The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

Opinion

June 25, 2009

In our view: Pop-culture icons will be remembered

The voice behind “Here’s Johnny,” an “angel” with a trademark hairdo, and a child who grew up to become the “King of Pop.”

We lost all three this week with the deaths of Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson.

They were known names, faces and voices to particular generations, but over the span of years, they influenced not just the entertainment world but the conversations in our own living rooms.

Jackson, despite his fall from mega-stardom and some of the more freakish allegations about his personal life, dazzled us with “Thriller,” “Billie Jean” and “Beat It,” during the early 1980s. We cheered when he moonwalked across the stage, and we imitated him by wearing single, sequined gloves. Jackson, during his peak, was a magical performer. He died at age 50.

Fawcett was blond and beautiful in “Charlie’s Angels,” which debuted in 1976. Her hairstyle was imitated by an entire generation of women, and her poster — well, it was an iconic image. But, she was more than just a pretty face, as she proved later in life. She won praise for her portrayal of a battered wife in “The Burning Bed,” and fought a courageous battle with cancer. She died at age 62.

McMahon shone even though he walked in the spotlight shadow as a foil to “Tonight” show host Johnny Carson. He entertained us from 1962 until 1992 as Carson’s sidekick. He was a TV personality and performed in numerous commercials, but was best known for his resounding “H-e-e-e-e-e-ere’s Johnny!” McMahon died at age 86.

We’ll miss all of these entertainers, but perhaps what we’ll miss most is the time in our lives they represented.

Text Only
Opinion
  • inourview.jpg Our View: Santorum's Achilles' ear

    Rick Santorum knocked everyone for a loop this week, not just with his victory in Missouri but with the landslide size of the thing.

    February 10, 2012 1 Photo

  • inourview.jpg Our View: Are school loans next 'debt bomb'?

    The late American middle class struggled for decades to keep pace with an American dream slipping from its grasp.

    February 9, 2012 1 Photo

  • inourview.jpg Our View: A better way of limit terms

    A Missouri House committee on Tuesday endorsed a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow lawmakers to serve 16 years in the state Legislature, either the House or the Senate.

    February 8, 2012 1 Photo

  • Your View: Is it our fault?

    When did coveting things and money take over character? What happened?

    February 8, 2012

  • Your View: No way to run a school

    All throughout the state of Missouri, you’ll hear much discussion about teacher tenure and the indefinite contracts that go along with that. Most — if not nearly all — jobs in the private and public sectors have no such career protection.

    February 8, 2012

  • Your View: Prime suspects

    If it’s too cool in the house, you can turn up the heat if you think you can afford it.

    February 8, 2012

  • inourview.jpg Our View: Worldwide concern

    There is growing concern worldwide that Israel might launch an attack on Iranian nuclear plants.

    February 7, 2012 1 Photo

  • otherviews.jpg Other Views: FAA deal up in air five years

    The Federal Aviation Administration bill was delayed 23 times, but the agency finally has a law giving it $63 billion and full operating authority for the next four years.

    February 6, 2012 1 Photo

  • Don Ray, columnist: Obama's pipeline excuse an election-year cop-out

    On Jan. 18, President Barack Obama announced he was rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline project — a project that had its beginnings some 40 months ago (September 2008).

    February 6, 2012

  • James Whitford, guest columnist: Broken people or broken system?

    Are the people broken or is the system broken? If you walk into Watered Gardens, our rescue mission, it may seem the people are broken. But it’s a rescue mission. It just feels that way. And sometimes, it just looks that way.

    February 4, 2012

Local News
Twitter Updates
Follow us on twitter
Follow me on Twitter
Poll

Joplin City Manager Mark Rohr wants the city to distribute weather radios to all Joplin homes that don’t have one. That’s 11,000 radios. Do you think that’s a good use of $300,440?

Yes.
No.
     View Results
Facebook
Poll

Joplin City Manager Mark Rohr wants the city to distribute weather radios to all Joplin homes that don’t have one. That’s 11,000 radios. Do you think that’s a good use of $300,440?

Yes.
No.
     View Results
NDN Video
Obama Scraps Birth Control Mandate US Airmen's Killer Sentenced to Life in Germany Raw Video: Deadly Blasts in Syria Romney Slams President Obama at CPAC Gingrich: Pres. Obama 'waging War on Religion' Navy Names Ship for Gabrielle Giffords 5 Killed in Wrong-way Crash on I-10 in La. Denver's Largest-Ever Drug Bust Nets Dozens Marines: No Punishment for Nazi-like Flag Vets Look to Translate Military Skills Into Jobs Raw Video: School Bus Burst Into Flames LA School Reopens Amid Sex Abuse Scandal $25B Settlement Reached Over Foreclosure Abuses Pentagon: Allow Women Closer to Front Lines LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
Sports