Now for your Grrrs …
Erin from Hollywood, Fla.: Are we to understand that it’s perfectly OK for you, as a minor celebrity, to go on record with your views on nearly everything via FOX, while you don’t think other celebrities (or at least the ones you consider “liberals”) have no business in giving their political opinions? Tell us, Mike, why you and the other FOXies have to try to relate everything to George W. Bush?? How did you possibly go from Tom Cruise’s views on psychology to “liberals” bashing Bush?? Here’s my grrr and it’s mighty big: WHEN DID “LIBERAL” BECOME A DIRTY WORD? In fact, it means to be progressive and advance individual freedom. Doesn’t seem like such a bad thing to me.
Pliskin in Woodbridge, Va.: I cannot stand reading Grrrs from people complaining about petty little things! Katie from Alabama’s “Sweatiots” for example. Who cares? Anything about Tom Cruise. Who cares? Remaking old movies. Who cares? The page of small text on car commercials. Who cares? People need to stop complaining so much about things that have little or no impact on their lives. I do have to go one step further to comment on Mike in cyberspace’s Grrr toward popcorn in the office. At least it’s not FOUL-smelling burnt food that you have to put up with every day. Grrr to these people whose rancid meals’ scents permeate through the entire office!
Mathew from Coraopolis, Pa.: Maybe I am missing something, but why is it when Oprah is rejected with her entourage in tow by an upscale store in Paris, it must be racism? Could it be the store was actually preparing for an event and did not want to have to fawn all over Oprah? Had they rejected me from entering AFTER HOURS (no wonder Oprah needed a watch) it would have been because I didn’t have a big enough bank account. When it is Oprah it is racism. Oprah was humiliated because her star power did not carry the day. Now she plans on using the incident to discuss racism on her show next fall. Ironically, Oprah was humiliated because WHO she was did not get her into the store to buy her watch. Tell me Oprah, whom do I get to blame when I am not allowed into a store after it closes?
Nathan in Killeen, Texas, with his GRRR: Let’s put this in perspective. A reporter makes a poor judgment call and squirts Tom Cruise in the face with some water. Yes it was stupid and distasteful, but in the end completely harmless. That reporter was arrested. Now, Kenny Rogers, the Texas Rangers pitcher, assaults two different cameramen, throws them to the ground and kicks their cameras. Sending one of them to the hospital, I might add. Nothing happens to him! Am I the only one who has a problem with this? Why are athletes and other celebrities placed above the law? If average Joe pulled the stunt that Rogers did, they would be in jail right now. Grrr … it’s about time something is done about this.
Sally in Las Vegas: I totally agree with Al Roker and with you! The “Today” show would NEVER take a shot at someone they deemed to be on the same page with them. As for Mr. Cruise and his moronic ramblings about understanding psychiatry (the history and otherwise) and the all-you-need-is-exercise-and-vitamins speech, I have two words: ANDREA YATES.
Peter in Cyberspace: I wholeheartedly A-GRRRRR with you on your comments about the “Today” show. I used to watch it a lot a few years ago, and just pushed off Katie Couric and the rest of the cast’s wide left stance, but drew the line at Couric’s election coverage! One of the most memorably satisfying moments in my life was when she was about to burst into tears when she realized that Bush would be in office for another term! Every time I flip through the dials and see her or hear her name, I start to get spun up, but then I think about how truly pathetic she was in that instance and how satisfying it was to see her “lose”!
Stephanie from Washington, D.C.: This is in response to “Mike in cyberspace” regarding popcorn in the office. I thought it was just me who hated when people ate popcorn in the office area. I can’t stand the smell or taste of it and the smell lingers, therefore leaving me with this nasty headache. I tried shutting the door, but the odor seeps in through every possible crevice. You’re so right about other mates swarming around the floor looking for the person who has popcorn so they can beg for some and stick there hands in your bag. Yuck! I think I’d rather sit in an office that reeked of dry erase markers than popcorn. Just so you know, the lady in the next office likes her popcorn burnt. E-v-e-r-y d-a-y! I’ve been reading your column for a year now and it has been very amusing, however, I found it more amusing when you were discussing the everyday Obliviots rather than the celebrity Obliviots. Keep up the Grrrs!
Becky in Osceola, Ind.: The difference is that when celebrities were spouting off about the Bush administration, that’s all they were doing. They were just blowing off and not saying anything of great significance. Tom Cruise, on the other hand, was making a statement about medical treatment in the form of his very strong opinion. As a popular celebrity with a large following, my concern is for those who will take his statement as truth and either choose not to seek medical care they may need or to alter or discontinue their present treatment in deference to his opinion. I also think it will affect the self-esteem of many currently taking antidepressants. His words have the potential to literally be damaging as opposed to all those with excessive hot air from last fall.
James in Tampa, Fla.: Tom Cruise is an annoying idiot who needs to be challenged by the fawning press. Cruise has no facts to support his idea that all antidepressants are bad, and he offers no replacement for the millions of people who are helped by such medicines. He’s an irresponsible, ignorant dolt, and Al Roker was right for putting him in his place. The actors criticizing the Bush administration last year were saying the same things being said on the floor of the House and the Senate — by elected officials who hold themselves out as foreign policy experts!
Bob in Fort Worth, Texas: My personal Grrr of the moment is to all the news people who complain that Paris Hilton gets more coverage than her talent or rather lack of it, although they still continue to write about her. Please do most of us a favor and stop, please.
Tanya in Duluth, Minn.: I have been following the stories about Oprah’s Hermes incident. Every time I read about it, the same conclusion pops into my mind: The incident has nothing to do with racism or PR events. Oprah showed up at that store after hours, meaning the store was closed. I don’t think her being a celebrity gives her any special store hours. I don’t get any, even as a mall employee, so why should a celebrity? I can honestly say that I have to turn people away after 8:45 p.m. Not only is it company policy, but I would never be able to close my store if I didn’t. And, if you’re wondering, I would even turn Oprah away. She would be a customer just like everyone else. It’s just that simple.
Jeanine in Monroe, Wash: Here is a big NON-Grrr to Brooke Shields for her beautifully written article in defense of antidepressants for postpartum depression. It took a lot of courage to discuss her own experience in such detail, and she has done a great service to the many women who have had a similar experience. Her transparency about her own situation will help a lot of women get help during this very difficult time. Way to go, Brooke!
Christina in cyberspace with her Grrr on fireworks: For the 2 1/2 years my husband and I have owned our house, we have had the next door neighbors drinking alcohol and setting off fireworks for roughly six hours straight on Dec. 31 and July 4. Every time I’ve had to hold my terrified son (1 1/2 now) to calm him down. Several times, our house was hit with the fireworks since the houses are less than 15 feet apart. This year, I am in Baghdad and have my own fireworks to deal with. My son is in Florida with his grandparents and will get a good night’s sleep, while my husband is at home alone and will have to work early on the morning after the 4th. In response to ‘Yo in cyberspace,’ I feel her Grrrness for her veteran neighbor’s discomfort from fireworks. I have a feeling that I will be disturbed even more so than normal when I get home and hear the neighbors lighting New Year’s Eve fireworks. We hear and see loud booms/explosions on a daily basis. In fact, we had three rockets (duds) hit our base today. I don’t want to go home and have to relive my tour here through fireworks, especially if I am asleep. Not only that, I am constantly worried that someone will get seriously hurt or a home will be caught on fire from a neighbor’s Obliviotism. MY Grrr isn’t just for the disturbance personal firework shows cause, but the dangers that they pose.
Brian in Evansville, Ind.: Taking a swipe at Al Roker for his admonishment of Tom Cruise is immature thinking at its best, not to mention irresponsible behavior. Al’s only mistake was letting Tom off the hook with his statement afterward, “in America, blah, blah, blah.” You blast Roker, reasoning that he should not be able to criticize Tom Cruise’s idiotic view of psychiatry, because he didn’t criticize Sean Penn’s, Tim Robbins’, and others’ political views? This is the comparison you use? Apples and oranges, my friend! When a celebrity of Tom Cruise’s caliber comes out and attacks and degrades proven medical science, every other celebrity has not just the right but the responsibility to call him out on it. Why don’t you use your column for the right reason. Grrrr! to Tom Cruise for using his celebrity to attack and degrade proven medical science. If not, Grrrr! to Mike Straka.
Debbie in cyberspace: To Mike who complained about the person eating popcorn in their office, I’ve found a nifty solution to this problem: I pop a second bag and leave it out for the rest to enjoy. Of course I do realize that not everyone is willing to spring for a second bag of popcorn in order to share, but it does cut down on the complaining around here!
Kevin in N.J. with his Grrr: Why don’t we make all of our commercial businesses hire editors before they put out a sign or name a business? It does no good for children to see all these misspellings surrounding them. It’s a wonder any of them can pass a spelling test! We have Shop Rite. Ladies NITE. Towne Center. Why is there an ‘E’ in town? It’s maddening!! Why don’t we just trash the entire English language altogether and just write in phonetics?
Luis in cyberspace: I think FOX News is fair and balanced. Case in point, when I think of liberals, I think of whiners. When reading the Grrr column from guests, it’s nothing but whiners. Really, remove fireworks? Remove chat rooms? No popcorn in the office? Let’s get some thick skin, folks. It’s people like you [who have led to no smoking in bars] and .08 is now drunk. Just a bunch of whiners who want to ruin some people’s idea of a good time. Please, find a hobby that doesn’t involve destroying liberty and freedom of choice.
Julie in cyberspace: I am in total agreement with Al Roker regarding Tom’s behavior on the “Today” show. Tom needs to keep his mouth shut about something he knows nothing about. I do not care that he has done a lot of studying. He will never experience postpartum depression and he seems lucky enough to have never experienced depression and need medication. He is sending a message to people who might really need to be medicated that they can handle their problems without medicine. In response to Al not telling those other celebrities about their opinions on politics, I do not believe you can compare the two. Those celebrities were just spewing innocent opinions that were not hurting anyone. Granted, they are not experts on what they were talking about, but no one’s life was on the line. Unlike in Tom’s case, he might be pushing people off medicine. He needs to cool his jets and act like a normal adult in a relationship which most of us think is fake anyway.
Todd in cyberspace: I wanted to add a huge GRRR of my own [about] those people who complain that Live 8 is “too white.” Let me get this straight: musicians and singers are giving of their talents, time and money to put on a benefit concert to raise awareness and money for Africa and are disqualified because of their skin color? I didn’t realize that whites could only give to whites and blacks could only give to blacks. I can imagine that if this were a mostly black roster, those same people would complain that the white community didn’t care enough about the plight of the Africans and are racist. When [celebs] do something that is charitable and commendable, they should be given some credit.
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