I am a long-time fan of Eminem and catching glimpses of the Oscars last month was pleasantly surprised to see him perform one of my favorite songs, Lose Yourself. Eminem came from nothing, gave it everything he had and made himself famous. The song is not only his anthem, but anyone’s wishing to make the most of a chance.
As I was watching Eminem’s performance with my TV volume almost at the max, I felt myself wanting to phone-in to the show to tell the producers to please ask Mr. Eminem to PULL UP HIS PANTS! Eminem is not old by any stretch, but he is, in my humble opinion, too old to be running around on a stage with his pants below his buttocks. He’s an iconic performer who has earned his way as a superstar. He no longer needs to be either competing with the 20-somethings or proving anything to anybody! Then I remembered Jennifer Lopez’s halftime performance on the Superbowl the week prior.  She is, again, by no means old, and as a 50-year-old still looks quite fit.  Like Eminem, J Lo came from nothing and made herself a superstar. She seized her moment long ago, and is now an iconic performer.  However, I was aghast watching her run around the stage during the family-friendly Super Bowl, wearing little more than a bathing suit, shaking her bottom, spreading her legs and grabbing herself. I wanted to call the producers of the halftime show and tell them to please ask Ms. Lopez to PUT SOME PANTS ON!
Young people love iconic inspirations because they see themselves in them, not as competitors, but rather as symbols of achievement.  Older people love iconic inspirations because they remind them of that feeling of having nothing to lose. Why did J Lo base her performance on showcasing her body rather than her achievement? It seemed sort of pathetic and inappropriate for young children.  It seemed inappropriate for her own children.
And for that matter, why did Eminem run around on stage with his pants falling down?  It seemed like he was reliving the past rather than looking ahead to a future.  We all age and get to an understanding that we are not Peter Pan living amongst the Lost Boys in a land where we never grow up.  We actually do grow up and even though we don’t have to behave like a person without hopes, dreams or aspirations, we still get older and wiser and learn valuable lessons like physical appearance matters less, and inner strength, beauty and accomplishments matter more.
So, to Eminem and J Lo, I say “Put some pants on. Wear a belt and remember, you are great long-term performers because… you are talented! Lose yourself in that!”
Remember! Remember!
Kathy Naumann, possessor of NATURALLY curly hair and the understanding that you can’t control everything!

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