Dragon-wings From United States of America, joined Apr 2001, 3920 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (6 years 8 months 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 2291 times:
When she grows up she is going to be one smart girl. I mean she is only 8 years old now and she talks so well. Plus I don't know many 8 year olds who can speak like that in front of a very large crowd.
AndesSMF From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (6 years 8 months 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 2285 times:
Quoting TedTAce (Reply 1): You know you can say this, that, and the other about Steve, but he was a great family man.
That is one main reason why his passing affected me so much. These types of families (like the Costeaus, Leakeys, etc.) have a habit of hanging around with each other for decades. It was not a stretch to assume that 30 years in the future Steve would have Bindi and Bob working with him. After all, Steve worked with his dad, too.
VH-KCT* From Australia, joined May 2001, 479 posts, RR: 2 Reply 5, posted (6 years 8 months 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 2256 times:
Whilst I was most upset at Steve Irwin's passing. The 'public memorial' that was staged at the Australia Zoo seemed like nothing more than a television show, and Bindi's speech seemed like nothing more than her public debut - getting her brand up and running.
I think that it's very unlikely that that speech was her own doing - rather it was likely scripted to be a moving moment for those credulous enough to believe that she really was up there for pure reasons - meanwhile filming is starting on her new show and the royalties are only months away.
Her agent/publicist even described her as 'an incredible young woman'. For heaven's sake, she's 8 years old! She's a little girl who probably can't even tie her own shoes or spell! Yet her career has been decided for her and already she's a woman.
The whole thing reeks of exploitation and sexualisation and I'm surprised that more people haven't spoken out against it.
And I suppose that you've witnessed her spelling and shoe-tying, Mr Ace. The fact is that she is 8 years old - she is in grade 3, and being able to write 'I love my daddy' does not make one a woman, nor does it make one an adolescent nor even a pre-pubescent.
Actually, your sarcasm surprises and disappoints me; for somebody who regularly proclaims your superior knowledge of paternalistic matters, I would have expected you to find this situation unacceptable.
VHVXB From Australia, joined Apr 2006, 5517 posts, RR: 20 Reply 9, posted (6 years 8 months 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 2207 times:
Quoting VH-KCT* (Reply 5): I think that it's very unlikely that that speech was her own doing - rather it was likely scripted to be a moving moment for those credulous enough to believe that she really was up there for pure reasons - meanwhile filming is starting on her new show and the royalties are only months away.
Trekster From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 10, posted (6 years 8 months 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 2183 times:
Amazing little girl. Shes 8 and experienced MUCH more than i have in the world. Animal wise. Been to god knows how many different places.
She and her little brother will grow up to do some great things at that zoo.
Its amazing there
J_Hallgren From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 1507 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (6 years 8 months 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 2178 times:
My Dad died when I was 8, and even though that was MANY years ago, and I don't recall much of that timeframe, I REALLY doubt I would have been able to read something like that in front of that huge of an audience at that age, let alone at a memorial service to my Dad....I had trouble keeping it together to say somethings at funeral when my Mom died just 4 yrs ago, when I was in mid-40's...
DeltaGator From United States of America, joined Sep 2005, 6341 posts, RR: 16 Reply 12, posted (6 years 8 months 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 2168 times:
Smart girl who obviously didn't write that speech but is advanced enough to know what it means and is her feelings even if she couldn't put it to paper in exactly that way.
Quoting Dragon-wings (Reply 2): Plus I don't know many 8 year olds who can speak like that in front of a very large crowd.
When I was at the zoo a few months back they had signs everywhere for a show she was going to do for a couple of weeks.Basically they were going to make her work for her birthday and perform these shows to get her cake.
Quoting STLGph (Reply 4): She'll have her own branding very, very, soon.
Having been to the gift shop at the zoo I can confirm that already exists.
Quoting VH-KCT* (Reply 5): Yet her career has been decided for her and already she's a woman.
While I'm sure her family sees her as having the ability to take on the zoo's "empire" and she seems up to the task right now I'll be interested to see where she is in 10-15 years. Will she still have the zeal to do all that work? Perhaps she will. I think of it as taking over the family business.
Quoting VH-KCT* (Reply 5): The whole thing reeks of exploitation and sexualisation and I'm surprised that more people haven't spoken out against it.
Sexualization? I wouldn't go that far. It's not like they are parading her around in a skimpy bikini chasing crocodiles. I wouldn't even go as far as explotation since she likes what she does. Will that continue in life? Time will only tell.
"If you can't delight in the misery of others then you don't deserve to be a college football fan."
Regarding exploitation and sexualisation. I'm sure that she enjoys what she does at the moment, but the problems that I can see are twofold:
1. Adults don't run to the same timeframe as kids. While her agent is signing her up for 10 year deals, the kid's interests are going to wander, and yet she'll be limited in what she can do because of her job. Think about that for a minute: an eight year-old with job commitments. What about her right to a childhood? I understand that she's taking over the family business, but as I say, she's eight years old. Nobody should have to go into business at the age of eight.
2. Australians have a fairly good track record at turning on famous people cf. Nikki Webster. In case you don't know, Nikki Webster starred in the Sydney Olympics opening ceremony and was the darling of Australia much as is Bini Irwin now. Fast forward about a year or so and Nikki Webster was the butt of all jokes, shunned as an irritating precocious ugly showoff. Fast forward to today and Nikki Webster's only publicity derives from appearing topless and in various other sexually suggestive poses in a mens' magazine to 'celebrate' her 18th birthday. In other words, she was publicising that it's now socially acceptable to objectify her.
Also, I don't think that Bindi Irwin needs to be scantily clad and gyrating to be subject to sexualisation.
Firstly, the fact that she is female has made her famous and adored. I don't believe that a young boy would ever receive such attention - for example, could any Australians name the young boy that appeared in the Melbourne Commonwealth Games opening ceremony? Of course they couldn't, because his name was barely mentioned in the media and nobody listened anyway.
Secondly, she has already been labelled as a woman by her agent/publicist: nobody would ever label an eight year-old boy a man - that's absurd - but apparently this kid is a woman. She doesn't need to be scantily clad, she can still be sexualised by words and press releases such as this.
This kid should at school learning to paint, spell and run. Instead she's surrenderring her childhood to make pre-written speeches at her dad's funeral to line the pockets of adults who should know better - and that includes everybody who supports her in her publicity. I think that anybody who really cared about this kid would have the decency to tell her to get off TV and go back to school.
TedTAce From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 16, posted (6 years 8 months 22 hours ago) and read 2121 times:
Quoting VH-KCT* (Reply 7): I would have expected you to find this situation unacceptable.
I'm not sitting here saying she wrote the whole thing or that she was un-coached at all, but the fact you are giving her NO credit is offensive. My son turns 8 in about a week, and while he's not as smooth a talker when reading aloud, his vocabulary is impeccable for his age. He does tie his own shoes, and it would seem at the pace he is going, he will ave a better understanding of math then me in a few short years.
Well yes, the 'feeding the croc with the baby' incident did make some people think that he was an unfortunate father
Quoting ThePRGuy (Reply 15): Its evident Steve was a huge national figure, as the support there is overwhelming
And yet before his death, he was subject to the national hate that is almost without fail bestowed upon prominent Australians (although he avoided some of it by appearing on TV outside of Australia).
VH-KCT* From Australia, joined May 2001, 479 posts, RR: 2 Reply 18, posted (6 years 8 months 21 hours ago) and read 2111 times:
Quoting TedTAce (Reply 16): I'm not sitting here saying she wrote the whole thing or that she was un-coached at all, but the fact you are giving her NO credit is offensive.
And what a pleasent memory it will be for her when she is 18, 28, 38, 58, 88... to look back at her father's memorial and think how she used it to launch her media career with a speech written by her publicist.
Quoting TedTAce (Reply 16): Ok Mr. Perfect What age is a girl a 'woman'? Have you not ever heard the term before when referring to a female child of a certain level of maturity?
Firstly, an eight year-old girl is not a woman - a woman is somebody who is matured. A child that reads in front of an audience is not a woman.
Secondly, calling an eight year-old child a woman is sexist and sexualises the child. Whether I hear people calling eight year-olds women or not is neither here nor there, other than demonstrating the prevalence of this overt sexualisation that you seem to find acceptable.
Finally, it seems that you are calling me Mr. Perfect becasue I'm able to avoid calling a young girl a woman. I don't think that this is perfection at all, it's just realising that children who don't even understand what sex means should not be burdened with sexuality.
Skidmarks From UK - England, joined Dec 2004, 7121 posts, RR: 60 Reply 19, posted (6 years 8 months 21 hours ago) and read 2105 times:
Well, I knew when I saw that clip on the telly that there would be serious controversy about it.
Bindi is 8, has had to cope with her dad passing and then making a speech at his memorial service.
While I think she is extremely brave in doing this, I do share the concern shown by VH-KCT at the apparent "corporate" image she presented. I would hope that her Mother is very careful what she allows the "brand" to become and how much it takes over Bindi's life.
At 8 years old she shouldn't have a care in the world. While I don't doubt for one minute she thoroughly enjoys what she does at the zoo, there will come a time when she may not want to be commited there 24/7, in order to satisfy some contract or other. After all, she has to learn about life and all it's ups and downs, and she sure isn't going to do that cocooned in some "Irwin Family Empire"
Hopefully she won't go down the same route as Nikki Webster. If her mother has any savvy at all she will allow the moment to be savoured and then draw a line under it, and return the girl to as normal a life as she can have without her father. Encourage her to do all the things little girls of that age do and not allow her exploitation.
It certainly isn't worth arguing about in A.net or anywhere else come to that. I just hope she CAN put this tragedy behind her and get on with life without the corporate junkies screwing her up. Oh, and keep the bloodsucking media out of her face too!!
TedTAce From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 20, posted (6 years 8 months 21 hours ago) and read 2100 times:
Quoting Skidmarks (Reply 19): I do share the concern shown by VH-KCT at the apparent "corporate" image she presented.
oy feh.
You know if Bindi ends up becomming some spoiled drunkart bitch a-la Nichole Richey, you guys will be right. My money is on the hope she will take her dad's place (as best possible) and she will raise millions (if not Billions) in the name of the environment.
Boeing Nut From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 21, posted (6 years 8 months 19 hours ago) and read 2068 times:
Quoting VH-KCT* (Reply 7): And I suppose that you've witnessed her spelling and shoe-tying, Mr Ace. The fact is that she is 8 years old - she is in grade 3, and being able to write 'I love my daddy' does not make one a woman, nor does it make one an adolescent nor even a pre-pubescent.
Actually, your sarcasm surprises and disappoints me; for somebody who regularly proclaims your superior knowledge of paternalistic matters, I would have expected you to find this situation unacceptable.
Oh lighten up. would ya? There are few things that are worse than taking a situation like this and demeaning it. Nice work.
VH-KCT* From Australia, joined May 2001, 479 posts, RR: 2 Reply 23, posted (6 years 8 months 9 hours ago) and read 1999 times:
Quoting Boeing Nut (Reply 21): Oh lighten up. would ya? There are few things that are worse than taking a situation like this and demeaning it. Nice work.
That's an interesting choice of words. You seem to be suggesting that by me noting the blatant use of a man's public memorial to launch the international media career of his eight year-old daughter by her middle-aged publicists, I'm demeaning something!
What, exactly, am I demeaning? The theft of a childhood? The use of children to make middle-aged men rich? The labelling of an eight year-old as a woman? Well yes, I am demeaning them, because no adult should have the right to use a child to make him rich, depriving that child of a childhood in the process.
And as long as people stand back and allow this to happen, admonishing anybody who dares to speak out against what is plain to see because it breaks the fabricated mood of a brave loving daughter (perfectly crafted to appeal to the fantasies of every middle-aged man that desires a beautiful young daughter who unconditionally loves him), then they are no better than those who seek to make their living from the life of this girl.
TedTAce From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 24, posted (6 years 8 months 6 hours ago) and read 1962 times:
Quoting VH-KCT* (Reply 23): You seem to be suggesting that by me noting the blatant use of a man's public memorial to launch the international media career of his eight year-old daughter by her middle-aged publicists, I'm demeaning something!
If you want to think about it Mr. Wise guy she made her "International debut" when she popped out of Terry's womb on the Discovery Channel, or did you forget?
25 VH-KCT*: Well I never knew that she was born on television. Steve Irwin only ever had one series of one of his shows on free-to-air television in Australia on
26 AndesSMF: That's not our problem. Steve Irwin kept his show as a family affair, and you should know that already by knowing about little Bob intro at 2 months
27 VH-KCT*: How utterly ironic that you suggest that I'm demeaning this child and suggest that what I have posted is 'low'. I would have thought that giving a fa
28 AndesSMF: Jeez, boy (16-20), you have no idea what you are talking about.
29 VH-KCT*: I know exactly what I'm talking about. And you have failed to show me in any way how my concern for this child is a demeaning act. Instead all you ha
30 AndesSMF: How could that be a snide comment? If I had called you a 'man', I would be 'sexualizing' you and I certainly wouldnt want to do that. It upset you, a
31 VH-KCT*: For your information, I was referring to the above. I found this to be a very snide and dismissive comment as I am sure almost anybody would. I doubt
32 Dragon-wings: Did you ever think that this is what Bindi wants to do?
33 KiwiinOz: I agree with you 100%. I'm sure the poor kid has had her whole grieving process confused and muddled by a bunch of stage managers coaching her, and n
34 VH-KCT*: Children want to do plenty of things, but as adults we should remember that they are children and therefore we have a responsibility to ensure their
35 AndesSMF: To answer your posts further... It WAS a TV show. This was arranged prior to her father's passing. What makes you think your opinion was right and the
36 JetsGo: VH-KCT*, dude you are pathetic. Loosen your panties and grow up a bit will you? I think you are just a bit jealous of their fame and upset for your sh
37 VH-KCT*: That doesn't make them acceptable. I've already responded to this, but if I must then I will respond to it again: 1. Being able to spell short words
39 Boeing Nut: One thing is very clear, you are micro analyzing this to death. What you have demeaned is the meaning itself behind the reading Bindi made. This was
40 AndesSMF: Two questions: Is she a woman? Is she young?
41 VH-KCT*: Due to the degeneration of this thread to personal insults and (that guaranteed sign of a dead thread) the use of little quotes with pointed replies,
42 KiwiinOz: No it wasn't. It was a public memorial service. Whilst I found the Bindi show a little creepy, there were other "cringe-worthy" moments. In particula
43 TedTAce: In other words we won and you lost. If that's all you had choosen to express, that would have been fine. a simple 'hey I don't like it' would have be
45 VH-KCT*: Sorry, I know I said that I was out but when I came back, your last post was just too delicious to leave unanswered. I mean it was that predictable th
46 Boeing Nut: Same difference! We got your point, you just took the wrong time to deliver it.
48 AndesSMF: Ah, you remember those days, Ted, dont you? When we were young a thought we were men, only to finally grow older and more experienced and finally rea
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