Whitney, Fame and Being Authentic

I was saddened, though not surprised, to hear of Whitney Houston's death yesterday. Considering some of her life choices, it is not a shocking outcome, but no less tragic than anyone else's death.

I feel a little like the Grinch whose heart was two sizes too small saying this but I wanted to speak my piece about this.

I find it strange that people rushed the music stores to purchase Whitney Houston's music - much like they did with Michael Jackson.  While they were alive, many "fans" treated them like they were pariahs. Then suddenly, when they die, everyone has to rush to shower their memory with love, bring flowers and gush incessantly about how much the person was "their favorite" or "like a sister" or "my hero" or whatever other adjective you want to add.

I don't understand that kind of fickleness.  I liked Whitney Houston's voice (and Michael Jackson's in his "Thriller" days), but I have the music of theirs that I liked.  If one of my favorite singers died, I would already have all of their music - because they are my favorite. It just seems so odd that we don't recognize what we have when we have it.

If I love a person's music, art, writing, presence, I want them to know it (in whatever way I can show) while they are still alive. I want to support them in their life.  Imagine if, when Whitney was making her comeback a couple of years ago, everyone had run out to purchase her new album without even hearing it - just because they wanted to support her coming back.  Maybe, that kind of support, at that time in her life, would have led her down a different path.

I'm not blaming people for her death - I'm just wondering if there is a way to turn this kind of thing around. I would love it if the next troubled star we see gets love and support while they are alive and can use it. Maybe if we stop buying "The Enquirer" and "Us" magazine and spend our money on their product, not the unseemly parts of their lives, being famous might be a tad bit easier. I don't know.  Just thinking about all of this.