Ian Curran
Deputy News Editor
Oscar Wilde’s conclusion that “behind every exquisite thing that existed, there was something tragic” is not some cosmic truth that only a person of Wilde’s intellect could arrive at. In the history of art his statement seems to be merely a truism. In the media there is certainly a group of publications and individuals dedicated to highlighting the beauty of those “exquisite” things. But focusing on the tragedy seems to be an industry in and of itself. Focusing on the tragedy and pitfalls and flaws of the artist and ignoring their actual contribution is a much more profitable business than interpreting or studying their art and committing it to print. And now, it seems that the kind of “ambulance-chasing” journalism of the glossy magazines has filtered into the mainstream.
Yesterday was the culmination of nearly 6 years of incessant coverage of Amy Winhouse’s addictions and blemishes. The fact that she was one of the few British artists who could so effortlessly break the American market was ignored. The fact that she revived interest in (arguably) forgotten greats of the music industry like Sarah Vaughn, Bessie Smith and Candi Staton was ignored. The great tragedy of her life is not the actual addiction to the substances that Sky news listed off “on the hour every hour” this evening like some macabre shopping list. The tragedy was the fact that it was up to a few dedicated music moguls like Jools Holland to remind people that her absurd amount of talent as a writer and performer was what made her famous.
One of the more facile reporters on Sky stated that it pained him to watch the footage of Winehouse’s shambolic Serbian performance in June, immediately before queing the footage to be played to the millions of people who were following the story live. If it pains you then why show it? Why show the footage of her smoking crack? Why keep talking about her tendency to self-harm? That was surplus to requirement. That was not news today. That was the discussion that the more trite and hackneyed of journalists have been having since 2006. Sky news today internalized the kind of disgusting and prosaic coverage of celebrity culture that magazines like Hello and OK are mocked for. If Sky wanted to highlight the tragedy of her untimely demise they would have showed the footage of Winehouse’s rendition of Sam Cooke’s “Cupid” at Glastonbury 2007 and would have let that speak for itself.
I’m sure that I will be mocked for my earnestness but I firmly believe that Winehouse deserves to join Otis Redding, Nina Simone, Billie Holiday and Chet Baker in the pantheon of iconic voices. In terms of songwriting, “Back to Black” demonstrated the kind of sincerity and honesty achieved on Joni Mitchell’s “Blue” and the kind of songwriter’s wit that hasn’t really been popular since the days of Cole Porter and Jerome Kern. That is why it so offensive for mainstream news outlets such as Sky to direct their attention to her obvious flaws.
Deputy News Editor
Oscar Wilde’s conclusion that “behind every exquisite thing that existed, there was something tragic” is not some cosmic truth that only a person of Wilde’s intellect could arrive at. In the history of art his statement seems to be merely a truism. In the media there is certainly a group of publications and individuals dedicated to highlighting the beauty of those “exquisite” things. But focusing on the tragedy seems to be an industry in and of itself. Focusing on the tragedy and pitfalls and flaws of the artist and ignoring their actual contribution is a much more profitable business than interpreting or studying their art and committing it to print. And now, it seems that the kind of “ambulance-chasing” journalism of the glossy magazines has filtered into the mainstream.
Yesterday was the culmination of nearly 6 years of incessant coverage of Amy Winhouse’s addictions and blemishes. The fact that she was one of the few British artists who could so effortlessly break the American market was ignored. The fact that she revived interest in (arguably) forgotten greats of the music industry like Sarah Vaughn, Bessie Smith and Candi Staton was ignored. The great tragedy of her life is not the actual addiction to the substances that Sky news listed off “on the hour every hour” this evening like some macabre shopping list. The tragedy was the fact that it was up to a few dedicated music moguls like Jools Holland to remind people that her absurd amount of talent as a writer and performer was what made her famous.
One of the more facile reporters on Sky stated that it pained him to watch the footage of Winehouse’s shambolic Serbian performance in June, immediately before queing the footage to be played to the millions of people who were following the story live. If it pains you then why show it? Why show the footage of her smoking crack? Why keep talking about her tendency to self-harm? That was surplus to requirement. That was not news today. That was the discussion that the more trite and hackneyed of journalists have been having since 2006. Sky news today internalized the kind of disgusting and prosaic coverage of celebrity culture that magazines like Hello and OK are mocked for. If Sky wanted to highlight the tragedy of her untimely demise they would have showed the footage of Winehouse’s rendition of Sam Cooke’s “Cupid” at Glastonbury 2007 and would have let that speak for itself.
I’m sure that I will be mocked for my earnestness but I firmly believe that Winehouse deserves to join Otis Redding, Nina Simone, Billie Holiday and Chet Baker in the pantheon of iconic voices. In terms of songwriting, “Back to Black” demonstrated the kind of sincerity and honesty achieved on Joni Mitchell’s “Blue” and the kind of songwriter’s wit that hasn’t really been popular since the days of Cole Porter and Jerome Kern. That is why it so offensive for mainstream news outlets such as Sky to direct their attention to her obvious flaws.
