Ohhhh right… I forgot about this thing. I suppose I should update

The guy who played Scotty on Star Trek died the other day.  As far as I’m concerned this occurrence falls into the category known as ‘Just barely a news item’, and therefore I should be just barely aware of it. 

This is not the case.  In the days following his passing, and even through the weekend, every television station, radio station, newspaper or website that I turned to decided it was necessary for me to be made aware of this.  Sure, I was a little shocked to learn of the news at first:

Person:  “Did you hear that Scotty from Star Trek died yesterday?”

FG:  “Scotty from Star Trek was alive up until and including yesterday?  That is big news.”

But it quickly became apparent that this wasn’t the source of the interest.  So what the hell are people so concerned about?  We’re talking about some lame-ass actor who hasn’t done a damn thing since he played a supporting role on a television show from 40 years ago that was only on the air for 3 seasons before it was canceled. 

Person:  “Has he been in anything recently?”

FG:  “Other than donut shops and insulin comas?”

Person:  “Right.”

FG:  “No, nothing.”

So why did the death of this basically unknown actor saturate the media like the fat that clogged his arteries?  Did he become a U.S. president when I wasn’t paying attention?  Was he the leader of major denomination of Christianity?    Was his death easily mockable by the very catchphrase that screwed him into a lifetime of typecasted frustration?

Reporter:  “I think we should run another story about that Scotty guy.”

Editor:  “What the hell for?  We’ve run stories on him for 3 days in a row now.”

Reporter:  “Yeah, but I just came up with another gem:  ‘Beam me up, St. Peter.’”

Editor:  “Make it the front-page banner headline.”

That is funny.

-FG

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