Michelle Is the New Bling, as Celebs Go Broke
In our system of government, private enterprise has traditionally created the stars and icons of our culture. We like our stars rich and sexy--the opposite of government issue.
But in this depression, with riches drying up and the government exerting control over private enterprise, the whole icon standard is beginning to come under revision.
Michelle Obama is the national star, government issue. Young and black to the queen's old and white, Michelle and the queen were nevertheless ideally matched in their studied ordinariness. It was all quaintly, reassuringly, hellzapoppin' cheesy. Mrs. O touched the Queen. She gave her the damn iPod. Jamie Oliver cooked for everyone. Mrs. O kicked Sarah Brown's butt in the wardrobe department. Carla Bruni didn't turn up because she couldn't compete with Michelle.
And, about all this, everybody went crazy.
It's not just that wholesomeness is back. It's that Hollywood celebrity is dead. Or anyway, it's broke--which is the same thing as dead in movie terms.
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They really do drone on about her fashionsand it is surprising how mean and cruel some folks can be. .She's real and doesn't squander the publics money
Michelle Obama could really set off her wardrobe if she finished her look with TGee Designs of Chgo.
http://stores.homestead.com/TGeeDesigns/-strse-Necklaces/Categories.bok
the first lady buys her own clothes, not the government. this isnt the RNC ya know
For Ch-ist's sake! For once the Americans have got an elegant first lady who looks wonderful in high fashion clothes. So now the gossip coloumnists will get to dominate the news outlets and on-line news-screeds? As we all know, it's far more important to know that Michelle Obama put an arm around Bum Face 11 (QE11)'s shoulders than it is to know the nuclear intentions, or lack of them, of North Korea. As writers write for their market it reveals their market to be a bunch of asinine females who prefer fashion to facts. The same market who criticized the regrettable Sarah Palin. Not because of her asinine and hypocritical beliefs, but whether or not the silly cow was a good mother or a bad one.
I wonder if it was the vapid female thinking which brought down the Roman empire?
Michael, how does it feel to be an albino slug who ditched his wife for a 28 year old trophy? I hope she keeps her eyes closed. This column of yours, all snarky and bitter, is obviously designed to impress her. Good luck---you'll both need it.
Thank God for Michelle then. Because I can't stand Hollywood celebrities. They are highly over paid and exploited and are terrible role models for our children. It is finally refreshing to see that a black woman doesn't have to be Halle Berry, Beyonce Knowles, or Vanessa Williams to achieve world wide fame and popularity. Hard work, a quality education, and perserverance is far more important than stuffing a basketball, dancing half naked on videos, having what appears to be raunchy sex in movies and being a beauty queen. I think America is finally getting it right and putting our priorities in the right place. It a shame the world and the country had to come crashing down before we could see it! Out with atheletes and entertainers and in with the Obamas!
The election of Obama gave the kids around the world great delight. Now that they all get to see Barack and Michelle among the world leaders and hear them once again, they will be even more excited, that what they thought really was true. They'll still be able to dream even as their worlds fall apart in this downturn.
Obama's effect on the G20 group was palpable, they were all impressed, delighted and relieved.
They were smiling broadly at the end of the day. That says so much.
It looks like the import of the whole Obama as leader is sinking in on Michelle. She can feel it too...she knew he was special, but perhaps not aware of how special among world leaders too.
These two people are going to bring about a lot of changes big and small...and they're just barely getting their legs.
Our country is lucky to have this man to lead in these times. He is an adult that is handling whatever comes his way. By now, Bush would be on a 3 week vacation.
Michelle Obama is top shelf and front of the store. She's proof that when you bring together true style and substance - substance outshines.
Michelle Obama is a strong classy intelligent woman who may not be beautiful in the classic sense but she is very striking and/or stunning. I've seen her speak, she has a presence and charisma of her own. She's not some symbol of manufactured bling or one of the Stepford House Wive's of Blankcity. She's a 46 year old woman, mother, lawyer, and ivy league graduate.
So what if she makes the current crop of celebutarts seem crass? It's hardly a comparison any thinking person would make anyway. I can't recall anyone making that same comparison before except for maybe Jackie O. It's a good thing for women and girls to view a woman like Michelle Obama as a role model instead of Lindsay Lohan or MaryKateAshley whoever.
I imagine this whole scene is as unbelievable to her as it is to you Mr. Wolff. But I also imagine she understands that on the level she's operating that the 'hellacheezy' stuff comes with the territory - the photo ops, the gifts, the outfits, the buzz. It doesn't seem to have gone to her head.
But, I do wonder why you choose stereotypical racial slang such as 'bling' and 'hella' when it comes to writing about this First Lady. I also wonder if you've used the same slang when describing Laura Bush meeting the Queen or other First Ladies of Sate. Something tells that would be a 'no'.
But, I do wonder why you choose stereotypical racial slang such as 'bling' and 'hella'
I won't comment on bling, other than to say that it has predictably passed from coolspeak to whitepeopleactingcoolspeak, but he did not use the term 'hella', he used the term 'hellzapoppin' which is 1940's coolspeak.
Hollywood celebrity is dead? Well, the grand old style of Hollywood celebrity is most certainly long dead and buried, I agree, and replaced with I-don't-even-know-what-to-call-it. However, what in the world does that have to do with the Queen of England meeting with the First Lady of the United States? Neither have anything to do with Hollywood one way or another. The odd thing is that the Hollywood world has been inappropriately casting such a shadow over our society for so long that anyone would even think to make a connection...
I
...and I find I ask myself over and over, "could I do it, could I perform on that level?"
To be sure Mr. Wolff, the packaging (propaganda/embellishment) of America has done more harm than good through the ages in how it distorts reality.
That said, Mrs. Obama is a study in hard work paying off (the anti-victim, the anti handout, welfare, lean on the government reflection of humanity). I know about hard work paying off (and self-reliance and empowerment). The Obama's have taken their hard work to the venue of leadership. I ask myself, could I perform as well in that venue, with all of the complexities, the uncertainties, the challenges, and inherent perils, could I emerge ready to lead on an American stage and a world stage?
The current exercise of international dialogue, visibility, and relationship building, has confirmed (yet again) two things. The Obama's are prepared to hold the positions they hold. They did not arrive through Affirmative Action but through affirmative self-recognition and self-actualizing (along with tremendous support from loved ones) of their God given talents. They worked hard to hone their skills and like anything that is refined through process, they are emerging at the right time, to meet the demands of the time through Johnny-on-the-spot realization of the benefit or the fruits of their refinement...of their hard work and effort towards being who they are as people and leaders. They are prepared.
II
The second thing that I realize Mr. Wolff, is that I could not be president or first spouse with the qualifications and demands of the role. This is not a problem or a crisis for me. I never saw that as "the" job to have or the role I want or came to play in this life process. It is a job requiring a certain natural skill set and refinement in that skill set, and Mrs. Obama has that natural ability and the refinement. She consistently proves she is ready, meant, and able to be in her position. Which means any previous questions became truth verified over time...long ago. Mrs. Obama is the real deal and she became that despite America’s historical efforts which makes her something special indeed. America did not package (issue) her. She filled the void that America (historically) failed to address and she did it well, despite the “you are on your own”, historical revisionist tendencies of this fine nation.
I can be critical of the Obama administration (as I indicated I would be in previous virtual comments, prior to his presidency). It is imperfect. They never said he they would be and I never thought they would be either. I did expect him to have a certain pliability (flexibility to learn, grow, and think on his feet), because that is what the times demand. Obama ran on change.
III
Change implies -- ability to grow. Change implies -- opposite of stagnant and dead. Change is a brown woman meeting a lighter brown woman (beige), them looking each other in the eye, and the world pausing to indicate the humanity of the two people and the significance of the meeting, with both women standing dignified and storied in their own right, and both representative of “today’s woman”. One traditional and bound by heavy historical protocol and regiment. The other bound by the winds of change to bring change. That makes Mrs. Obama a queen as well (in my book) for she is regal in how she goes about being herself (no airs), which makes her accessible to every woman and every man alike. We can all be the best “us” possible. Not everyone can be a king or a queen...by strict, historical, and burdened, tradition, and definition. Not everyone sees that as the end-all be-all either, but that discussion would require more thought and this is already long.
But you are right, the Hollywood aspect of America, the glossing over of reality, the selling of America as hyped product, is ripe for change...I can’t stand that aspect of America. As I intimated earlier, the Obama’s have arrived at the right time, change is in the air and they appear ready to flow with it such that they succeed in their chosen roles... and America, and perhaps the world may benefit and be better for their efforts.
There is nothing ordinary about Michelle Obama.
It's okay Michael Wolff. We all have a thing for Michelle...
Wholesomeness? Not quite. Maturity and dignity never left but they were pushed to the outside by PR machines inundating the public with images of frantic-for-fame, immature and undignified young celebrities. What we are seeing is a new focus on the mature and dignified adults who are finally allowed to once again take center stage while the "look at me; look at me" celebrities are banished to the playroom.
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