother her child with duct tape and possibly use chloroform? Did Caylee drown in a pool? Even though Casey was found not guilty, it's not like anybody will want to be her friend again or date her (well, except for the odd folks mentioned in her letter). Who wants to date the white O.J. Simpson? Nobody! Oh wait, speaking of O.J. ... since I'm white and she's the white O.J., should I drop what I'm doing, run out into the streets and scream? Maybe shoot off a few rounds into the clear blue sky? Another point for the white folk!
Since she's not guilty, then who the hell killed that poor girl? Will we ever know?
Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?
Casey stole the cookie from the cookie jar!
Who, me?
Yes you!
Couldn't be!
Then who?
People want to know who dun it but to this extent of obsession? And if you are obsessed ... why? What aspect of your life are you trying to ignore? Or is it because the media told you who to be obsessed about?
The story will die down and move on with Casey's second chance at life instead of Caylee and finding her killer. You want to know who dun it when it's spread across the media and you have somewhere to point your finger. Even though a jury of her peers found her not guilty, Casey Anthony was found guilty months and months ago by the jury of her peers that is the world stage. How disgusting.
Want more justice America? Well you are in luck! The media is already moving on to accused serial killer Anthony Sowell and will provide up-to-the-minute coverage of his trial. Just what America needs!
How are we going to raise children in this environment of instant access gratification? The unfettered access to information. How are we going to raise children in an environment where we are obsessed with people like Casey Anthony instead of what really matters and is important in the world?
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