Culture of violence
THE NEWS OF THE senseless slaughter of our soldiers and the wounding of so many others allegedly at the hands of a Muslim soldier at Fort Hood last week is too horrible to comprehend. Yet, in this land of the free, more and more folks are going nuts and killing and maiming innocent people who happened to be in the line of fire.
I want to say I hope this never happens again, just like we all hope no more school kids will be shot down in Chicago. But let's face it: This country feeds people a steady diet of violence through the TV shows, the vicious video games advertised in media, the heartless and horrible scenes of death and mayhem in our movies (that kids flock to) because the blood-splattered scenes seem to give them a sick kind of tingle and thirst for more violence.
The Columbine High School shooting massacre in 1999 didn't change one thing. It is sad that in this "land of the free," you are free to be shot on sight, especially in some neighborhoods. It is a shame what is happening in America.
Yeah, I said it!
CONGRATS TO Billy Dec on winning a Midwest Emmy for his "Journey to Sunda" video. Dec celebrated with actor Jeremy Piven later on at the Asian Sunda eatery.
I WATCHED THE RIVETING interview that pop superstar Rihanna gave to "Good Morning America" co-host Diane Sawyer Friday evening on ABC's "20/20" program, and I must admit, I was very proud that this 21-year-old singer from Barbados opened her heart and soul while talking about being beaten last February by her now ex-lover, singer Chris Brown.
In the interview, she stated that when he was beating her (and bit her ear), she saw "no soul in his eyes." That to me was truly a powerful statement. Many abused women have said that when their husbands or boyfriends were beating them it was like the guy turned from Dr. Jekyll into evil Mr. Hyde. And that it was like two different men in one body. And later on, of course, the abuser apologizes, sends flowers, candy, sex and makes empty promises to never do it again. And the victims, usually squinting out of two black eyes, bruised lips, broken limbs, etc., are so forgiving.
Another part of the interview that I appreciated was when she said she "regretted going back to Brown and that it sent the wrong message to her fans."
I knew when the horrible beating first made the headlines that she would most likely return to him because, let's face it, most women do. But when she also said he was becoming "annoying," that was a very telling moment because when a person is "annoying," that is like a fly that keeps buzzing around your head and you just want to swat it!
I am not so naive as to think that her story will make all abused women (or men) walk away from their abusive situations, but I want to believe that she has saved someone's life somewhere.
I suggest that Brown, 21, who will perform at the House of Blues Nov. 26, establish a foundation focused on teaching men to control their temper and just walk away rather than go "Tyson" on a woman.
KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN is pregnant and scheduled to deliver a boy in December with her flirtatious beau, Scott Disick. Wow! She is quite the role model! Ugh!
THE Rainbow PUSH & Citizenship Education Fund awards dinner and post birthday party for the Rev. Jesse Jackson is Friday at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The honorees include journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling, Sir Elton John and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shonda ("Grey's Anatomy" creator) Rhimes. R&B singer Brian McKnight will entertain.
TOP LAWYER Jim Montgomery and businessman Tim Rand are hosting a fund-raiser for Judge Arnette Hubbard's Appellate Court race on Thursday.
THE SIGHTS: ACTORS Armand Assante and Talia Shire are in town filming "The Return of Joe Rich.". . . Antonino Iannazzo, the mayor of Corleone, Sicily, was in town with a delegation and dined at Carmines, Gene & Georgetti's and La Scarola. . . . TV's "The Bachelorette" Jillian Harris and fiance Ed Swiderski hung out at Lumen Nightclub and the Underground. . . . Evander Holyfield dined at Volare's. . . Joe Piscopo at the Joynt . . . Local elites Shelley Farley, Robin Berger, Shauna Montgomery, Whitney Lasky, Vonita Reescer, Dori Wilson and Kristina McGrath were at designer Michael Kors' brunch.
SWEET READERS, this columnist will be off the news beat for the next few weeks to recuperate from carpal tunnel surgery on my right hand, a painful condition resulting from many years of typing.
THE BIRTHDAY PEOPLE: Tom Carey, and belated to Philip Beham and Mike Horowitz. On Wednesday: Amy Jacobson. On Thursday: Kristine LaPino. On Friday: Billy Siegel. On Saturday: CNN's Roland Martin.