# 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:** 5
**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, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/81 "2009-05-17T14:10:00Z")
> [@Tamara+](#): > > Trying to figure if you mean Flava or Bret… Yes It always ends the same, the last two are from the ‘ass kissers’ or ‘sadistic cunts’ category, and it’s like a battle of goo versus weevil, and nothing of consequence hangs in the balance! ---
**Author:** ![Suse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Suse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suse)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/82 "2009-05-17T15:57:48Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > FWIW, [The New York Times](http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/16/tv-watch-farrahs-story/) trashes it: > > 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. So what’s the problem with that? Who decides what the content of a video diary should be? And to complete this round of questioning, why have you been such a total dickweed lately? ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/83 "2009-05-17T19:49:09Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > I don’t think anyone is wishing death on her, merely commenting that the relentless publicizing of that death is unseemly. I think that trashing and mocking and sneering at anyone who is processing an extremely painful, ugly, and lingering death at a relatively early age is about **ten thousand times more unseemly** than that person making a video diary about it. Or mocking and sneering and laughing and judging pretty much anything else that a dying person does that helps them find a way to emotionally cope with the terrifying agony and grief of their death. Oh, sorry… “whining”. Way beyond unseemly and deep into “vile”, actually. I think it’s also about ten thousand times more unseemly for this disgusting behavior to take place publicly. I think it’s also downright grotesque to sit in judgment of how “dignified” someone is as they die, or to complain that they are intruding on your psychic space in any respect, much less that they might be harshing your mellow enjoyment of television. Change the channel. Seriously pathetic. FTR: This criticism is narrowly focused on the direct mockery and cruel judgment of Fawcett personally and this documentary. I’m first in line for a good tasteless joke about the suffering and unfortunate experiences of public or even non-public figures, such as some of my favorite jokes about Christopher Reeve, who, while cheesy as hell on many levels, was infinitely inspirational and worthy of respect in others. I watched the Fawcett program. It was like a real-life version of the film “Wit” - without the literary cachet, of course - in that she was raw and real and hello, this is what cancer is. It’s fucking horrible. Watch if you dare. Don’t kid yourself. As it happens, rightly or wrongly, Fawcett is evidently a believing Catholic and she believes that there is a reason for her to have had this visited upon her, and the reason she settled on was that it was her job to show people what it looks like and how awful it is so that maybe she’ll scare the bejesus out of some people who are otherwise in denial that they are mortal, who will then test more often and earlier, and won’t die the horrible agonizing death that she is dying. Stupid attention seeking cancer whore. ---
**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, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/84 "2009-05-17T20:35:58Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > 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? It was frightening, and I don’t know if I’d recommend it to anyone who’s about to undergo chemo or other cancer treatments. For others, though, it might be at least informative. I thought it was worth watching, though painful. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/85 "2009-05-18T00:42:14Z")
**Stoid** My sentiments exactly. Wit was brutal. But what made Wit extra brutal was that she was totally alone. What people are complaining about here is that Farrah Fawcett isn’t keeping it to herself. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![MizGrand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@MizGrand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MizGrand)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/86 "2009-05-18T00:59:02Z")
Shame, shame, shame on you. And all of you so joyously revelling in the fact that you might win a “death pool”. Yes, I’ve gotten mine. Karma is a bitch. Chemo hurts you f\*\*\*\*\*. I can only hope that this somehow returns to bite you in the ass. Again, shame on you. ALL OF YOU. I don’t even recognize half of your names, it’s been so long that I’ve even come to this hideous place. How could you wish death on someone simply to accrue points in a game? SHAME ON YOU! ---
**Author:** ![mkecane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@mkecane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mkecane)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/87 "2009-05-18T02:19:54Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > “Heroic” or “hero” is becoming such a ridiculously overused word these days. I’d say a good 90%+ of what people would call heroism is just self preservation. How in the world could it possibly be heroic to survive cancer? Homer: That Timmy is a real hero! Lisa: How do you mean, Dad? Homer: Well, he fell down a well, and… he can’t get out. Lisa: How does that make him a hero? Homer: Well, that’s more than you ever did! ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/88 "2009-05-18T02:28:22Z")
**SenorBeef** You’re my hero. 😉 I totally agree. ---
**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 18, 2009, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/89 "2009-05-18T03:19:17Z")
> [@Suse](#): > > So what’s the problem with that? Who decides what the content of a video diary should be? And to complete this round of questioning, why have you been such a total dickweed lately? I’m the same dickweed self I’ve always been. Which, in my admittedly not too big brain, is about the same level of dickweed as most people around here. Are you the scorekeeper of dickweedishness? Where have I made my biggest scores? The video diary is one thing, the final program is another. I may have been unfair to Farrah, I’m not sure. I am pitting the marketing and packaging of the program, and I would assume she has a large voice in that, but I may be wrong. The Times review does seem to vindicate that the program was pretty close to the marketing, a suffering-celebrity-fest that skipped many or all of the educational opportunities that might be useful to other cancer victims. ---
**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 18, 2009, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/90 "2009-05-18T03:24:39Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > I think that trashing and mocking and sneering at anyone who is processing an extremely painful, ugly, and lingering death at a relatively early age is about **ten thousand times more unseemly** than that person making a video diary about it. Or mocking and sneering and laughing and judging pretty much anything else that a dying person does that helps them find a way to emotionally cope with the terrifying agony and grief of their death. Oh, sorry… “whining”. Way beyond unseemly and deep into “vile”, actually. > > I think it’s also about ten thousand times more unseemly for this disgusting behavior to take place publicly. > > I think it’s also downright grotesque to sit in judgment of how “dignified” someone is as they die, or to complain that they are intruding on your psychic space in any respect, much less that they might be harshing your mellow enjoyment of television. Change the channel. > > Seriously pathetic. > FTR: This criticism is narrowly focused on the direct mockery and cruel judgment of Fawcett personally and this documentary. I’m first in line for a good tasteless joke about the suffering and unfortunate experiences of public or even non-public figures, such as some of my favorite jokes about Christopher Reeve, who, while cheesy as hell on many levels, was infinitely inspirational and worthy of respect in others. I watched the Fawcett program. It was like a real-life version of the film “Wit” - without the literary cachet, of course - in that she was raw and real and hello, this is what cancer is. It’s fucking horrible. Watch if you dare. Don’t kid yourself. > > As it happens, rightly or wrongly, Fawcett is evidently a believing Catholic and she believes that there is a reason for her to have had this visited upon her, and the reason she settled on was that it was her job to show people what it looks like and how awful it is so that maybe she’ll scare the bejesus out of some people who are otherwise in denial that they are mortal, who will then test more often and earlier, and won’t die the horrible agonizing death that she is dying. > > Stupid attention seeking cancer whore. Thank you for your contribution. I disagree. And regarding scaring people into being tested, that certainly would be a good thing. Was the Times review incorrect in saying that there was no mention of screenings and the effectiveness thereof in the program? ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/91 "2009-05-18T04:02:29Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > And regarding scaring people into being tested, that certainly would be a good thing. Was the Times review incorrect in saying that there was no mention of screenings and the effectiveness thereof in the program? No, but one thing is not the same as the other. ---
**Author:** ![Suse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Suse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suse)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/92 "2009-05-18T04:12:10Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I’m the same dickweed self I’ve always been. Which, in my admittedly not too big brain, is about the same level of dickweed as most people around here. Are you the scorekeeper of dickweedishness? Where have I made my biggest scores? > > The video diary is one thing, the final program is another. I may have been unfair to Farrah, I’m not sure. I am pitting the marketing and packaging of the program, and I would assume she has a large voice in that, but I may be wrong. The Times review does seem to vindicate that the program was pretty close to the marketing, a suffering-celebrity-fest that skipped many or all of the educational opportunities that might be useful to other cancer victims. So no, you didn’t watch it. I don’t actually care if anything has crawled up your butt and died, but every time I’ve noticed your posts lately it seems like you’re being an ass about very petty things. Of course, I don’t notice your posts often. Just seemed that you were a decent fellow when I had noticed before and that you’ve changed for some inexplicable and no doubt uninteresting reason. ---
**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 18, 2009, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/93 "2009-05-18T07:29:53Z")
I made a new pit thread to continue my Jenny McCarthy rant from earlier: > **[Jenny McCarthy gets a talk show (and the antivax movement)](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=518012)** > > Jenny McCarthy is an aggressive force of stupidity and evil who has somehow has had her looney and destructive views heard by millions, probably because the media is also often stupid and evil. She’s the celebrity spokesperson for the... ---
**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 18, 2009, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/94 "2009-05-18T10:40:04Z")
> [@Suse](#): > > So no, you didn’t watch it. > > I don’t actually care if anything has crawled up your butt and died, but every time I’ve noticed your posts lately it seems like you’re being an ass about very petty things. Of course, I don’t notice your posts often. Just seemed that you were a decent fellow when I had noticed before and that you’ve changed for some inexplicable and no doubt uninteresting reason. Of course I didn’t watch it. I was pitting the promos for it. I resent the implication that I’ve ever been a decent fellow. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/95 "2009-05-18T12:36:58Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Of course it’s here choice – but it’s a really tacky choice, and that is what is being pitted here. But what makes it tacky? It’s her life. A life that saw her career, divorce, remarriage, sons drug problems etc all in the public eye. If it seemed like someone else was exploiting her at this time (and no doubt someone is making money on this- perhaps they should be pitted not a dying woman) rather than something that was her choice it might be different but she seems to have chosen this, perhaps to help others become aware or perhaps it is fulfilling some need in her. Either way it is up to her. If we find it tacky or hard to watch we have the choice not to watch. She doesn’t have the choice to not go through it. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/96 "2009-05-18T12:42:11Z")
And for the record I have not nor will I watch any part of this, I just believe a woman who has been in the public eye gets to decide if she wants that at the end of her life. Perhaps feeling “the public” care makes it easier for her. The rest of us get to decide if we want to watch someone dying-I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/97 "2009-05-18T14:09:15Z")
> [@calm\_kiwi](#): > > Either way it is up to her. If we find it tacky or hard to watch we have the choice not to watch. She doesn’t have the choice to not go through it. Good point. I actually don’t feel all that strongly about this, so I’m going to bow out of this thread now. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/98 "2009-05-18T14:58:24Z")
> [@MizGrand](#): > > Shame, shame, shame on you. And all of you so joyously revelling in the fact that you might win a “death pool”. > > Yes, I’ve gotten mine. Karma is a bitch. Chemo hurts you f\*\*\*\*\*. > > I can only hope that this somehow returns to bite you in the ass. > > Again, shame on you. ALL OF YOU. I don’t even recognize half of your names, it’s been so long that I’ve even come to this hideous place. > > How could you wish death on someone simply to accrue points in a game? > > SHAME ON YOU! Wow, did you read all the way to post five before you crapped that out? Perhaps this pitting of a attention whore is hitting too close to the mark… ---
**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 18, 2009, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/99 "2009-05-18T16:18:18Z")
> [@MizGrand](#): > > Shame, shame, shame on you. And all of you so joyously revelling in the fact that you might win a “death pool”. > > Yes, I’ve gotten mine. Karma is a bitch. Chemo hurts you f\*\*\*\*\*. > > I can only hope that this somehow returns to bite you in the ass. > > Again, shame on you. ALL OF YOU. I don’t even recognize half of your names, it’s been so long that I’ve even come to this hideous place. > > How could you wish death on someone simply to accrue points in a game? > > SHAME ON YOU! Personally, I’m bummin’ because I proably won’t win. We don’t wish for death, we hope for point. It add a small measure of happiness to each otherwise grim death. Go away. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592/100 "2009-05-18T16:23:09Z")
> [@kidchameleon](#): > > Wow, did you read all the way to post five before you crapped that out? Perhaps this pitting of a attention whore is hitting too close to the mark… So when you die of a horribly painful disease we’re going to expect that you’ll shut the fuck up about it right? I think it was kind of obvious that it was hitting close to the mark you obtuse imbecile. Making fun of the dying is far more disgusting than whining about it publically when you’re dying. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-ckin-farah-fawcett/496592.md?page=6)