It's A Living/Privacy

A lot of thoughts have crossed my mind since Patrick McGoohan shuffled off his mortal coil.

Pat's privacy comes to mind. He was intensely private and sought to keep his family out of the limelight. I'm somewhat the same way, though I like to share things about my kids here. People have a right to privacy and can decide just how much for themselves.

So many people make up casts and crews of movies, tv shows, and to a lesser degree stage plays. Every one of them have their own lives. They have friends, families, other interests. They come to work, do their jobs and then go home as do so many others.

The kind of work done in 'showbiz' seems different than other walks of life. Yes and no. Most people see a lot of the 'glitz' on ET and other shows. Really, there is a lot of blood toil tears and sweat. That hour on tv, that two hours on the movie screen, that effort onstage are just the tip of the iceberg. Every job done is essential to the successful end product.

Some ask me what I do. I often reply that I try to turn words into money -s-. It's not easy and that seemingly throwaway statement belies a lot of effort not seen just preparing scripts, treatments, synopses etc. Pitching/selling is another needed element. And these efforts are very similar to other folks' making a living.

That is the reason it's called show business. Contracts, deadlines, work quality, team labor and all the fruits of finished goods and services.

Skipping back to privacy, it's often taken for granted in more private enterprises. In the biz as in public office some take it as de rigueur that actors' etal lives are an open book. Not so. It could be argued that politicians should be open to scrutiny and I agree concerning their ethics and what they are about on the job. Off the job, I'd say unless it's pertaining to the job that friends and family are off limits.

I remember James Denton, currently on 'Desperate Housewives', was accosted on the street. Some guy grabbed his arm and yelled 'Look honey Lost'. He was mistaken for Matthew Fox. What the hell? What gave this guy the right to accost Denton? the public sometimes gets a false idea of intimacy from actors' work and even some info given in interviews. As for stalkers that's another subject and another post.

Some want to know all about others, to the point of digging up dirt, scandal etc. Discrediting by mixing lies and truth. Of course, some live for the attention. OK. Let em wallow in self importance. I could care less.

Give me the final product. If I learn something about people's motives for their work so be it. All else is none of my business, unless it's revealed by the source.

There are those that think because you provide entertainment that you are at beck and call. Common courtesy is thrown out. A polite excuse me for an autograph or handshake is ok. But if people are out and about, especially with friends and family leave em alone. Chat at certain functions or at a bar might be fine. In the face is not.

Now to make a short story long as I often do lol. Privacy is a right. Good manners aside, folks should be left alone. Especially by government. No diatribe here. Just a simple statement that will of course be largely ignored by those who at this moment are poking around this blog, David Codrea's, Mike Vanderboegh's, Matt Bracken's etal.

They don't want autographs. They want to see what we are up to. Instead of surreptitiously using spyware and bugging, why not just read and learn. They seek trouble, something that is not here. Being dishonest, they expect the same thing from us. Let's not give that to em.

Let's be open honest reasonable and firm. Explain to any who come to these places what we are about. Obviously we already are. But to those who seek to besmirch us, look at yourselves. Who do you serve? What are you doing? Digging for dirt will only get you dirty.

As for exposing corruption in government, laying bare the gun grabbing power sucking Freedom snuffing among us, that's shedding light. There is no comparison.

There will be more on this soon as I recall some of our experiences with people 'spying' on us, in an enrty I'll call 'Eyes'.

What you see is what you get. What we freely choose to offer particularly re Restoration of the Republic.

Pat McGoohan hated intrusive govenrment/bureaucracy. He valued the right of free expression. He disclosed what he chose to disclose as far as his work goes. The little given about his private life was strictly up to him and his family.

His Prisoner specifically displayed, in a fantastic way, what was becoming of Freedom. Let's carry the torch and continue, in no uncertain terms, to do the same.