A Crash Course In Fame: Sully vs. Suleman

The Los Angeles Times ^ | 2/13/09 | Mary McNamara

[lewisglad]

Not only were we served up two of our very favorite cultural icons -- American Hero and Psycho Mother -- but the spate of competing interviews offered a breathtaking look at a generational and zeitgeist gap the likes of which we haven't seen since the Greatest Generation gave birth to the hippies.

Ann Curry in full stern-headmistress mode -- I'm thinking they decided at the last moment the wimple really was too much -- acting as surrogate for the millions of Americans who feel outraged by Suleman's decision to have 14 children when she has no job, no husband, no money, nothing in fact but the desire to have a bunch of kids. Oh, and lips that look suspiciously like they have been tweaked to resemble Angelina Jolie's.

But Suleman refused to be cowed. Amazingly articulate for a woman who had given birth to multiples less than two weeks before, she answered every charge of selfishness and irresponsibility with a camera-ready smile and the lingua franca of self-esteem, including references to a need for connection, a dysfunctional family and a personal void that could have been directly lifted from any major women's magazine.

If she said the word "choice" once, she said it a hundred times, content in the knowledge that in 21st century America, one is discouraged from judging another's choices. It was as if "The Secret" had been made flesh; she wanted something, she single-mindedly pursued it, she remained positive about it and look -- she achieved her life's dream. Don't judge her.

Indeed, watching Suleman, it was difficult not to consider her circumstance as culturally and industrially inevitable. Given our society's still-relentless message that nothing is more important than the pursue-your-bliss entitlement and the new fertility technology, it's actually pretty amazing something like this hasn't happened before

[Lorianne]

Fantastic article! So well written. (You should give Mary McNamara credit).

Thanks for posting!

[lewisglad]

My bad, I hit the button too early and didn’t get the date on either. :(

[Drew68]

Two descriptions stand out when reading this article:

Octomom - nothing is more important than parenthood combined with the pursue-your-bliss entitlement.

Sully - a reminder of a time when duty trumped desire and self-esteem was something you earned.

Great article! Thanks for posting.

[Eva]

Good article, but it is mostly about media perceptions. What it misses is the fact that Captain Suleman has a second business, Emergency response training. The key to emergency response is to be so well trained that emotion plays no part in your response, your brain goes on automatic pilot.

[Lets Be Frank]

I love the description of the Katie Couric interview Capt. Sully did. Great article. hard to believe it is in the LA Times.

[Donald Rumsfeld Fan]

On and on it went, Couric trying to "humanize" the pilot through the now-standardized perp walk of television interviews. Though she mercifully stopped short of the infamous "Did you cry?" she pulled out pretty much everything else. Did you pray? she asked. What were you thinking? Were you afraid?

Over and over Sullenberger answered, friendly but firm, that all of his thoughts, actions and emotions were focused on one thing and one thing alone -- landing the plane. He didn't think of the passengers, he didn't have time to pray, he didn't feel personal fear, he didn't suddenly remember some significant thing his father once told him when he was 7 or that he needed to tell his wife he loved her because, you know, he never said it often enough. He was just trying to do whatever was necessary to: Not. Crash. The Plane.

[Tax-chick]

Good article, but it is mostly about media perceptions.

Media perceptions are what a lot of people have instead of reality.

[lewisglad]

“Don’t ever call me Shirley!” :)

[Donald Rumsfeld Fan]

On and on it went, Couric trying to "humanize" the pilot through the now-standardized perp walk of television interviews. Though she mercifully stopped short of the infamous "Did you cry?" she pulled out pretty much everything else. Did you pray? she asked. What were you thinking? Were you afraid?

Did you sniff glue?

Over and over Sullenberger answered, friendly but firm, that all of his thoughts, actions and emotions were focused on one thing and one thing alone -- landing the plane. He didn't think of the passengers, he didn't have time to pray, he didn't feel personal fear, he didn't suddenly remember some significant thing his father once told him when he was 7 or that he needed to tell his wife he loved her because, you know, he never said it often enough. He was just trying to do whatever was necessary to: Not. Crash. The Plane.

Hey Katie....You've just met a real man. You're spending too much time with liberal Girlie Men at CBS and other liberal habitats.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

[org.whodat]

Most crazy people do not realize they are crazy, they think you are. Next page!!

[Joann37]

I’m surprised (and glad to see) that the L.A. times is not glofiying this idiot octomom. I thought the libs would be glorifying her and what she put over.

[thirst4truth]

A huge difference in morals too. Sully called the library a few days after the crash and apologized for not being able to return the library book he had checked out a week earlier due to the fact it was in the hold of the plane ruined with water.

What was the book? A book about ethics in business!!

[dennisw]

188. Well taxpayers, do you want to know what Nadya is entitled to in payments from the State of California? First, it is in Nadya's best interest to be a great mom, and keep all those kids at home, because each kid is a a dollar sign $$$. She gets over $600 per head if the kids are disabled, so far there are 3. Next, she gets food stamps for 14 kids. She is smart. She knows, as a single Mom, she will be entitled to education benefits for herself, to get her Master's Degree paid by state. If she was married, she would not be entitled to her education benefits. Very smart of you Nadya. Also, she gets Section 8 housing, or probably a free house. Each head of cattle gets her free daycare for all the hours she spends in school, studying for her free Master's Degree, as soon as she gets a job, benefits start to get cut off and she knows that. So, as soon as she finishes her master's degree in psychobabble, she will realize she cannot raise a family on that income, so, no problem, change her major, go back to school for another 10 years, for free, don't work, keep the kids in free daycare, food stamps an disability payments keep rolling it. Throw in a phony back injury claim, girl, you are set for life. Oh, don't forget to apply for childcare under your mom's name, this way your Mom will get paid to keep the kids at home, more downstream money to you!! Well, got to go Nadya, I'm at work, on my break. I'll be thinking of you while I am working and supporting you. by the way, you do have adorable babies. I hope they are raised by someone other than you, so they will have a chance at learning somethinig called, accountability, work ethic, responsibility.

Posted at 8:47PM on Feb 14th 2009 by mec