Sir Tom In the News, What's New, Pussycat?
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I Give Up! It’ll Never End! One More Encounter With Sir Tom In Turkey*
Sunday, May 31st, 2009(*American readers will hopefully recognize (and applaud) the restraint it’s taken not to pun about the words “Tom” and “Turkey” since this first began.)
We’ve learned that the “last word” will seemingly never come, as whenever Mardan Palace is mentioned, the opening cast will surely come up. So here’s some of what Irish Times reporter Quentin Fottrell had to say about Sir Tom in the midst of a longer article:
“We were here for the three-day launch party, last weekend. Sharon Stone, Paris Hilton, Richard Gere and Monica Bellucci walked the red carpet, Mariah Carey and Tom Jones sang at a black-tie ball on Saturday, and Seal rocked a barbecue by the beach on Sunday – a beach filled with 9,000 tons of sand imported from Egypt. Jones was reportedly paid more than €1 million to sing, and Gere received a “generous donation” for his foundation. “Rent-a-crowd,” one attendee remarked. Ismailov said: “Everyone is interested in money, but I’ve asked people here as my guests.”…the three-storey Jungle Club, which has live monkeys in a cage at a bridge leading to the exit. How awful for them: one minute up a tree, the next stuck next to a group of wealthy Russians bumping and grinding in revealing Versace floral-print gowns. At least their antics had something in common with the scantily-clad erotic pole dancers.
“Tom Jones came to the Jungle Club and took a booth. I liked that he didn’t disappear to some hidden VVIP inner sanctum. He chatted about his time playing in Las Vegas at the same time as Elvis, and I told him he could stay in my box room in Dublin the next time he plays the O2. He seemed to appreciate the gesture. “We Celts have got to stick together,” he said. In an effort to keep him up to date with the latest hand gestures I insisted not on a handshake but on a 21st-century fist bump.”
This is also, by the way, the first report that placed Seal at the beach barbecue, not on the main stage with Tom and Mariah. And, I don’t know what’s going on in Ireland, but Sir Tom and Kenny Anderson used to bump fists after every performance of What Am I Living For. The fist bump’s been around the US at least for a loooong time. The photo is of the snow room at Mardan Palace guests may use to cool down after using the sauna or steam room.
May 31st, 2009 at 1:02 pm
I must admit I am entertained by the reports from the Mardan Palace opening, every article adds another small piece to the bizzare puzzle, what a circus it must have been!
Yet again, a reporter questioning Sir Tom’s relevance in today’s society, or at least his understanding of it (it was a very mild jibe, yet it was there)…yet it is not only Sir Tom being slighted in this way, I believe he is one member of a generation that is experiencing this kind of prejudice daily, and I see it as part of a growing trend in the media’ s attiutde towards the aging boomer population, a huge demographic that in general flatly refuses to “go gently into that good night” and lives each day as it comes. The media seems more openly negative and critical of those older members of society that dare to state “I’m Alive”, and continue to show interest in establishing intergenerational connections.
It’s not that Sir Tom or Springsteenor Dylan or Neil Young is old, Tina Turner or your 60 something neighbor with the blue hair is old, it is that they dare to walk among the young. Sometimes they even swagger among the young. they prance, growl and rock out among the young, date outside their age group and in general busting up very very long held ideas western society has about what it is like to grow old. They still hope they’ll die before they grow old, only now they know it’s the heart that grows old, and I for one hope they do, too. I hope they will continue to fly in the face of convention in this stage of their life with as much fearlessness as they did in their youth, in fact I am counting on them to do that, because I need someone to lead the way for me. I fear however that most of us will be lulled deeper into the belief that this kind if cross- pollination of the generations is not good, and we should all stick to our own age groups and if grandma and grandpa want to shake their groove thing please do so in the confines of the senior’s center.
I’ll climb off of the old soap-box now. I am sorry if this was not an appropriate place to post my rant. Anybody have any thoughts on what I am posting?
May 31st, 2009 at 6:46 pm
Ayn: I really appreciate your thoughtful response to the post. I think, however, your comment was for the post below, about Otis Ferry so I’ll address that.
I had a friend who always talked about ageism and how she’d ever get another job because she was over 50. I always felt it wasn’t her age holding her back, but her attitude. And she never did get another job. She lives quietly in retirement, never having tried to keep moving. It’s her loss, I believe. I don’t listen much to today’s music but I am in tune with what my daughters like (of course, to be hones, one of them is heavily into Dylan, Petty, Springsteen and U2, so that’s just peachy with me) but, on a recent visit, my daughter asked for copies of music she heard me play when she was quite young and I was editing a country music magazine. “I loved that, Mom,” she said. “I learned from it.” Made me feel great (and relevant).
I would hope however that the under 40 generations (about which I assume you are speaking) will learn to appreciate those above 40, for many, many reasons. I must point out, however, that there are many people in entertainment and out who, in the same age group of all these guys, still daily confront the unknown, take on new challenges, enjoy life and have a lot to contribute.
And, since we all know that what goes around, comes around, be assured that those who are complaining now will one day come to see the error of their ways.
May 31st, 2009 at 11:24 pm
Moderator: we share the same hope for the future, as it is truly my wish we as people will continue to learn to appreciate each other because of and in spite of their differences. With music we can close our eyes when we listen and we do not see age, or race or appearance we only hear the vibration of sound. No boundaries. Thank you for your thoughts on this subject, and for reminding me to chill out.
Give a little love, peeps!