HOPPER, EDWARDS, & WOODS

Dennis Hopper is dying from prostate cancer that's metastasized, and he's divorcing his wife. He's played wonderful villains who are ugly, brutal. sadistic, and it's difficult to know if this is the real Dennis, or another character he's playing, in order to hold onto his money.

Metastasis means that the cancer has spread from one part of the body to another -- the cancer cells forming secondary tumors like those in the original, primary tumor. I wonder if the "Billy" character Hopper created in "Easy Rider" is spreading, taking over Hopper's mind and sensibilities?

Some people who know Hopper, think so. Others feel that Hopper is protecting his estate. Victoria, his fifth and current wife, who's objecting to some of the expensive experimental therapies Hopper is trying; she may want to break the prenuptial agreement they have, and make sure she inherits all his money.

I think of Dennis Hopper (we've met) as a cactus. He's always been a man in the dessert, needing very little from nature, surviving, growing more prickly as he's aged. Even so, battling with his wife right now, seems like an extremely parched, masochistic way, a Dennis Hopper movie character's way to live his final days.

Why not share, and enjoy moments with his wife and daughter and their mutual friends -- why gather the money he's earned around himself, and fuss over it -- why not spend it on things he and his wife and six-year-old daughter could do together?

There's something similar in the Elizabeth Edwards' story, she with her stage-four incurable cancer. After writing her book, getting things off her chest -- after the National Inquirer's latest exposé on her husband striking her, and denying, then admitting that he fathered a child with the other woman -- s-t-o-p.

Enough is enough! Why go for a legal separation, or divorce, or any legal, public, ritual to break off what connects them?

What purpose does it serve? Mr. and Mrs. John Edwards are connected by the work they've shared, things they've done for people over the years. What's wrong with going on gracefully, graciously, neatly and thoroughly, with projects they've set in motion?

I'm just feeling the unity the "loving Edwards couple" projected, before and during the campaign years. And have somehow continued projecting, despite the ups and downs and painful revelations about his infidelity.

Both of them seem to be struggling to maintain what they are. John and Elizabeth are very adult, educated, sophisticated, generous, "people" persons. I wish I could convey to them what they'd probably convey to another couple, who came to them for advice, with similar problems.

What about the Tiger Woods and Elin story? They're not a king and queen, and aren't geared up or prepared to live in the spotlight -- the spotlights of television and gossip columnists who thrive on what celebrities are doing, wearing, and playing at.

I'm not shocked, amazed, surprised, or even critical of the bad things Tiger has done -- I'm shocked, critical and amazed by the huge, ludicrous focus of the media on his private life, his morality, and now his apology.

We certainly don't need the media's analysis of his explanation to them -- but oh yes, of course, we're going to hear it. "He should have -- " "He shouldn't have --" "Why didn't he say --?" "He said "sorry" how many times ...?"

Okay, we're worried about ourselves, health, health care, money, the wars, race prejudice, gay marriage, Tea Partiers, terrorism, the national debt -- and because we can't solve those problems, they're festering, continually erupting, while we primly, with pinched-mouth tut-tuts, focus on a young, good-looking, interracial couple. And tell each other thoughtfully, what they should or shouldn't do.

Should the Hoppers divorce? Maybe the battle with her gives him energy to fight for his life. Should the Edwards go their separate ways? Maybe the public spectacle gives her energy to stay alive, and helps him pull himself together, stop standing in the corner like a "bad boy," and get some work done.

What famous people ought to do is always an interesting diversion from what I need to do.

What I need to figure out, is what to write about tomorrow, and which post to use for Airbroadcasting's next new video. And stop preaching "leave them alone."

I'll say it once more quietly -- we don't really know these people and the stories behind the story in the news. We need to back away and pay attention to other things.