Greetings and Salutations,
For the better part of a year, I feel like my entire childhood has been under attack. First it was announced that Ben Affleck is going to become the new Batman in the upcoming film Batman Vs. Superman. Come on! Ben Affleck?! The man starred in Gigli for crying out loud...no good can come from this decision. No wonder Marvel is winning.
Next, I was upset that I could no longer be able to watch Dukes of Hazzard anymore. You know with the confederate flag controversy and all. *SIGH* And don't look at me like that. I don't like what the flag stands and...well my thoughts can be conveyed on that subject in my newsletter post, "The Confederate Flag: A Powerless Symbol". But tell me why I must miss reliving the heroic acts of Bo and Luke Duke for political correctness. It was a different time people!
Not to mention all of this Bill Cosby stuff. The Cosby Show is my single favorite show of all time. Like most people my age, I grew up on the show. Heathcliff Huxtable along with his lovely wife Claire practically raised. Sorry Mom...but even you understand...you watched it with me. With all the life lesson I learned and classic songs I was exposed to like "Moody's Mood for Love" and "Night Time is The Right Time", I feel cheated in a way. I feel like those lessons are almost empty now. So now I can't trust what I see depicted on a 30 minute sitcom to be a view of reality is???!!!
But probably the biggest blow just arrived on Friday, July 24, 2015...the destruction of Hulkamania. Hulk Hogan was more than a childhood hero for me. He shaped a big chunk of my life. Without my fascination of this larger than life icon, I would have not been the wrestling fan that I am, maybe not as clever and quick witted, and some of the most memorable moments of my life could have never existed. Reading the words that he used in a private conversation he had 8 years ago, broke my heart. There's a little boy inside of me who trained, said my prayers, and took my vitamins that wants to give him a pass and say he didn't mean it...he's the Immortal Hulk Hogan!!! But the grown-up in me says that hate and stereotypes does not escape childhood heroes no matter how much you want to believe otherwise.
Now I must live with the lie that Hogan told me...told us. Hulk always said that Hulkamania would live forever. I truly believed with all my heart. Time after time he made me believe. Steroid cases, 500 lbs adversaries in the ring, reinventing him in different wrestling promotions, and even TV shows like Thunder in Paradise and Hogan Knows Best couldn't kill Hulkamania. Sadly the one thing that could kill this unstoppable force was...Terry Bollea.
Today more than ever this song rings true...
"We Don't need another Hero" -- Tina Turner
For the better part of a year, I feel like my entire childhood has been under attack. First it was announced that Ben Affleck is going to become the new Batman in the upcoming film Batman Vs. Superman. Come on! Ben Affleck?! The man starred in Gigli for crying out loud...no good can come from this decision. No wonder Marvel is winning.
Personal Photo taken on a trip to Gatlinburg |
Not to mention all of this Bill Cosby stuff. The Cosby Show is my single favorite show of all time. Like most people my age, I grew up on the show. Heathcliff Huxtable along with his lovely wife Claire practically raised. Sorry Mom...but even you understand...you watched it with me. With all the life lesson I learned and classic songs I was exposed to like "Moody's Mood for Love" and "Night Time is The Right Time", I feel cheated in a way. I feel like those lessons are almost empty now. So now I can't trust what I see depicted on a 30 minute sitcom to be a view of reality is???!!!
But probably the biggest blow just arrived on Friday, July 24, 2015...the destruction of Hulkamania. Hulk Hogan was more than a childhood hero for me. He shaped a big chunk of my life. Without my fascination of this larger than life icon, I would have not been the wrestling fan that I am, maybe not as clever and quick witted, and some of the most memorable moments of my life could have never existed. Reading the words that he used in a private conversation he had 8 years ago, broke my heart. There's a little boy inside of me who trained, said my prayers, and took my vitamins that wants to give him a pass and say he didn't mean it...he's the Immortal Hulk Hogan!!! But the grown-up in me says that hate and stereotypes does not escape childhood heroes no matter how much you want to believe otherwise.
Now I must live with the lie that Hogan told me...told us. Hulk always said that Hulkamania would live forever. I truly believed with all my heart. Time after time he made me believe. Steroid cases, 500 lbs adversaries in the ring, reinventing him in different wrestling promotions, and even TV shows like Thunder in Paradise and Hogan Knows Best couldn't kill Hulkamania. Sadly the one thing that could kill this unstoppable force was...Terry Bollea.
If this is what ultimately happens when you believe in a hero...We don't need another...
Those are just my thoughts...right or wrong...just what I was feeling at the time.
No comments:
Post a Comment