Sadly, it has been reported that Patrick Swayze died today at the age of 57.
For some reason my mind went directly to this bizarrely precious SNL sketch that features another prematurely departed actor. My apologies for the bad quality:
I guess this happened a few days ago at Montreal’s Places-Des-Art. And it’s amazing:
On a semi-related note, it’s amazing the reputation that city has in Europe. Three times I’ve been told by a Berliner that Montreal is the only North American city they’d ever “consider” living in.
You go away for a few weeks and two of your favorite hometown institutions come to an end. The Torontoist is reporting that BOTH Pages Bookstore and Cumberland Cinemas have met their end. Pages will close its doors in August (I won’t even get to say goodbye… though this Facebook group is trying to stop that), and the Cumberland should be gone before TIFF starts, to make room for a rare Yorkville condo.
This after the mid-2000s demise of all but one 241 Pizza location. Fuckers.
Yesterday, I spent the day without the internet - entirely - for the first time in a very long time. I’m in the midst of a post-Edinburgh fest Scotland tour, and I figured I need this time apart from my arguably severe addiction. And this morning I felt so fresh and cleansed from nearly 36 hours offline.
But then, on the cover of a newspaper no less (with headline “Jacko Dead” from the Scotland Sun, no less), I learned that I had missed the development of arguably one of the biggest pop cultural news stories of the past decade: Michael Jackson was dead. To learn this at a gas station on a rather desolate island in Northern Scotland brings a very bizarre sensation with it. I immediately felt like some sort of jonzing addict, suffering from pop culture and internet withdrawal. I mean, the most bizarre, troubled, mysterious pop cultural figure of my lifetime had DIED. I wanted to be talking about this with people. I wanted to be scouring websites and blogs for the latest developments. I wanted to be scrolling down the endless list of “RIP MJ” Facebook status updates. I wanted to endlessly watch Larry King in a loop. But instead, I had to be stuck driving through some of the most beautiful scenery in the world… Poor me.
Anyway, so now I’m getting a fix of internet at some cafe at the foot of Scotland’s tallest mountain. My facebook status is updated. I checked the latest updates (and learned Farrah Fawcett died too, jesus…). I even chatted with locals that I overheard gabbing about the news. I feel like I’ve partially participated in the cyber/social aftermath of this tragic event. But I also feel totally affected by the digital age, and that the internet gods are punishing me (especially considering yesterday’s Oscar news, which I was five hours late for) for trying to enjoy a few days of life without it.
On a related and less self-involved note, my heart goes out to my lifelong friend Jen, who was obsessed with MJ when we were kids.. and who magically fronted an otherwise lackluster Michael Jackson lip-syncing group called “The Funky Five” that I was a member of from 1993 to 1994. Stay strong, Jen.
Syndicate this site