Aaron Spelling Icon of our time

[pooja]

Why are they spending so much time on a producer who made money off of stupid shows.

[NYCGirl]

1. Because in the television business, he was VERY important.

Maybe they should just cover people YOU like?

[pooja]

3. I don't think that is so important to cover the rich, white, t.v.

producer when I didn't see the special feature on the men who died in Iraq and what they had accomplished and the people he left behind...

[NYCGirl]

4. So you need to crap on someone who was indeed a cultural icon because

the news doesn't always do their job?

Unfortunately, most of the men and women in Iraq aren't old enough to have accomplished very much yet. I they all come home soon and build on their lives.

[Behind the Aegis]

10. Are you just a little appalled too?

I can't believe some of the things I am seeing here (not necessarily in this thread, but about Spelling's death). People act as if the Son of Sam has died, not a TV producer! I have found some of the comments very sickening. When is it appropriate to celebrate the death of another? I am guessing if it is someone that you have never met and didn't like his TV programs. :eyes:

[NYCGirl]

12. Yes, I am. You've expressed it perfectly. NT

[TallahasseeGrannie]

2. He affected our culture

enormously. Pop culture, that is.

[NYCGirl]

5. Boy, TG, there's another thread about this too. When did we become

such a bunch of snobs?

[idgiehkt]

7. on the one hand, he did do "And the Band Played On"

on the other hand, if it weren't for stuff like Dynasty and 90210 people might actually care about stuff like war and election fraud. So I'm torn.

[Behind the Aegis]

8. You are joking, right?

"...if it weren't for stuff like Dynasty and 90210 people might actually care about stuff like war and election fraud."

First, both those shows have been off the air for awhile. Second, he made shows for entertainment purposes. Why not direct your ambivlance at the news, which is supposed to help people "actually care about stuff like war and election fraud?"

[NYCGirl]

9. Do you really think if Dynasty never happened that people would

magically be interested in politics? That withough 90210 people would be clamoring for every new episode of Democracy Now? If you do, you're in a bigger dream world than anything Spelling ever produced.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

17. Wow, that's quite a leap

Do you think that if Dynasty and 90210 were not on, folks would have turned instead to C-span (which probably didn't exist) or political programming?

I don't think so. You watch trash to escape for a while. Just like playing video games.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

15. I don't know

He was the king of kitcsh and you gotta have kitcsh or you know know where high brow begins.

I dunno... maybe we can get Noam Chomsky to make us some politically authentic mini series?

[devilgrrl]

6. "He affected our culture"... That may well be but it wasn't for the better

imho.

:shrug:

[TallahasseeGrannie]

16. It's all relative

he was no Shakespeare, but we already have Shakespeare. He was what he was, and he had a huge audience.

Some people read Chomsky, some read the funny papers. I think there's room for both.

[Rabrrrrrr]

20. Yeah. Pol Pot affected his culture, too. Doesn't mean it's good.

Lots of ways to affect a culture - I don't celebrate someone for affecting it. I celebrate someone for affecting it POSITIVELY.

[devilgrrl]

21. ooooooo touche!

Ouch, don't hurt me like that! :sarcasm:

[Rabrrrrrr]

22. Since I was in agreement with you,

I'm not sure on your point.

[devilgrrl]

24. Sorry....

your post intimated that you disagreed with my assessment that Aaron Spelling produced trashy schlock for the simple minded no matter how much an influence it had on pop culture.

I stand corrected.

[Botany]

11. But he did produce a lot of Vapid Crap.

And his house had like 85 million rooms ... :rofl:
And he did produce the greatest actor in the past 50 years.

TORI SPELLING



And she kept Plastic Surgeons, stylists, make up people, and publicists employed
and they in turn kept much of Southern California's economy humming.

And ask yourself would your life be worth living w/ out Heather Locklear?

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

13. Because He Is One Of The Most Successful And Well Known Producers Ever.

Why you're bitter over them paying him homage upon his death is beyond me. God bless him and my thoughts go out to his family.

Try not to be so bitter over such petty grievances. It is never worthwhile.

[chelsea0011]

14. This guy was HUGE in TV land. Mindless camp..nothing wrong

with that.

[L A Woman]

18. Stupid is relative....

Actually, he did some critically-acclaimed stuff, too, like Family and And the Band Played On. And for my part, Melrose Place reminds me of the greatest years of my life - such a fun show to watch with my friends, all in our early 20's.

And it should also be noted that he was the son of Eastern European Jews and built himself up from poverty to wealth, all the while contributing to many Democratic/liberal causes.

It's just easier to hate hate hate, isn't it?

[Rabrrrrrr]

19. He's the ultimate American: bland, ignorant, cultureless garbage

of no endearing quality or value, celebrating the mediocre and the stupid and putting it up on a grand pedastal that we may all worship at the idol of intellectual depravity.

[bigwillq]

23. I liked some of his shows.

While some were cheesy crap, I did enjoy some of his shows like 90210.
Regardless of what you thought of his shows, the man DID just die, have a little respect.