Ringo Starr doesn’t want to hear from you. The 68 year old Beatles drummer made a video, and posted it on his web site this week. Ringo told his fans that after Monday October 20th he will no longer read fan mail, sign pictures or objects. Anything sent to any of his addresses will be tossed. Basically, he’s saying he wants to be left alone. I guess Ringo figures he has enough money to last the rest of his life, and doesn’t need the public anymore.
Let’s face it, Ringo was never a master musician as a drummer, singer, or songwriter. His fame came as the “accidental “Beatle. Ringo’s charm to the girls of the 60’s definitely wasn’t his looks or his musicality, it was his personality. He was the lost puppy that the girls all wanted to take in and love. He was older than the others, not as cute, and not as clever. After the Beatles. he continued to perform and write songs, but his music rarely seemed to reach superstar status. His concerts are filled with nostalgia loving folks of my age, who are there for the memories of our youth. If the public chooses to lose interest in Ringo, the personality, will he fill concert venues? Will he get more time on Gossip Girls?
I guess my point is that when someone’s whole career and financial basis is based on personality and not on their abilities to perform; it seems that telling people you’re tired of them is really slapping them in the face. I can’t see Paris Hilton telling people to leave her alone. Most personalities work really hard to remain in the spotlight, they don’t tell people to kiss off.
This is just another example of something that seems to growing and bugs me; that being, if you choose a career that puts you in the public eye, and you’re paid millions of dollars for that career, don’t you owe the public? I’m not talking about paparazzi chasing your car and putting your life in danger, or chasing you up and down the street, but it seems you should be willing to share yourself. We’ve seen a number of stars make deals with the press for controlled access, charged for the access, and in most instances, than giving that money to charity. Of course, they negotiate and control the access, but at least it’s done and the public gets its fix.
I guess I have a simple philosophy on life, if you choose a profession where you deal with the public; you need to give the public their due. You can’t be a waiter and expect to not have o wait on people, you can’t be a garbage man and not deal with garbage, and you can’t be a personality and not deal with the public. Shame on you RIngo.
GOOD LUCK
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