Tales and Songs from Weddings and Funerals

Live 8; G8; Be Gr8

Dan Ackroyd and Tom Green - do they even remember the last time they were in Canada?? Yet they were selected to be the MC's of Live 8 Canada in Barrie. Great the face of Canada to bring awareness to poverty is a less than funny comedian and a cone-head. It wouldn't have bothered me so much - the music was great - but the MC's kept interrupting... First they went after Rex Murphy's Opinion piece in the Globe and Mail. They read out the end of it - so it was out of context - got everybody in the audience to boo and they yelled about him being complacent.
Complacent: adj, Contented to a fault; self-satisfied and unconcerned. There are many words that could be used to describe Rex Murphy but complacent isn't one of them. His Career is built of being concerned, his dis-contempt for our government is what keeps him being invited back, his ability to make people think or disagree it what makes good media. Just because he doesn't jump with both feet behind a bunch of concerts whose ability to raise awareness is less than perfect, doesn't make him complacent.
Before Live 8 when was the last time Tom Green thought about poverty? Does he even know what the G8 is? To be fair it's not his fault - all the 'awareness' the Live 8 concert was suppose to raise, still didn't stop a Canadian Woman from asking "who's that guy?" as she stared at the live feed of Nelson Mandela in confusion.
In a way I agree with what Live 8 tries to do. Everyday people - especially young adults don't really pay attention to politics - ask around - most people couldn't name the countries that will be present at the G8 summit. But, people like Hollywood, they like actors, rock stars are more interesting than politicians; if we need to gather famous people together so everyday people realize there's more to the world than SUV's, palm pilots, and reality TV - then lets do it!
I just wish that the artists and speakers, from Madonna to Richard Gere, hadn't been offered their thank you gifts - valued at over $1000.
The awareness has been arisen - go out and do something! Donate money to World Food Program; Write, e-mail or visit your local representative; Volunteer at a shelter to end poverty at home. Live 8 was a start let's take some real steps to make poverty history!!!

posted by Angela @ 5:39 p.m.