Paul's reaction to John's death

lowendbob · Post by **lowendbob** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 7:59 am

I watched that clip 4 times. It was the first time I saw it. I agree with Mike. The line "it's a drag isn't it" surely makes Paul seem callous, and as he stands there nervously smacking on that gum tends to make me agree with Paul W. that he's wondering if someone is going to walk up to him with a gun.
I don't know. I have always been a huge fan of McCartney but the more I look back and catch glimpses of his personality he does seem to be somewhat of an Ahole. Much to my disappointment. From what Brian said above that pretty much sums it up.

revolver323 · Post by **revolver323** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 8:30 am

I don't think you can judge any "personality" from what you see them do, hear said by them or read about them. That's the face they present -- sometimes have to present --in public. Unless you interact over a long period of time with a person in private and through good times and bad, it's very difficult to know what they truly feel or do. I've said this about McCartney before, but it applies to anyone that we know only from what the media presents: none of us knows what Paul does on the side to help people, or if he's really a good dad, or if he screams if the toilet paper is wound the wrong way. None of us knows if he womps Heather on the head with her artificial leg, for that matter. we don't see his inner workings. Sometimes you run into someone who presents the same face in all situations, and it is a very nice face indeed. But again, if Tony Levin or Ringo Starr or George Bush is sweet to me and punches out the next person he sees, which Tony or Ringo or George is the real one?

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 9:05 am

I think you are correct , Dave, with regard to "media persona" vs "real persona". Media image is a product of press agent claptrap and is constantly, in the case of celebrities like Macca, being tweaked to support and enhance the "brand".

But, in the case of first impressions in one-to-one encounters, if we can turn off our critical faculties--that little voice inside of us that often contradicts what our eyes and ears show us--our guts are amazingly accurate at reading people.

Some might call this "judging by appearances alone", and they would be only partially right. We do have very accurate capacity for reading the whole person's "message" in a very short time, and appearances are a small part only.

The difficulty is that we are always taught to give people a "break" if there's a negative impression, so we let our minds contribute to the mix far too much.

To turn off the critical faculties where people are concerned and to, as a result, see them "unfiltered", is often the work of a lifetime.

lowendbob · Post by **lowendbob** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 9:07 am

Good point Dave, but viewing the film Let it Be probably gets you as close to the real Mccartney as one can be. In that film he appeared to be a very annoying arrogant, hyper, obnoxious person. One that I would probably not get along very well with.
I still love him though, and I would love to see him knock Heather upside the head with that leg of hers.

325_fan · Post by **325_fan** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 9:20 am

I didn't plan on responding to this after I posted it, but I admire Paul's humility in the light that he's one of the most prolific songwriters of the 20th century and definately the wealthiest. He could be a lot more arrogant and cocky if he wanted to. The reporter in that clip was the a**hole.

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 11:06 am

How close to your "Real Self" would you be if your friend for most of your life was senselessly gunned down earlier that day? I know I wouldn't be myself in that instance.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 11:20 am

I have no doubt that Macca and JL were lifetime acquaintances, but if their friendship lasted the entire period, I would be surprised. By late 1968, it had moved to mere tolerance of each others' presences for business reasons, and when that failed, the friendship was long over and even pretense was eliminated.

My own take on Paul's mood in the video is an impression that his behavior has reinforced continually over the past 35 years--that he is a showman; that he lives in a bubble, and that that bubble is just the way he likes it, because he has difficulty in connecting with people on an emotional level.

He loves adulation and admiration, is quite talented and puts on a heck of a show, but there's always two qualities that give me pause: the little boy pleading with his world to notice him (makes him a good entertainer) and the necessity to compartmentalize his world, which I believe kept him from ever really understanding JL's presence or his loss, because Macca's world was always self-centered.

winston · Post by **winston** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 12:38 pm

Well said Paul. I also share that view.

jojo99 · Post by **jojo99** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 5:00 pm

I think the thing people found upsetting about that whole McCartney incident was how he was casually chewing gum while he said it...it just somehow made his words seem more superficial for some reason. He said it was a "drag", but IT *WAS* A DRAG! Almost any other word he may have substitued would have sounded equally cliched or insincere, with that darn gum.
I personally find George's reaction to John's death more puzzling...I've read he released a statement saying he was "shocked and stunned" at hearing of his death. If you've ever seen "The Rutles", a film George was involved in, there's a scene where the various Rutles are reacting to their manager's death, and it's a play on the whole banality of saying one is "Shocked and stunned"..one Rutle says he's "shocked", another adds "and stunned", then another says "shocked AND stunned"..."yeah, very stunned"... in light of that, why would George resort to such banality in his planned statement? "Deeply saddened" always works in a pinch... but then again, George and John never made peace, unlike Paul and John.

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 8:43 pm

>>>...Macca's world was always self-centered.

Dittos, Paul.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 5:36 am

Me? Self-centered? (WINK)

lowendbob · Post by **lowendbob** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 6:02 am

Well said Paul.

Heck, how many years was it after Linda died did it take Paul to get hooked up with Heather.
I for one would probably never get over the untimely death of my beloved wife for so many years.
Yes, some people say we don't know how we would react to such circumstances but there is certainly a pattern exposed with Sir Paul.

rickinroma · Post by **rickinroma** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 6:25 am

I am not sure we can judge people's feeling just measuring how long does it take them to get married again after their wife's death
People are just different and react differently facing the same situation

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 9:23 am

Macca bashing is so cliche.

lowendbob · Post by **lowendbob** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 9:30 am

Jerry I certainly have not intended to bash Macca. I was just expressing an observation.
As I stated before, I still love him.