# F\*ckin' Farah Fawcett **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 16, 2009, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592 "2009-05-16T00:03:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/61 "2009-05-16T20:52:47Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > I don’t think anyone is wishing death on her, merely commenting that the relentless publicizing of that death is unseemly. Why? Why is hawking soda a legitimate use of television but not showing real death? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/62 "2009-05-16T21:04:59Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Why? Why is hawking soda a legitimate use of television but not showing real death? No one is showing real death. What they’re showing is her whining about her impending death. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/63 "2009-05-16T21:23:15Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > No one is showing real death. What they’re showing is her whining about her impending death. Dying people often whine about it in reality. ---
**Author:** ![Suse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Suse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suse)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/64 "2009-05-16T22:10:11Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > There are dignified ways that she could have raised awareness of anal-rectal cancer. What she’s been doing is not one of them. Have you watched the documentary? Has anyone in this thread actually watched it? ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/65 "2009-05-16T23:02:00Z")
> [@Suse](#): > > Have you watched the documentary? Has anyone in this thread actually watched it? I watched it. She only mentioned the anal cancer a few times, as the tumors attacked her liver more vigorously. She has been flying back and forth to Germany for alternative treatments (chemo and surgery, but of a different variety than they do here) along with going to UCLA. It was hard to watch, I must say. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/66 "2009-05-17T00:03:48Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#): > > I watched it. She only mentioned the anal cancer a few times, as the tumors attacked her liver more vigorously. She has been flying back and forth to Germany for alternative treatments (chemo and surgery, but of a different variety than they do here) along with going to UCLA. > > It was hard to watch, I must say. Was it mostly whining like people are saying or was it any good? \*\*jayjay \*\*And I’m sorry, but I don’t think there really are classy ways to address the issue of anal cancer. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/67 "2009-05-17T00:36:48Z")
> [@Rascal\_s\_Mom](#): > > Am I the only one who caught this typo? Made my day! Thanks **Quasimodem**! Happy to oblige, **RM**! 🙂 Q ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/68 "2009-05-17T00:41:20Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > And did they have evidence that her kid recovered from autism? Not in any sort of objective way, as far as I know. She’s just decided the kid’s better after whatever she did - some sort of organic foods and sunshine and pixie dust miracle cure as far as I know. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/69 "2009-05-17T00:58:57Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > \*\*jayjay \*\*And I’m sorry, but I don’t think there really are classy ways to address the issue of anal cancer. Exactly – though discouraging a two-hour TV special about it might be a good place to start. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/70 "2009-05-17T01:27:50Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Exactly – though discouraging a two-hour TV special about it might be a good place to start. I dunno, it seems like a more worthwhile format than 9 airheads 4 ass kissers and 3 sadistic cunts fight over the hand of a middle-aged washed up rapper/rocker. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/71 "2009-05-17T02:03:45Z")
In my many years of message boarding, I have always found the argument “that can’t possibly suck, because something else sucks worse!” rather unconvincing. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/72 "2009-05-17T02:05:33Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > In my many years of message boarding, I have always found the argument “that can’t possibly suck, because something else sucks worse!” rather unconvincing. That only applies when talking about things that require talent. We aren’t talking about talent here we are talking about validity of subject matter. Two different things. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/73 "2009-05-17T03:43:04Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Not in any sort of objective way, as far as I know. She’s just decided the kid’s better after whatever she did - some sort of organic foods and sunshine and pixie dust miracle cure as far as I know. Some people believe her kid was misdiagnosed to start with and didn’t have autism. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/74 "2009-05-17T03:45:05Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Was it mostly whining like people are saying or was it any good? > snip. Regardless of the personal lives and histories of those involved, it was hard not to feel some sympathy for a person undergoing the pain and stress of ongoing surgeries, chemo, radiation, flights in and out of the U.S., medications, hair loss, and so on. Whining? There’s certainly some crying–mostly from pain and sometimes from disappointment over experimental treatments not working, or the tumors coming back. Heck, I was whining some while recovering from gallbladder surgery, and that’s not even close to what’s involved here. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/75 "2009-05-17T04:10:28Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > Some people believe her kid was misdiagnosed to start with and didn’t have autism. Who are these people and what are their credentials? ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/76 "2009-05-17T04:11:38Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#): > > Regardless of the personal lives and histories of those involved, it was hard not to feel some sympathy for a person undergoing the pain and stress of ongoing surgeries, chemo, radiation, flights in and out of the U.S., medications, hair loss, and so on. > > Whining? There’s certainly some crying–mostly from pain and sometimes from disappointment over experimental treatments not working, or the tumors coming back. > > Heck, I was whining some while recovering from gallbladder surgery, and that’s not even close to what’s involved here. Yeah, I think it’s natural to whine when you are in pain. What do you think of it, do you think it was a worthwhile endeavor to show what she is going through? Was it worth watching? ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/77 "2009-05-17T06:20:58Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > I dunno, it seems like a more worthwhile format than 9 airheads 4 ass kissers and 3 sadistic cunts fight over the hand of a middle-aged washed up rapper/rocker. Trying to figure if you mean Flava or Bret… ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/78 "2009-05-17T06:38:57Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > I dunno, it seems like a more worthwhile format than 9 airheads 4 ass kissers and 3 sadistic cunts fight over the hand of a middle-aged washed up rapper/rocker. Christ! I don’t know if it’s because of my dementia or what that causes me to almost fall out of my chair and convulse in laughter at stuff like this!😃 **TuckerFan** hasthe same effect on me! 😃 _shakes head and wheeze-laughs_ Thanks Q ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/79 "2009-05-17T11:40:38Z")
FWIW, [The New York Times](http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/16/tv-watch-farrahs-story/) trashes it: > [@](#): > > On Friday, NBC took Ms. Fawcett’s candid video diary and allowed it to be packaged as a generic VH1 “Behind the Music” biography - - maudlin music, gauzy slow-motion film, and pseudo-revealing interviews with friends, coworkers, doctors and hairdressers reminiscing about a former star. … > > …But none of the doctors, advisers or medical experts interviewed throughout the two-hour special explains that one of the most common risk factors for anal cancer is human papilloma virus, and that the HPV vaccine can prevent not just cervical cancer but also anal cancer. > > Nobody mentions anal pap smears, which researchers increasingly cite as a way to screen for cell changes that lead to anal cancer. The film also doesn’t make clear that in many cases, anal cancer can be treated and cured. (The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be 5,290 new cases of anal cancer in 2009 and 710 deaths.) > > …And Ms. Fawcett’s reliance on European alternative treatments is more poignant than persuasive. Her exuberant German doctors seem far too giddily invested in their visiting patient’s fame to give her realistic prognoses — or even dissuade her from flying home to Los Angeles before she was strong enough to travel. > > …Those trips evidently gave Ms. Fawcett hope and lots of encouragement and personal attention, but the film doesn’t shed much light on how much or whether the treatments actually helped. IOW, the program passed up many or all of the educational opportunities that might actually help someone facing a similar illness. There are other comments that make it pretty clear this was all about personalities. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/80 "2009-05-17T13:01:38Z")
> [@calm\_kiwi](#): > > Bea Arthur Waymon Tisdale And a few years ago, Warren Zevon. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592.md?page=5)