C’MON GET HAPPY: A LITTLE DOLLY GOES A LONG WAY!
We all know how important it is to keep up with current events: COVID, flooding, nuclear war, etc... However, after two years of non-stop drama, I’m giving us all permission to watch repeats of Friends and The Big Bang Theory for as long as we want! We’ve earned it.
I’ve noticed as I scroll through my phone at the news, I get increasingly anxious and depressed with every passing story. Now, I like to think of myself as a ‘glass half full’ kind of guy. But as hard as I try to turn lemons in to lemonade, lately it keeps turning into sour grapes. Don’t you just want to scream “STOP THE MADNESS!” at the top of your lungs? Do it! As the old Maccas commercial used to say: “You deserve a break today!”
I used to be really hard on myself about my chosen line of work: Entertainment Reporter/ Gossip Guru. While I’ve always loved dishing the dirt on celebs, there was a tiny voice in the back of my head that kept whispering: “You do this because you’re not smart enough to do REAL news.” Real news? Like war, crime, corruption and cruelty? Honey, I’ve reached the point where all I live for are the gossip mags, because I NEED a good laugh and something pretty to look at! And what is wrong with that?
The other week I dragged myself (in the rain) to see a musical production of 9 to 5 in Sydney. Little did I know the show would be narrated (on videotape) by the ‘Queen of Goodness’ herself, Dolly Parton. Hello heaven!
The show isn’t brain surgery – it’s a fun-filled two hours of singing, dancing and snappy one-liners. In other words, PERFECT! If I wanted misery, mayhem and maliciousness,
I’d sit at home in the dark and watch ABC News. I’ll stick with Dolly, silly musicals and Friends for the time being, thank you very much! It might be branded escapism or avoidance, but sometimes you gotta know when to top up your soul, when your glass hits half empty.
Follow Richard on Instagram @the_richardreid and Twitter @Rreidshollywood