Just when it seemed like an extended “Jon & Kate”-style political drama was about to unfold on the national stage for S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford and his wife, Jenny, two celebrity deaths have helped move significant media attention off of his admitted affair with an Argentine woman – and the brewing scandal that surrounds it.
Is Sanford, as one of his consultants once claimed, really “born under a lucky star?”
As crass as it is to look at things this way, a fact of life is that media cycles are mercurial things, and the deaths of Farrah Fawcett and (to a greater extent) Michael Jackson yesterday knocked the governor’s scandal off of the top spot on Internet news sites
From the Digital Spy, here’s just a smattering of the wall-to-wall coverage of these two celebrity deaths:
ABC News plans two hours of primetime to be devoted to Jackson, who died of a heart attack last night, and actress Farrah Fawcett, who passed away yesterday following a battle with cancer. The network announced a special 20/20 called The Life and Death of Michael Jackson at 9pm with Barbara Walters and Martin Bashir anchoring.
At 10pm, ABC’s previously-planned special Farrah Fawcett: Her Life, Her Loves, Her Legacy will air.
NBC News plans a two-hour episode of Dateline starting at 9pm devoted to Jackson and Fawcett. On Friday, the network will rebroadcast Farrah’s Story, a two-hour documentary about Fawcett’s battle with cancer.
CBS News currently plans a one-hour news special at 10pm, also titled The Life and Death of Michael Jackson.
Fox has also announced plans to air a rerun of its Jackson-themed American Idol performance show on Monday, June 29.
Obviously, there is still a tremendously high level of interest in Sanford’s sex scandal, as it easily remains the nation’s top political story. That interest likely won’t dissipate given the fluid nature of the situation and the ratcheting up of calls for the governor to resign.
Also, the level of national interest will not likely dampen the firestorm in South Carolina, where polls show that South Carolinians are glued to their computers and television sets as they follow the unfolding drama …
By Workin' Tommy C June 26, 2009 at 11:53 am
“[T]wo celebrity deaths have helped move significant media attention off of his admitted affair with an Argentine woman – and the brewing scandal that surrounds it.”
Ha! That’s exactly what I was thinking!
By Ok June 26, 2009 at 12:07 pm
And the thought of “Governor” Andre Bauer…those are the 3 things, actually.
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By calhoun fawls June 27, 2009 at 12:42 am
The stupidity of the American public never ceases to amaze me. The events in Iran are what should be discussed first, then the events in Korea, as they have a direct relevance to what life as an American will be like over the next few years. Sanford ranks a distant third. As for Farrah and MJ, they are interesting side stories at best. From what I have read, Fawcett showed a lot of courage battling cancer and that story should be told. As for MJ, I give less than a damn.
But, I realize everyone else cares more about MJ than anything else. Only in America can the public be distracted from serious issues to worry how a perverted old pop star met his demise. When Johnny Cash died, it bothered me a little. But Michael Jackson? Who gives a damn?
By CNSYD June 27, 2009 at 9:17 am
calhoun fawls, since we don’t have “royals” in this country, folk who have no life of their own hang on the every utterance and movement of entertainment people. Now we have even turned tragic situations into gab fests for voyeurs with that bitch Nancy Grace heading the list.
By Dadgummer June 27, 2009 at 10:42 am
Sanford’s misfortunes will fade from attention as soon as the next political leader’s infidelities are exposed. Scandal is in the air. Pretty soon, people will think that “they all do it,” which may have some statistical truth. Dalliances, break-ups, roaming, reconciliation, and divorce can follow some winding paths. Give a guy lots of power, junior staff, expense accounts, extended “travel responsibilities,” and mix him with ambitious and unscrupulous individuals, and the risks grow. Most women ignore the average errant hubby, because he has nothing to offer but perhaps ocassional hours of furtive puckered-up mischief. On the other hand, a congressman, senator, governor, or president can open doors or offer no-show “jobs” that, in exchange for silence, can advance one’s career, net worth, or need to work at all. As for the wives of powerful men, some may indeed be saints, but a fair share are as power-drunk as their men, and the constant goading, berating, and carping that accompanies the ascent can drive the guy looney. Isn’t there one version of the “Poor Fisherman’s Wife” tale that has the fisherman leave his wife in the third (and largest) palace, and he sails off with a mermaid? In this case, though, Chapur probably wants nothing further to do with Sanford. She’d lose her alimony and he would be pretty worthless waiting tables in BA. Neither one of them can write well. Maybe a ghost writer could turn their soapy story into something the public would buy. But the MJ death becomes a disadvantage, since the gaping public will prefer the “tell all” story by his personal security guards, hair dressers, plastic surgeons, and purveyors of fresh veal. Maria and Mark would find it hard to spice up their story that much.
By Bear June 28, 2009 at 11:25 am
In some twisted sense, maybe these recent deaths will push the Sanford story off the front page. Then two things need to happen: Sanford leaves and we start trying to rebuild our state.