For some reason it hasn't made it to DVD yet, but luckily as a Showtime production they keep throwing it randomly around on their station. I encourage you to watch it, though that could prove difficult without said channel.
Semper Fi is a documentary on Jeff Keys, a marine and all-american good ol' boy who just happens to be gay. Its a fascinating look about his life, and particularly his service in Iraq. There's a lot to the piece. Its filled to the brim with Keys thoughts and observations, both in journal and video form, about patriotism, politics, love, humanity and what it means to be different. It mixes well the course our country is on, our social progress and the firsthand account of how people are affected by our nation - both those invaded by it and those who call it home. I highly recommend it.
But that's not the main point I wanted to make. I was flipping around the channels and stumbled on another program - one I've heard so much about and until this point hadn't witnessed. That's right, I discovered the incredible Paris Hilton My New BFF. Just in case you haven't heard about this, Paris Hilton is apparently friendless and seeing money to be made, has her own reality show to find her a new friend. Seriously. I could take four minutes of this before I wanted to drill my eyes out.
I flipped back to Semper Fi and was struck by a contrast so enormous, I couldn't believe it. Here was an ex-Marine, who eventually left because of a prejudiced policy, discussing the unraveling of another country, humanizing the effects of war, the difficulties of being a patriotic in a society and government that reject you, and the common denominators of all mankind, from any part of the world.
Compare that with Paris, who was spouting that she was sorry, but she could only have one BFF and this girl just couldn't be it.
Seriously. Doesn't it boggle anyone's mind that there are so many more important things going on in this world than Paris Hilton and all she represents? There's nothing wrong with entertainment - and I personally believe that art can coexist with entertainment. But the fact that everyone talks about this show, and is so interested in it also tells me that we''ve lost our way.
We let the promise of money, shiny lights and power distract us from the problems that can't be solved with greed, fame or control. We're selfish, umotivated and don't want our comfortable lifestyles interrupted by things that aren't. Mindless, shallow entertainment like Paris Hilton's friendship status helps us forget exactly that.
I hope all countries are as great as this one.
4 comments:
Ohhhh, but mocking Paris is SO FUN! People love to define themselves by loudly declaiming what they are not, which is a huge part of prejudice. Ah, the simple pedestrian pleasure of making fun of a rich white girl. C'mon now.
If you can't deal with my abiding affection for Paris' My New BFF, then I have one thing to say:
Peter, TTYN.
And I'll watch Semper Fi once it's out on DVD, it sounds great.
reality tv is a festering boil on america's ass. i hate it so much. so so very much. i hate that so many people are duped into watching the same formula unfold over and over again, and that anyone really gives a rats ass about any of the people on those shows. And the utter dregs of humanity that are actually on those shows, like "a real chance at love." i want to murder that show.
a simple you tube search consisting of "semper fi jeff key" yielded no results, so I ask you, where would one be able to find this documentary? Do I have any option besides buying a tv, or waiting for the dvd?
And, while Paris may be an easy target, she does teach some good morals. Like, when I was reading her autobiography she was talking about how to tell if someone is a true friend, and she said you try on three outfits: a super hot outfit, a hot-but-not-as-hot outfit, and a not-hot-at-all-outfit, and ask the friend in question which is hottest. If she tell you the not-as-hot one is hottest, then she's jealous of you, ergo not a true friend.
See...HONESTY.
Yes, I recall that friend test. I guess Paris may be the expert on said subject. Silly me, getting in the way of celebs who know best.
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