Sunday, August 2, 2009

Out Spotlight XCI

Today's Out Spotlight is author Charles Warren Stoddard.


Born August 7, 1843, in Rochester, New York Stoddard third of five children and second son to Sarah Freeman and Samuel Burr Stoddard, a paper merchant, Stoddard moved with his family to New York City, where they lived until 1855, migrating to San Francisco. At age 14, he returned alone to New York, living with his grandparents for two years, before rejoining his family in San Francisco. Shortly there after he began writing verses, and his first poems were published, under the pseudonym "Pip Pepperpod," in the Golden Era. Met with great success and thy were later published with the modest title Poems by Charles Warren Stoddard. Stoddard gave up his dream of college due to poor health and dedicated himself to a literary career. He joined San Francisco's journalistic and Bohemian circles, and he established enduring relationships with Ambrose Bierce, Ina Coolbrith, Bret Harte, and Samuel Clemens.

Beloved for his wit and amiability, Stoddard had a genius for friendship; his large literary acquaintance ultimately included both contemporary and younger writers, such as Robert Louis Stevenson, W. D. Howells, Henry Adams, Joaquin Miller, Jack London, George Sterling, Bliss Carman, Yone Noguchi, and George Cabot Lodge.

He was also connected to the developing gay networks of the nineteenth century through his friendships with Theodore F. Dwight and Dewitt Miller.

In 1864 Stoddard visited the South Sea Islands and from there wrote his Idyls — letters which he sent to a friend who had them published in book form. "They are," as William Dean Howells said, "the lightest, sweetest, wildest, freshest things that were ever written about the life of that summer ocean."

He made four other trips to the South Sea Islands, and gave his impressions in Lazy Letters from Low Latitudes and The Island of Tranquil Delights. Several times he visited Molokai, and became well acquainted with Father Damien, the Apostle to the Lepers, and wrote his interesting little book, The Lepers of Molokai, which, with Stevenson's famous letter, did much to establish Father Damien's true position in public esteem. In 1867, soon after his first visit to the South Sea Islands,he converted from Protestantism to Catholicism. The story of his conversion was told in a spiritual autobiography entitled: A Troubled Heart and How it was Comforted. Of this book he has said: "Here you have my inner life all laid bare."

Inspired to sexual self-awareness by reading Whitman's "Calamus" poems, Stoddard gained his first experience with the natives of Hawaii and Tahiti, about whom he wrote his best stories, those collected in South-Sea Idyls and The Island of Tranquil Delights.

The subtle eroticism of his was evidently lost on his audience--except for "Xavier Mayne" (Edward Prime-Stevenson), who noted their significance in The Intersexes. Readers were also mystified by Stoddard's only novel, For the Pleasure of His Company, an experimental work of gay fiction, which was unsucessful.

In 1873 he started on a long tour as special correspondent of the San Francisco Chronicle. His commission was a roving one, without restrictions of any kind. He was absent for five years, during which he traveled over Europe as well as Palestine and Egypt. He sent considerable matter to his newspaper, much of which was never reprinted, though some of it was among his best work.

During his time abroad Stoddard fell in love with the painter Frank Millet during living together with in Venice. But he usually favored younger men. Of his several "kids," as he called them, the most important was Kenneth O'Connor, aged fifteen in 1895, when Stoddard unofficially adopted him and took him home to his Washington "Bungalow."

In 1885, having decided to settle down, he accepted the chair of English literature in the University of Notre Dame, Indiana; where he clashed with colleagues over his attentions to the students and resigned after three semesters, although it was officially noted as health problems for his resignation The same reason caused him to resign a corresponding position which he held in the Catholic University, Washington, D. C., from 1889 to 1902.

In a short time he moved to Cambridge, Mass., intending to devote himself exclusively to literary work. A serious and almost fatal illness interfered with his plans, yet he was not idle. He put forth his Exits and Entrances, a book of essays and sketches which he called his favorite work, probably because it told of his intimate friend Robert Louis Stevenson and of others among his host of literary acquaintances.

At this time he also wrote his only novel, For the Pleasure of His Company, of which he said, "Here you have my Confessions." So strictly biographical are most of his writings that Stoddard hoped by supplying a few missing links to enable the reader to trace out the whole story of his life. In 1903, his health failing and his relationship with Kenneth deteriorating, Stoddard returned to California. After a triumphal visit to San Francisco, where he was feted as a pioneering California writer, he settled in Monterey, with a hope of recovering his health. Stoddard died of a heart attack on April 23, 1909.

Stoddard was admired in his own time as the author of exotic and humorous travel books, but more of interest today for his unabashed love of men at the historical moment when "homosexuality" was taking a recognizably modern shape. Those who knew him, including many of the major writers of the age, agreed that Stoddard had a genius for geniality, and he spent much of his life circulating among his friends in Europe, the South Seas, California and the East. Yet Stoddard's "double life" also drew him into the company of those who shared his samesexuality. His gay island stories have been published in 1987 as a collection titled Cruising the South Seas.

58 comments:

Anonymous said...

Special, with no Jausty, the Out Spotlight is my favorite part of OMG. Thanks

Joker said...

Anonymous is me, Joker

Music Luvah said...

Yes, the OutSpotlights are amazing. A fascinating one today, again. And the music is gorgeous - I love C&W, but lean more to the W side. Love Lucinda Williams.

Kacie, Bennie and the Jets was one of my very favorites, and Someone Saved my Life Tonight too, PG.

Have a great Sunday! :*

prairiegirl said...

Kacie, you are right. I almost forgot that. Elton did marry a gal named Renae, I think, or something like that. I used to have a huge crush on his drummer, Nigel Olson (I know I'm not spelling that right) and I used to imagine/fantacize that Elton had a thing for Nigel. lol. Early days of slash way of thinking, I just didn't know it at the time. Hey, now knowing Elton's sexual orientation, maybe I wasn't so far off, huh?? lol.

heavy sigh. Ah, Nigel. He was so exotic looking and mysterious. I'll have to google him and see what he's up to. Maybe download an early years pic of him.

I am telling you, I had one of the absolutely, most beautiful walks ever this morning. I was the only one out there @ 5:30 and there was this big fog/dew haze settled all over the area. And the sunrise. And the herons. And it was just breathtaking. I just cannot get over Creation when I see things like that. It just takes your breath away and I can't stop looking at it. I wish I could see scenery like that forever because it just makes you feel soooo good inside. Plus, add a Michael W Smith song in the I Pod and it's just a totally endorphin experience.
Plus, it certainly makes a huge difference when one feels so much better, physically. I get another epidural on Wednesday. So, 1) I get to see that gorgeous doctor again and 2) I am kind of curious to see if I get that goofy, ha-ha happy feeling again the day after. LOL. Has anyone else ever had an epidural? Did you get a goofy, happy, happy feeling after it? It is so wonderful to be able to sit up in bed without it taking 20 minutes in agony.

I am so excited about Derrick Thoomas #58 getting inducted into the Hall of Fame next weekend. I know I'm going to cry; it's going to be so emotional when he goes in.

Okay, well, that's all I have to say. Sorry to disappoint with no dogsitting stories, lol. Sorry it's all irrelevant, boring stuff, but when there is nothing good to say about the boys at the moment, it's best I just don't talk at all right now.

Everyone have a good Sunday and enjoy the weather. Destiny, my sister says you guys are really getting the rain. Are you getting alot of rain? What the heck? What's going on there?

Florida Tom said...

Its pouring in Phily PG. I hope the kids from K and A dont get wet.

destiny said...

It is raining here, seems like we've had like 6 good days this summer. I tried to get a walk in during a break from the rain but it was so humid I could hardly breath out there and packed it in.

Tiny Dancer? ROFLMAO. The tiny train indeed Special. And here you PG on the kids front. If I'd known I would have popped into chat with you PG. Well, with the crappy weather I should be around all day unless I work up the energy to go out to a movie.

Fascinating spotlight again today. I've never heard of him before.

Music Luvah said...

I am so loving today's music - I can just hear the island breezes. Island music and C&W share the steel guitar. :) Beautiful cover on the book of stories by Charles Warren Stoddard. Beautiful hands - among other things. ;)

Holding off on the rain here, PG, where I am. I go for those morning walks too, so I know exactly what you mean. :)

Special K said...

So these were the crazies that had me up at 4:45am today.

Penny

Tobey

Spinelli

Yeah, Penny has her own blanket. You have to swaddle her for bed.

Wicked said...

The reason that I have not posted
was being called stupid the other
day and it upset me and made me mad.


Kacie, just wanted to let you know that comment was deleted as soon as I saw it.

Curious to know what others think about Stoddard's relationships with younger men and students. I think we all know how that would be looked at today.

philly pap said...

Thanks for the call, Reese!

destiny said...

What cuties you're sitting Special.

I have to admit the bits about the young boys gave me pause when I read the post today. For me some of it depends upon the difference in years between the two. The fifteen year-old gave me pause, but not the college students. It's funny, I tend to think of boys as very different than girls, but a few months ago I read a Dan Savage column in which he strongly advocated that a parent teach her teenage gay son the way she would a teenager daughter, in terms of protecting them.

Florida Tom said...

The Happy Disney Family. PoP is going for the family crowd not the video crowd. Mom and or PoP takes the kids to the movies Memorial day weekend. Better be good or they wont be back the next weekend.

This looks like a professional photo but it could have been taken by someone in the crowd. How can you tell who really took this pic. It is important to know.

JJ comment said...

no such thing as an accident

The guy who tweeted this is a reporter from Philly who has known Ryan and Reese for many years. She obviously let him take the pictures since she was surrounded by security. What do you want to bet that was the only minute Deacon spent on Jake’s shoulders?

Also interesting is that this same reporter did not tweet any pictures of the kids with Ryan even though he saw them at a Phillies game and a public place they were fair game for photos.

Don’t be fooled by celebrities folks. Like them for their work but understand these A listers are products constantly being sold, improved resold and repackaged. They aren’t like “real” people. Jake and Reese wanted you to see this. THAT is why you are seeing it.

comment 14 on Jared said...

no such thing as an accident @ 08/02/2009 at 2:28 pm

The guy who tweeted this is a reporter from Philly who has known Ryan and Reese for many years. She obviously let him take the pictures since she was surrounded by security. What do you want to bet that was the only minute Deacon spent on Jake’s shoulders?

Also interesting is that this same reporter did not tweet any pictures of the kids with Ryan even though he saw them at a Phillies game and a public place they were fair game for photos.

Don’t be fooled by celebrities folks. Like them for their work but understand these A listers are products constantly being sold, improved resold and repackaged. They aren’t like “real” people. Jake and Reese wanted you to see this. THAT is why you are seeing it.

my two cents said...

It gave me some pause at first as well - but then, I try not to write someone off entirely because of something that I may not see eye to eye with them on. I have never seen young boys differently than young girls as far as their being vulnerable - while young boys may be physically ready for sexual activity, it doesn't mean they are any more emotionally or intellectually ready or mentally mature than young girls, and can certainly be subject to the same abuses. I do think age makes a difference, for very young children obviously it's a heinous thing, but at around the age of consent or what is defined legally as that, it's hard to say. People mature at different rates, intellectually and mentally, and as we know, some appear never to (trolls). ;) I don't think that the day after someone turns 16, they are automatically mature, it's a legal definition. Obviously, no means no at any age. I myself had my first experience at 15-1/2, and it was something I had been curious about and wanted very much. I'm female, btw, and my partner was an older boy but only a few years.

lowest said...

yeah great spotlight. A pederast and no it is not ok to behave that way with students. it would not regardless of gender and sexual orientation.

SiennaB! said...

Poor Jake... he looks kinda f'd up in that concert picture. i'm sure it's just the timing - just a bad pic, which he doesn't make many of - but surely the dude took more than one if he's a pro, and the fact that Reese is smiling for the picture definitely makes me think he is, and that it's not just a person in the crowd taking the pic. Anyway, i wish they would've used a different one where jake looked good too.

Prarie Girl mentioned yesterday about how J/R aren't making the covers of the mags as much anymore. I agree. They aren't even inside the magazines all that much anymore. I think that goes along with what i was saying the other day, about how totally unrealistic their relationship seems.

WHY would anyone want to read about them anymore? The folks that are interesting have excitement in their relationships. They have fights, they make out, they make up, they cheat, they do interesting things.

J/R have the most boring life ever. The most exciting thing that's happened with them in a while was Reese getting plastered at HWBowl, but they sure weren't going to run those pics on the mag covers, which reaffirms what ya'll have been saying: those mags are PR, not news.

Because America's Sweetheart getting drunk off her ass and yelling what looked like obscenities at the paps would be interesting to the general public, i guarantee you. I mean, look how folks lap it up when it's LiLo or paris. So they would've bought that mag to read that story for sure, but it didn't get told because it would've been bad press for Reese and that's apparently not what they are about.

so while they aren't exposing her bad side - yet - they seem to be realizing that she is zzzzzzzz when it comes to public interest.

if they really are together just for the PR, i think it's time for some major changes, because they've run this horse into the ground. and if they're real, (which i still doubt but have to admit is a possibility) i don't see how they can keep on like this for much longer. surely they want more out of life than this.

happy sunday. s.

Boring said...

Sienna ITA. I still can't understand why Reese went through the trouble to beard for a hot younger guy so it would make her look younger and appealing after her divorce and then proceeded to turn him into bland white bread. I think that part of the reason that Reeke is being passed on by the rags is because they have been the same boring story for 2 1/2 years. Their stories are all the same-they are such a in love couple who are so domestic and Reese's kids love Jake and Jake keeps asking Reese to marry him but she's says no. People that have been married for 50 years are more exciting. They even manage to make foreign locations like Rome or Paris boring. What couple is instantly in love and domesticated from the first date and stay that way for 3 years?

lol said...

What couple is instantly in love and domesticated from the first date and stay that way for 3 years?

Fauxmance couple where Reese is in charge.

destiny said...

I'd sure love to know what Reese tells Ava and Deacon about Jake. Is he the gay "uncle"? If so, then doesn't she have to tell Ava to lie to her friends about Jake?

On the other hand, isn't it kind of hard to say that about Jake given all the pdas, hand-holding, covers that Ava must see at the store about how in "love" they are? And Ava is old enough to know people don't hold hands with their friends.

So if Reese is telling them she is dating Jake and trying to make him appear part of the family, doesn't that mean marriage is sure to follow? Or does Reese not care if her children will surely not deal well with Jake suddenly disappearing from their lives when this is all over.

Either way, as disgusting as the bearding is, doing this to children is far worse.

huh said...

Or does Reese not care if her children will surely not deal well with Jake suddenly disappearing from their lives when this is all over.

Why would kids care about someone they see from time to time?

Boring said...

Why would kids care about someone they see from time to time?

How can you say that? Jake spends alot of time with the kids. He has just spent the past week with them. There was even a twitter of them out together mid week. Also, don't forget the London trips last summer, the weekends in Ojai, the dinners together in LA, etc. I don't know what they have been told about the relationship between their mother and Jake, but they do spend alot of time with him.

lol said...

He has just spent the past week with them.

Kids are with the nanny and Reese, and we don't know what Jake did during last week.

destiny said...

That comment on JJ proves what a lot of us have been saying, that Reeke's pr uses Twitter.

lol said...

the weekends in Ojai, the dinners together in LA

Are you talking about 1 Ojai picture and 1 dinner twitter?

Boring said...

lol you are purposely being obtuse. In the past 2 1/2yrs there have been many pics and sightings of Jake and the kids. Calm down. I'm not saying I think Reeke is real, but I do think that Jake spends alot of time with Reese and her kids. He doesn't really have anything better to do and I also think that his free time to be with whatever friends he has left that are PR approved is limited. Again, this is my opinion.

dull said...

In the past 2 1/2yrs there have been many pics and sightings of Jake and the kids.

No, Reese didn't use them too much.

dull said...

In the past 2 1/2yrs there have been many pics and sightings of Jake and the kids.

No, not true, Reese didn't use them too much.

vice-versa said...

He doesn't really have anything better to do

Just the opposite, Reese is the one who doesn't really have anything better to do than reeking, she needs an escort.

How often do we see Reese hanging out with her friends, colleagues or family?

Special K said...

It makes it look like Jake has been with her all week in Philly, by having them out on the weekends. That gives him days in between to go to NYC, or family in PA, or NC.

Interesting how she is buying things for the cast now too, as friendly gesture after the item from the Entertainment lawyer, isn't it.

destiny said...

Nothing like some Adam Lambert to put me in a better mood. He is looking hotter than ever, especially in the videos where you can see his arms and his ass. Love the few seconds of "play" with his microphone during Whole Lotta Love; it's around the 3:15 mark.

Adam

m said...

I think Reese needs Jake in Philly so she wont be alone. It's pretty clear that her costars and coworkers don't enjoy being around her. She needed an escort, he reported for duty.

My husband and I were huge Elton fans. This goes back even to when he was just getting popular. I've seen many of his live concerts, though none in the last few years. I will never forget one at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, CA. Elton could still jump on pianos in those days. There was so much grass in the air, the entire audience was stoned before the evening was over. He was incredible.

SiennaB! said...

i know a lot of folks have issues here with the kids being in the pics, etc, but i don't. people with kids have friends that come and go thru their life. heck, even kids have friends that they suddenly don't see as much or lose interest in.

i think there is a lot of room for reese to explain jake's presence, even so far as to say:

He's really nice, he's a good friend, and since daddy and i split up, it's nice to have him around. We're not really dating, he's never gonna be ur dad, no matter what people think, but it's ok with me me and jake if they think that, because since we are movie stars, folks like to get in our business. if they think we're dating, then we don't have to worry about them saying bad things about us because we aren't dating anyone else. so we'll just let them think what they want to and not worry about it, ok?

the only issue i would have with it is if she were leading them to think he was going to be their daddy, when in actuality she had no interest in him in that way. that would be wrong and cruel, and regardless of what else she may've done to make folks think she's a hard woman, i do not think she would be that unkind to her children.

s.

Florida Tom said...

I dont find it hard to believe that someones public life could be a totally controlled PR campaign. I am sure much of what is done is totally controlled by people who have training and experience in the field. The private lives of movies stars must on some way be protected by the folks that they say they hate and fear the most. The Paps.. You cant tell me if someone really wanted to find out where Jake was during the week couldnt do it. The Paps certainly must know where their boundaries lie.

Jake could have been anywhere during the week. What the heck does a 28 yo do with his time when he has no current job. I dont belive jake was in Philly all week. My bet is that he was in NYC. He has a place there. He has friends there. He has family there. Does anyone think that Jake hund around all week with reeses kids. I doubt it.

It was confirmed to me today that the Cuban reataurant the reeke was supposingly reentering last weekend is a very upscale place. reeke was severly underdressed if they where dining there. You dont wear flip flops like reese did or shorts and a dirty tee shirt like Jake to go there.

The restaurant is pretty much smack in the center city Philly. Kind of hard imagining it even having a back entrance. I have someone checking that out for me this week. I will let everyone know.

SiennaB! said...

tom... i agree. i don't think jake just hung around with the kids either. if he had, we would've seen pics of that for sure. on the one hand, it's hard to believe he wouldn't go to NYC and see his friends, etc, but it's also hard to believe he did that without getting papped. while i believe they have some control over getting papped, i also believe they are victims of it too, and JBG in NYC without the Little Missus would be photo worthy!

as for the restaurant, i firmly believe those dress code rules only apply to regular people. i'm sure they'd make an exception for jake and reese. (altho i don't understand going to a nice place and not making any effort to spiff up - wtf??) and surely they have a back door, for deliveries and stuff, as well as safety.

hugs. s.

prairiegirl said...

Destiny, if you want to meet up in Chat tomorrow evening, I'm there.

The uncharacteristic way this EJ concert family outing made its appearance on the internet now seems to be better explained. I need to salute whoever it was on JJ who revealed the identity of the photographer. That's a pretty big revelation unless this guy is in the habit of photo'ing all kinds of celebrities at concerts, grocery stores, restaurants, and other public avenues. In which case, this could just be considered a chance sighting.

But knowing Reeke's MO as has been followed since Day 1, they can notoriously turn 1 1/2 hrs at a farmers market into a Podcast video. A one hour bike ride in Italy into a 5" thick scrapbook of memories. A trip home from Europe into a Fromer's Video Guide to Airport Travel. Cockroachella, which turned into a Personal Publicity Nightmare for the both of them, was itself filmed in all its glory with probably a couple of full pallets of cases of memory cards. Was it not, I ask?

I think that PR has to know that they need to be smart about how Reeke is papped while in Philly. Too much is too obvious for Philly.

So, I think that's why we had that weird, out of kilter looking picture outside that restaurant last weekend. And now I think that's why we get these couple of pictures that are supposed to look like pictures taken by a tweetin' fan at the EJ concert.

Understated and "real looking" are probably the two operative words for Project PhillySpoon these next couple of months. Keep it "real" looking. And keep it "tweetered" looking. A real HW family romance caught on memory card by Philly Joe/Jane Fan.

SiennaB! said...

Project PhillySpoon... LMAO!

Good one, PG. :)

destiny said...

Lmao too.

I would love to chat tomorrow night. Anyime from 9 p.m. eastern standard time onward should be good for me.

prairiegirl said...

Okay, let's say 2000, er 8pm CT, 9ET tomororw night, Destiny?

I could go on a real tirade about the useage of the two kids but for right now, I'm just going to point out a couple of things.

1) why do you take a 5 yr to sit for 2 1/2-3 hrs at a concert of someone he surely can't be real familiar with his music unless Reese plays it at home on the Bose Lifestyle system while she dusts and Swiffer mops? Why do you do that? Why aren't you instead at Six Flags Over Philly? Schlitterbaam? Miniature Golf? The local county fair or arcade? Better yet, Chuckie Cheese?

2) And knowing that little kids' ears are alot more sensitive than adults' are, why do you sit them right up front near all those big "World of Wheels" Bass Speakers??? Most little kids Deacon's age that I see at parades hold their ears when there are explosive noises. Although, I'm sure when Elton was pounding out "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting", he & the band took special care to carry it at a quiet level of decibels, though, in consideration of all the little ears out in the audience.

prairiegirl said...

Oh, and one last snark. Gotta love the "Free Pass" or "Press" or "Complimentary" or "Guest" necklaces they have on.

It's the new Reeke accessory.

Okay, well, got a week of V going on now and yet I'll probably get up early every morning so I can go walk. Awesome!

SiennaB! said...

PG.... interesting thoughts on the concert and how it might be perceived by young children. i don't like to go to concerts myself because they are too loud for me. i'm sure if this was a typical concert, it was awfully loud for the little folks.

s.

Special K said...

Couple of things. The guy from who took the pictures - seemed surprised about the picture on JJ.

Check out his Tweet

But what is interesting is that the pictures he used on his twitter account were all from the behind them and never showed the kids faces. See here

None of the pictures he had there have their faces. Makes you wonder if he sent the pictures with their faces to Reese since he knew her, and thought it would be just nice to do, or she asked for him to send them to her, and he didn't even know what the plan was for them.

It was mentioned in the Philly papers that they did leave before Elton John finished his set, and he was on before Billy Joel apparently slurred his way through his set.

Reese does have to get creative to get coverage in Philly, because they don't have the paps like she is used to having to help keep her in the forefront while she is working. It really doesn't seem to be a problem for any of her other co-stars that Philly is a one pap town. I did see a photo that the newspaper did of Owen Wilson after some tennis on Drexel campus. But notthing else.

I think there will also be more mentions about her doing things for the cast as well, to damper some of the gossip about how she gets along or doesn't with co-stars.

I still would love to know if she and Jack Nicholson have any scenes together, and how that working dynamic is.

SiennaB! said...

Spesh... i was looking at his tweets and wondered about the fact that i didn't see the picture that is posted on JJ. which makes me wonder how it got there. personally, i'm betting he sold it to them, becuz that's the most likely scenario. he had something worth some money, why not sell it? and it gets Reese out there, so she's happy. win/win.

s.

Special K said...

Back to the Spotlight. I was a little reluctant about doing Stoddard because of his relationship personally and with his students.

But he really lead this diametrically opposing life. I found his conversion to Catholicism interesting especially because of his sexuality vs. the churches stand. And not just a casual Catholic, but a pretty committed one who even wrote of his spiritual journey and chose to teach at Catholic universities.

Reading about him, he really fell in to the Bohemian movement of the time.

As for the younger men, yes they are underage now, but back then 15-16 many young men were already working and some even married, it was more age of consent than what we have no as a legal age. That is not support for what he did, but more understanding of the time.

And if you look at his contemporaries of the time, some of them were in relationships just as young, (Walt Whitman for example), and it harkens back to classical Greece, of the old man/teacher/mentor, and the young boy/man/protegee. I think many at that time were taking cues from classic schools of thought and thinking.

Just some thoughts.

Special K said...

I still am under the impression that Reese was involved giving her ok, for pictures to be sent to JJ. I remember an interview with Janice Ming on 20/20, who said that are very selective of using pictures of children, and something along the line check with the celebrity, and some are ok with them using pictures of their kids.

And if I am not mistaken, Reese was an example she mention, that she knew what pictures they would be using.

I am not saying that JJ is like US Weekly, but Reese and her team are very media conscious and even on internet, I betting there was at least one person on the team who knew about it.

prairiegirl said...

Oh, I figured they left before the very end, Special. Have to beat that traffic, after all! Wow, that's disappointing to hear about Billy Joel. You never know what kind of performance you'll get out of a celeb at a concert. Although you know that it's impossible to get a 110% performance every night.

I'll never forget seeing Tina Turner @ Starlight Theatre years ago. It was like she just punched in and punched out on that one, did the bare minimum of numbers and she was outta there. So disappointing.

Elton usually gives you your money's worth.

I still think it's crazy to see 5 yr old Deacon at an Elton J. concert, on Jake's shoulders like they're waiting for the beach ball to be tossed their way. Maybe Disney on Ice? Or Handy Manny Live!

I'm just saying that their choices of family outings are quite a bit different from ones I would expect to see and not very realistic.

And situations where you would think Jake would love to accompany his With Six You Get Eggroll Family, you don't see him.

Reckon that's all I'll say about it. Can't go spilling all the beans here on a public blog, after all. I'm certainly not the author of the Reeke Bearding Book of Procedures. I don't get any cut of the pie? I don't help, lol.

m said...

They must have been hard up for an event to be seen at to wind up taking the kids to that concert. And then to leave while Elton was still performing. Makes no sense. If they were going to leave, the polite thing to do is to wait for the change in artists.

Meg said...

Leaving a concert (you got in for free), blocking the view of a someone who actually paid for a ticket,...these are a couple that texted through a broadway play remember. When Jake's with Reese rules of common courtesy and sense don't seem to apply. Let's just hope when he's with other people he can still evert to being the pleasant and well-mannered man he used to seem to be.

Kacie said...

You have really opened my eyes about the way Hollywood actors use
the paparazzi for publicity. They
certainly should have stayed until
Elton John went off and another act
came on. But Hollywood stars are not normal-they think they are very
special! I for one would just like
to see Jake/Reese just out walking
in a park or paying a bill. I also
hope Jake/Reese do not use her kids
all the time. But it's their life.
Tom, let us know what you find out
about the restaurant.

Badge of PR said...

Did anyone notice: NO ONE ELSE in the front audience in the concert pics is wearing a VIP badge/necklace or any kind of a ticket. NO ONE ELSE. So why is Reeke the only ones? IMO, because they were backstage and were brought out for PR.

1. PR with the immediate audience ("We saw them 2 rows in front of us! They're so cute and they're a real couple!"). Remember, Reeke knows the value of word of mouth, bloggers, cellphone pics, texting and tweeting.

2. PR to be shown up on the screens (Reese and her bf Jack were at the concert!") so everyone even in the steerage nosebleed section will know Reeke, and how cute they are, was there.

3. PR for Elton and Reese. Elton has to make sure that everyone knows he has celebs going to his concerts, what better way to dedicate a song to them?!! But he has to dedicate a song to someone who is in the audience! He can't dedicate a song to a famewhoring snobby celeb who's being coddled and hidden in the VIP backstage section, who's gonna buy that? The celeb has to go out so the audience can see them. Reese and Elton greased each other's palms with that move.

4. PR so they look like they mixed with the common people even though in truth they really were backstage snobbing it up, especially Reese.

5. Most importantly, they were in front for the PR pics for the next US Reekly spread showing the happy couple and 2 kids doing the family all-American summer concert thing.


Yeah funny how no one else around them is wearing the VIP badges, or any badges for that matter. I wouldn't be surprised to find out the pap/entertainment news guy who did the pics was wearing a VIP badge either.

prairiegirl said...

Kacie said:
I for one would just like
to see Jake/Reese just out walking
in a park or paying a bill.


LOLLL! paying a bill. snicker. That was a good one, Kace. High Five. And you just say it in your usual understated way - great delivery.
You go, girl.

I didn't notice everyone else around them not wearing the badges, but nice point out. I was too busy looking at the expressions on everyone else's faces, just prime example of what PR would want. "Oh look! It's Reese and her boyfriend, what's his name! "

You know, usually it would seem that high profile A-list actress with BF and family would not want to sit down there "in the pit" where it can get a little lively. Do you know how it gets down there? Not necessarily violent, no, not at an Elton concert. But you're still going to get people stepping on your toes, drinks get sloshed, and when it's a really rocking song, bodies pressing up against each other.

Anyway, what I was going to say was when you see celebrities such as Reese at a concert like this, you're most likely going to see them up in the safety of a stadium/arena suite. When I used to go to concerts or any other professional sporting event, that's where my binoculars always went. Up into the suites or the safety of the sidelines where only other free pass holders are. That's where you see the celebs or other local athletes. They're not going to be sitting in the seats with Cul-de-Sac Family. That's one of the "perks" of being a "celeb". You get seated first at a restaurant. You get the choice seat or VIP pass. You get to stand on the field sidelines where the camera is going to pick you up.

heavy sigh. It's like you knew there was something not right about them being right down there in front at this concert, but at first you just couldn't put your finger on it. But then it starts coming to you and there's just all kinds of wrong with it.

Definitely Jessica Fletcher headshake worthy.

Okay, well, off to walk! Got to beat that hot sun today! Everyone up and at 'em! Off to work, all of you.

Barbara Billingsley is here to hand you your little sack lunch, fix of your ballcap, and a little peck on the cheek, and off you go!

philadelphia said...

Matt Baumgartner

"One quick note on celebrity, it must suck sometimes. Every single person in a 30 feet radius was taking photos and staring . At first I just naturally assumed they were all readers of my blog, so I just kept waving and waving. Not. Reese Witherspoon’s kids were so crazy cute. And those two seem like really great parents to those kids. Particularly Jake Gyllenhaal who spent most of the concert with Reese’s son on his shoulders."

Anonymous said...
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covering for 8:52 said...

Is it a coincidence that the Star that comes with my sunday newspaper had a picture of Ryan and Abby kissing. Then the Reeke family outing appears on the internet? Maybe I am overthinking this.

destiny said...

And those two seem like really great parents to those kids. Particularly Jake Gyllenhaal

Totally agree with everything you've said PG, especiallly about the age of the kids. I go to tons of concerts, and the only times I've seen kids that young is at outdoor, free concerts where people have picnics, the kids run around, you can come and go whenever you want etc.

Reeke sure hit a grand slam with this one--and by that, I mean Jake has really shown his true colors as the insecure, media attention at any cost, self-loathing,homophboic, stop at nothing including using children to prove he's straight Jake.

1. Family outing/Jake as a father

2. Showing how important Reeese is--look, Elton John dedicated a song just to her.

3. Arranged photos in a place where you'd expect photographers, plus the jumbo screen shots--by the way video on YouTube shows Jake picked up Deacon for Tiny Dancer, so it would show up on the jumbo scree--so that you can hopefully fool people into thinking you didn't arrange the shots/are using your kids.

Way to go Jake.

And way to go Austin, if you're still with him, for being with such a man

destiny said...

PG, forgot to say, see you and anyone else who cares to join us in chat.

my two cents said...

Spesh, I totally agree with your thoughts - I was thinking along those lines myself, that it is a reflection of the times as well, from classical Greece, feudal Japan, the Middle East, and tolerated to varying levels from total acceptance to vilification over the centuries. Not saying I approve, just sayin'. I also believe that it should make no difference, sexual orientation or gender, in how these things are viewed. I think my favorite feature of OMG is the OutSpotlights, not only interesting, but thought-provoking, sometimes with the answers not always tied up with a little neat bows at the end. I love the Bohemian way of thinking, I need to read more of Walt Whitman too. Thanks a lot, OMG. I have fallen totally in love with today's song as well. :)

prairiegirl said...

Yes, anyone else who wants to join in, come on ahead. We will be checking I.D. at the door, though. lol.

Well, I guess we need to be checking the upcoming concerts coming to Philly for the next couple of months. See who Reeke & Co is going to get free passes to next.

I want to see the 4 Witherspoons attend a Nickelback concert together next. Front row and center. Hey! May as well get in a request. I love their lead singer, lol.

I am really, really wondering if Jake was ever, ever remotely like the person he appeared to kind of be oh, about 4 years ago?

Was he ever like that? Was it all just a big puff of smoke for the cameras? Is this how he really is?

Someone who uses innocent little kids to further their own agenda and image? What in the heck is that all about?

That Jake from 2005-6 has just totally disappeared off the face of this earth. 'Scuse me while I hold a little impromptu memorial service here and flush that ghost right on down the toilet.

I'm trying to see something positive in the situation here but boy, what an impossible struggle. What positive Jake outing have we had in the past 7 months? Who knows if that green themed appearance at that H.S. was even sincere? I don't know who this guy is anymore and I don't see anyway he and Austin could possibly be a couple anymore. They look like two totally different types of people now going in two totally different directions.

Who could thrive in a such a relationship under these kind of circumstances? Nobody sane or normal that I know.

I challenge someone to provide some kind of positive or harmlessness in a publicity stunt such as this.

Someone provide an alternative argument when I say I think we are now seeing some real desperation on Jake's part when he stoops to wanting to be seen as a future stepfather to Reese's kids. Because I think that's the route being taken now.

And thank you, two cents, for pointing out something positive besides my ranting. I think you could call the Out Spotlights a community service, really. An educational tool? Am I phrasing it right?

Okay, well, I am off! sorry to be a real downer this morning.
Someone bring in the Gerber Daisies here and lighten things up. Unfortunately, it takes going to outside subject matter to do that, lol!