COVID and the Grammys
Apr. 3rd, 2022 08:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatWatching the Grammys - which is mostly musical performances, or I wouldn't bother with it. But I find it interesting that most of the performances and awards go to pop artists, seems oddly slanted somehow. Plus the Grammy's has the only standup comic I can tolerate at the moment, or have watched two routines from - Trevor Noah.
One of his jokes? "And if you don't win a Grammy, just remember what you do have that many people don't. Money. Lots of it. Yes, I know a Grammy is nice and all that - but it won't pay for your house."
This is the first time I've watched K-pop perform at the Grammy's (as far as I remember). BTS just did an interesting paired down performance. Now we have flipped to the MGM Grand and Latino Pop.
Prior to that? Didn't watch much - because binged 8 hours of television yesterday. Caught up on sleep. Worked on revising my novel. Spoke to mother twice. Next week shouldn't be as hectic work wise as last week was, although the week after will be. It's juggling separate projects, along with management's charts, and all the technological crap, plus commute that makes work so exhausting. I feel bad - because I don't even have half as many projects as my co-workers appear to. Although it's probably not fair to compare - since every project has its own separate challenges. Some are smoother than others. Also I'm handling new management and new processes and not everyone in my group is - three of them have had these managers since the beginning. While I worked with BYT and BB as my colleagues for about twelve years.
My respect for Daniel Radcliff continues to increase..."When asked about Will Smith hitting Chris Rock at the #Oscars, Daniel Radcliffe says “I’m just so already dramatically bored of hearing people’s opinions about it that I just don’t want to be another opinion adding to it.” - per "Discussing Film on Twitter".
Why do they drag out actors and singers who have long retired and struggling with memory issues, reading, etc? Joni Mitchell, Liza Minelli, etc at Awards Shows?
***
COVID
Still wearing my mask - but less and less others are. For the first time in two years, I saw folks in the pharmacy without masks on today. Five. All men. Of varying ages and ethnicity. The store clerks wore them.
Also...they took down the plastic shields around the registers finally. (Not that they ever worked - actually there's evidence that they made it worse out there, but whatever.)
Meanwhile discussion with co-worker at work:
Co-worker: they just want to control us - now that they got us doing what they want - I mean 50,000 people die each year from the flu.
Me: COVID is worse than the flu. It's not the same. And all you have to do is read up on history. The Flu came from the Spanish flu which lasted from 1918 to 1925, they didn't wear masks that whole period and it killed millions. That's the reason we had 50 million die of it. Polio had multiple vaccines. So did Cholera, and the Measles took forever to get rid of. And we've had other Sars viruses, which they controlled. Plus the AIDS pandemic...
Co-worker: That's uh true..
I wish I told him about ...the fact that every twenty - eight days, 28-27,000 die of COVID right now in the US. And in the last two years and one month - over 998,000 have died in the US. I'm no mathematician but that's a lot more than 50,000 a year. Meanwhile most people in the office no longer wear masks. I feel almost odd wearing mine. But doing so, keeps me sane.
I'm wondering if my Doctor is going to offer the fourth dose to me tomorrow. I'm waiting for it to be offered. The first three - I got through Crazy Workplace, most likely will get the fourth the same way. Crazy Workplace is kind of invested in getting everyone fully vaccinated, if you aren't vaccinated, you have to get tested and provide a negative test twice a week. It's a saliva test through Mount Sinai Hospital.
Regarding the Grammy's - no one is wearing masks. And it's a packed crowd.
This is making me edgy. I mean they got folks up their singing and performing. Yet, on the other hand, much like the Oscars, they are all fine, and all vaccinated, and tested negative prior to entering. So it's reassuring to see them do it - it shows that the virus isn't quite interfering with everything.
Although Lady Gaga has got to be the most versatile of singers. (She's a clever marketer and business woman like Madonna, but she has the talent and range that Madonna can't quite touch.) She's doing a lovely tribute to Tony Bennet.
One of his jokes? "And if you don't win a Grammy, just remember what you do have that many people don't. Money. Lots of it. Yes, I know a Grammy is nice and all that - but it won't pay for your house."
This is the first time I've watched K-pop perform at the Grammy's (as far as I remember). BTS just did an interesting paired down performance. Now we have flipped to the MGM Grand and Latino Pop.
Prior to that? Didn't watch much - because binged 8 hours of television yesterday. Caught up on sleep. Worked on revising my novel. Spoke to mother twice. Next week shouldn't be as hectic work wise as last week was, although the week after will be. It's juggling separate projects, along with management's charts, and all the technological crap, plus commute that makes work so exhausting. I feel bad - because I don't even have half as many projects as my co-workers appear to. Although it's probably not fair to compare - since every project has its own separate challenges. Some are smoother than others. Also I'm handling new management and new processes and not everyone in my group is - three of them have had these managers since the beginning. While I worked with BYT and BB as my colleagues for about twelve years.
My respect for Daniel Radcliff continues to increase..."When asked about Will Smith hitting Chris Rock at the #Oscars, Daniel Radcliffe says “I’m just so already dramatically bored of hearing people’s opinions about it that I just don’t want to be another opinion adding to it.” - per "Discussing Film on Twitter".
Why do they drag out actors and singers who have long retired and struggling with memory issues, reading, etc? Joni Mitchell, Liza Minelli, etc at Awards Shows?
***
COVID
Still wearing my mask - but less and less others are. For the first time in two years, I saw folks in the pharmacy without masks on today. Five. All men. Of varying ages and ethnicity. The store clerks wore them.
Also...they took down the plastic shields around the registers finally. (Not that they ever worked - actually there's evidence that they made it worse out there, but whatever.)
Meanwhile discussion with co-worker at work:
Co-worker: they just want to control us - now that they got us doing what they want - I mean 50,000 people die each year from the flu.
Me: COVID is worse than the flu. It's not the same. And all you have to do is read up on history. The Flu came from the Spanish flu which lasted from 1918 to 1925, they didn't wear masks that whole period and it killed millions. That's the reason we had 50 million die of it. Polio had multiple vaccines. So did Cholera, and the Measles took forever to get rid of. And we've had other Sars viruses, which they controlled. Plus the AIDS pandemic...
Co-worker: That's uh true..
I wish I told him about ...the fact that every twenty - eight days, 28-27,000 die of COVID right now in the US. And in the last two years and one month - over 998,000 have died in the US. I'm no mathematician but that's a lot more than 50,000 a year. Meanwhile most people in the office no longer wear masks. I feel almost odd wearing mine. But doing so, keeps me sane.
I'm wondering if my Doctor is going to offer the fourth dose to me tomorrow. I'm waiting for it to be offered. The first three - I got through Crazy Workplace, most likely will get the fourth the same way. Crazy Workplace is kind of invested in getting everyone fully vaccinated, if you aren't vaccinated, you have to get tested and provide a negative test twice a week. It's a saliva test through Mount Sinai Hospital.
Regarding the Grammy's - no one is wearing masks. And it's a packed crowd.
This is making me edgy. I mean they got folks up their singing and performing. Yet, on the other hand, much like the Oscars, they are all fine, and all vaccinated, and tested negative prior to entering. So it's reassuring to see them do it - it shows that the virus isn't quite interfering with everything.
Although Lady Gaga has got to be the most versatile of singers. (She's a clever marketer and business woman like Madonna, but she has the talent and range that Madonna can't quite touch.) She's doing a lovely tribute to Tony Bennet.
no subject
Date: 2022-04-04 06:37 am (UTC)Wow, am I ever with you on that. I only watched a little bit of the Grammys, but did see the part where Joni Mitchell was on stage. And it's even worse when you're my age, and in your mind, your memory, these people often look like they did back back in one's youth. I understand that Mitchell has had continuing health problems in her later years, another reason not to parade her out in front of millions, and the same for other people.
Although Lady Gaga has got to be the most versatile of singers. (She's a clever marketer and business woman like Madonna, but she has the talent and range that Madonna can't quite touch.)
She is impressive, and not only can she sing, but she can act. I saw this film in the theater, largely curious to see her in an acting role. About ten minutes after she appeared on screen, I was stunned... she's not merely good, she's gifted, unless this film was a fluke, but I doubt it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSbzyEJ8X9E
If you haven't seen it, strongly recommended.
Madonna's challenge with her acting career, IMO, is that she's good as long as the character is someone like her, but she's not flexible enough to go outside those kind of roles. I do think she was good in Desperately Seeking Susan, A League Of Our Own and in Evita
no subject
Date: 2022-04-04 09:54 pm (UTC)It's just painful to watch. I wish they'd stop doing it. Recognize them in some other way - like a song tribute.
**
Oh I saw "Star is Born" - Gaga reminds me of Streisand, and Garland - she has a big voice and can act. I was surprised at how good she was in it. Curious to see if she pulled off House of Gucci though, since Star is Born was kind of close to who she is in real life.
Madonna basically plays herself. And I found her somewhat lacking in Evita (I've seen it on stage with Patti Lupone) - but she worked in that film, because she's a lot like Evita. The others - she was better in - but again, because she was basically playing herself.
She reminds me a little of Taylor Swift, Christina Aguilerra and Britiney Spears in regards to talent. Also I've listened to about 100 songs of Madonnas in a day, and a 100 of Lady Gaga's, and god, the difference is astounding. Madonna sounds the same, has the same style of songs, and very limited range. While Gaga can sing anything, and writes just about all styles. She jumps between Country, Jazz, Blues, Pop, Dance, and back again. Also she's among the few who can do the Star Spangled Banner justice - that's a ridiculously difficult song to sing well.
no subject
Date: 2022-04-04 05:16 pm (UTC)You're right that it is better not to compare. Just because you don't have as many doesn't mean that they aren't stressful.
I saw Daniel Radcliffe's comments and I really applauded him too. Sometimes, it is best to say nothing.
Why do they drag out actors and singers who have long retired and struggling with memory issues, reading, etc?
I don't know, but it is really hard to watch.
The initial comparison of the Flu and Covid really never went away did it, and that was a real problem. Good on you for continuing to challenge these arguments. And I think even the flu rates went down drastically due to the masks.
no subject
Date: 2022-04-04 09:42 pm (UTC)I didn't get to see all of the Grammy's - but did see enough of them. They are my favorite as well - I like the music awards shows, because it's mostly just a showcase for all the performers, with a few awards sprinkled in. The Tony's aren't bad for the same reason - it's mainly an advertisement for all the shows currently on Broadway - they have no other means of advertising it.
And thanks.
no subject
Date: 2022-04-04 10:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-04-05 12:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-04-05 02:50 pm (UTC)So that everyone can clap them, and go "Aw .. aren't they wonderful!" I guess!
If you like K-pop, can I interest you in NCT?
no subject
Date: 2022-04-05 04:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-04-05 05:03 pm (UTC)