• Serena Williams might not know it but she is justifying the persecution of women as surely as it happens in Muslim countries or in China or anywhere all over the world. How can we point the finger at the stoning of women in a Muslim country for instance when we excuse acts that are equally barbaric in our own country. The inhumanity that attends these horrific assaults cannot be excused or justified by anyone and time we all knew it. - Rhoda
  • Let's run with the argument that it is the woman's fault for a moment... "Women shouldn’t be walking the streets late at night." Its quite easy to say that, surprisingly so in fact, but lets examine that statement (and statements of that ilk) in greater detail. The response to that question has to be: "why?" The answer lies in the implied extension of that statement: "Women shouldn’t be walking the streets late at night - because they might get raped and or murdered by men" The "by men" bit at the end of that statement might seem a bit heavy-handed on my part, but when you think about it... its pretty f'cking unlikely that any woman would get raped and or murdered by another woman, and despite the logic of that - I want us to look at the complete and fully realised "statement" that victim blaming uses. There are two main issues highlighted by the extension of the original statement. 1. IF YOU DO "A" THEN ITS POSSIBLE THAT "B" WILL HAPPEN. Its a bit of a non sequiter that a woman walking the streets late at night is likely to get raped, so its pretty crap advice really. Good advice includes things like: - Don't go swimming with sharks, or you might get eaten. - Don't walk through the African jungle, or you might get killed by a lion. - Don't play Russian Roulette with a gun or you will probably blow your own head off. But ""Women shouldn’t be walking the streets late at night - because they might get raped and or murdered by men" is crap advice, and here is why: The good advice given above is good because the results are a NATURAL consequence of your actions. No shark is gonna see you in the water and think to itself "no, I think I would rather have a salad right now", no lion will think to itself "there is a stranger in my territory, and actually - I am comfortable about that", and guns - well... they don't think at all, its just a statistical probability that your head is gonna end up with two extra holes in it if you play Russian Roulette. It is NOT a natural consequence of her actions that a woman might get raped and or murdered if she walks the streets at night. And here is WHY: Because the perpetrator has to make a CONSCIOUS DECISION to proceed with that action. To consider the alternative - that men have no choice but to follow their primal instincts to hunt and kill - is terrifying if given any credence, but mostly its a complete load of bollocks. Its a CHOICE, it is ALWAYS a choice to commit rape and murder. 2. ... BY MEN. - Not "BY another woman" - Not "BY the OPALS" - Not "BY the participants of a hens Night" If its gonna happen, then its gonna be a man who does it. So, we are aware of WHO is doing this, and the extent of our response is to blame the victim and lightly punish the offender (if they get convicted, nothing devalues a person's worth like seeing the person who raped 23 women get 35 years in gaol). That's it, that is ALL that our society does. We do NOTHING to prevent it from happening. Where are our role models taking a vocal and very public stand on rape? Ever seen a football player condemn another team mate for assaulting or raping a woman? Nooooooooo, it will be a f'cking cold day in hell before that ever happens. Where are the classes in primary school to indoctrinate male children that they must not rape or murder women? Sure, we have self defence classes for women... but while we are at it - why don't we just put a few more ambulances at the bottom of the cliff rather than a fence at the top. Our society is well aware of this problem, yet our society takes no proactive steps to address the root-cause of the problem. Instead it is easier for us to blame the victim, and it is this victim blaming which carries the inherent dismissal of a woman's worth as a person... because our culture finds it socially acceptable to blame the woman, and our society couldn't be bothered to get of its collective arse to do something very real about it. If men were being raped and murdered by other men at the same rate it happens to women, I bet this shit would be stopped overnight. - TYLER DURDEN
  • Tony is right you know. I was a little taken aback when I first read the "fat arse" commentary in the newspaper and wondered what the dickens. A bit of checking revealed the context. The point to make about female leaders such as Angela Merkel and Julie Gillard is they challenge the old boy's network and offer or model an alternative vision of public service by virtue of their position alone. - Rhoda
  • Lee I agree with your summation. Actually I think Julia Gillard has greater potential to be a strong and compassionate leader than Ms Greer suggests. She has had the most diabolically difficult time of any leader in this country. First female PM. Disloyalty within own ranks. Corruption inquiries into a previous ALP state government in the most populous state. A hung Parliament situation. An extremely aggressive Opposition leader. A hostile media. And yet she has still managed to fight for important nation building legislation: education reform, national broadband, disability support scheme. In recent years she has reminded me of a computer game figure swatting at dragons and falling down into pits. Game over. No she is up again. I agree wholeheartedly that Gillard has been assailed by bad old fashioned Anglo-Celt sexism of a particularly nasty tone. I have written here before that I have been astounded by its ferocity and feel personally violated as do many others it seems. But if I vote at all this coming election it will not be because JG is a woman, it will be because I think she is an admirably courageous person who has shown herself to have visionary plans for this country. If I ticked the relevant box it would be because I believe she has the potential to deal humanely and sensibly with refugees and develop policies that put an end to the exploitation of the environment. She might even look again at media laws and taxation reform. Who knows what she could do with a bit of wriggle room. I have no allegiance to any political party, just admiration for certain individuals within parties. In my opinion Julia Gillard has shown she has what it takes to be a leader in her own right. - Dianne
  • @ Bridgeymah: "denigration of PM Gillard with her comment that “Ms Gillard wore unflattering jackets and had a “big arse”. Greer was NOT denigrating Gillard, she was exhorting her to ignore her male minders who were deciding her wardrobe. And rightly so - they were dressing her up in ridiculous Barbie doll jackets all pinched in at the waist, presumably to give the impression of an hourglass figure they felt would be more appealing to men. Greer was telling her accept her own body shape and stop allowing men to distort it and fashion it according to their own idealized tastes. She may have expressed herself clumsily but she was extremely frustrated, she was imploring Gillard - "Julia! Women are fat-arsed creatures! You've got a fat arse, get over it, stop wearing those ridiculous jackets." And guess what? She stopped wearing them! As usual the media chose to misrepresent what Greer said by sensationalizing the "fat arse" part and turning it into an insult. IT WASN'T!! It was ADVICE!! Just like saying to a male PM wearing a hairpiece to appeal to women - "Men go bald! You're bald, get over it, stop wearing that ridiculous hairpiece." - Tony W
  • @ MicheleS: "Serena Williams stated she did not blame the girl" And yet that's exactly what she did. Refer Oxford: blame: assign the responsibility for a bad or unfortunate situation or phenomenon to (someone or something) - Tony W
  • I seen a lot of this: anyone to read ur essay is already a convert. We all worried about this foreboding change, and I imagine no backward step at the time of election. Conservatives are so desperate to control govt they sure to fail. Look at Corey Bernardo's Facebook and grasp the horror. It will be ok. Fanks. - Andy Harris
  • It has got nothing to do with being a woman, Thatcher, Merkel, Helen Clark were all successful female leaders who commanded respect and won majorities in elections, so far Gillard has achieved neither and looks likely to suffer the fate of former Canadian PM Kim Campbell in the election by taking her party to virtual obliteration. I am afraid the choice is not now between Gillard and Abbott, that is clearly now no electoral contest, but between Rudd and Abbott, only Rudd can stop an Abbott government and by this time next week he will probably have the chance to resume the premiership he won in a landslde and lost because of ALP in-fighting, not the Australian people! - HYUFD
  • And if the male minders would let go of there grip of Julia like in her "mysogyny parliament speech, and not like her 'women for Julia' launch speech she will shine through even more. Julia is brilliant always when they do not speech write for her. I have a feeling Germaine you know exactly what Julia is going through with the constant media attacks . You are an amazing women who comes through as always comes through for the sisterhood. Cheers. - Emily C
  • There is a distinction between saying “it is inadvisable to do X (because it may lead to or increase the risk of Y)” and saying “you are not entitled to do X, and if Y happens to you then you’ve got what you deserve.” Reasonable people have no problem with the first type of statement: it’s not victim blaming and you have to be deliberately obtuse or stupid to claim otherwise. To assert that a person has, ex ante, alternative courses of action open to them that can reduce or increase their chance of being attacked isn’t to reduce the culpability of the perpetrator for attacking them, and it doesn’t thereby imply that the victim is themselves liable for being attacked. Besides showing intellectual dishonesty and/or infirmity, the “don’t blame the victim” campaigners show an unpleasant willingness to use the tragic misfortune of other people as an opportunity to push political barrows and grind axes. - MicheleS
 
42
Categories:  Entertainment, Music, News and Opinion, Television

WHAT’S AGE GOT TO DO WITH IT?

By Fiona Scott-Norman
June 19, 2012

The day after a reality TV show finishes always has a post-coital feel.

 

Winner of The Voice Karise Eden with runner-up Darren Percival.

No matter how white hot with longing and urgency we were only seconds before the result is announced, now that we’re sated we’re looking at our watches and wondering how long before we can politely leave.

So I won’t take up much of your time.

But even though I genuinely loved The Voice, and am thrilled for winner Karise Eden who knocked it out of the park when it counted, something about the show niggled me. No, not Seal’s three-quarter-length white tuxedo pants, or that, by the end, Rachael appeared to have been calved from Delta, like a tiny blow-dried cloning experiment.

It wasn’t even that the word “journey” was repeated so often I expected Steve Perry to appear and reprise Don’t Stop Believin’.

It was the way that Darren Percival, who took out the silver medal, was discussed in the media – both social and the cremains of print.

I ended up wanting to punch our culture in the face.

Don’t get me wrong, Percival got a lot of support, which he should because the man is a joy machine, but during the past couple of weeks, whenever his chances of winning were being assessed, he was universally dismissed for being ‘middle-aged’, as though being ‘middle-aged’ is a repulsive and contagious disease which shouldn’t be allowed out ‘in public’.

“If you haven’t made it big by 40, there’s a reason,” said one commentator, who I won’t name because they don’t deserve the oxygen. Others kindly pointed out there’s no ‘commercial’ market for Percival, saying the best he could hope for is RSL clubs, an album for Mother’s Day, and corporate gigs.

How horrifying for Percival, to be in demand with, excuse me while I gag, mothers.

To ‘at best’ have to resign himself to performing for 30 minutes or so for 10 grand minimum a pop to a room full of bankers on a team bonding weekend.

For one thing, that says more about the dire state of the music biz than it does about Percival. And, at the risk of being Captain Obvious, these are extremely lucrative commercial gigs. No, not ‘cool’, but where is it written that a career has to be ‘cool’? Unless you’re Nick Cave, ‘cool’ lasts you 10 minutes in this industry.

It was even said that if he got over the line it would be ‘The Mummy Bloggers’ who got him there. Talk about invalidating a support base with one or two supercilious strokes of the keyboard.

Can’t have that. Women with children, opinions, and access to the internet, championing someone whose music they like. How dare they?

Why is that kind of support, that kind of career, not valid? What the hell is wrong with being able to shift tens of thousands of units for Mother’s Day, Christmas, and even – shudder – Valentine’s Day? It hasn’t hurt Michael Buble. Or Harry Connick Jnr.

Cards on the table, I effing love Darren Percival, who’s already been in the biz for 25 years. I know him on a cordial ‘how you doin’?’ basis, because we often appear at the same festivals. I’ve seen him perform many times around the country as Mr Percival, often at folk fests such as Woodford in Queensland, where he is already a star.

People adore him, for the same reasons they took to him on The Voice; he’s got a heart that makes Phar Lap’s look like last year’s walnut, and when he sings a direct current opens to happiness land. I’m pretty sure that’s why he nearly won The Voice despite being ‘middle-aged’.

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42 Responses to this article

  1. VRog June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Bravo! Well said, on all fronts.

     
  2. alison June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Spot on Fiona. How very dare they.

     
  3. Fiona R June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    I also love Mr.Percival I think he’s just amazing. The way he radiates happiness when he sings gives me goosebumps every single time!

     
  4. Nikki @ Styling You June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Well said Fiona … crazy stuff. Darren actually lives 20 minutes up the road and I’m super proud that a Sunshine Coast dad of two has made it. Because second place isn’t losing … he’ll go very far on the back of such a successful debut season of The Voice.
    And as someone who only had the guts to change careers and do something I love post-40, I’m all for celebrating others who do so as well.

     
  5. janiemay June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Absolutely on the money, Fiona!

     
  6. Lyn June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Isn’t it the runners up who make it bigger then the actual winner? This has happened in so many cases so who cares who wins. I will back the runner up any day.

     
  7. Beth June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    As a 30+ Blogger I never once considered his age, he was just pipped at the post by a extremely talented Karise. Look at the Idol saga, most of the non winners went alot further than the actual winners. Big things to come for Mr Percival I think

     
  8. Carolyn June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Hear Hear – I have just started reading a book by Barbara Sher and its title says it all – ” It’s Only Too Late If You Don’t Start Now: How to Create Your Second Life at Any Age”.

     
  9. Kate June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Well I didn’t even see the show (being out of the country) but from this article what sticks in my throat is the concept of “AGEISM”. Why does the media assume you have to be young to be successful? Are they so superficial or simply uneducated in life?

    Success takes on many forms at many ages so good on this man for taking the bull by the horns and putting himself out there

     
  10. Debyl1 June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Brilliant article.Thankyou from an older reader.x

     
  11. Carolyn June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Let’s add Geoffrey Rush to that list shall we?
    I think that age gave Mr Percival the wisdom to choose the only coach who is a major international star.
    Someone who can open a lot of doors.
    Not bad for an old bloke.

     
  12. What Sarah Did Next June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Oh well said! I LOVED Darren Percival on The Voice – he is so, so talented but there can be only one ‘winner’ on the show and Karise (also insanely talented) was it.

    That doesn’t mean that Darren is any less awesome or amazing, or as some commentators would like to think, too old to sustain or prolong his 15 mins in the spotlight. I’m willing to we’ll be seeing more of this man in the future. I might add that from the little I have gleaned about Darren whilst watching the show, I bet he’s not too upset about the result either. He seems like the kind of guy who is just incredibly grateful for his chance to be on the show. I wish him all the success in the world.

     
  13. Sarah June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Oh well said! I LOVED Darren Percival on The Voice – he is so, so talented but there can be only one ‘winner’ on the show and Karise (also insanely talented) was it.

    That doesn’t mean that Darren is any less awesome or amazing, or as some commentators would like to think, too old to sustain or prolong his 15 mins in the spotlight. I’m willing to say we’ll be seeing much more of this man in the future.

    I might add that from the little I have gleaned about Darren whilst watching the show, I bet he’s not too upset about the result either. He seems like the kind of guy who is just incredibly grateful for his chance to be on the show. I wish him every success for his future.

     
  14. royce June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Glanced a couple of times at this boring song show.

    However the point should be made that … 40 is no longer middle aged. It’s the mature end of ‘kid’.

    At least looking down from up here in my REAL middle age.

     
  15. Kath June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Thank you, Fiona. That is all.
    Just, thank you.

     
  16. Lisa smith June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Fiona- thank you for this wonderful article. One of the reasons I stayed watching the voice was purely because it wasn’t purely about 20 yr olds and the Australian Idol focus. Loved your performance atvWoodford this year also!

     
    • Fiona June 19, 2012 Reply
       
       

      Thanks Lisa, too kind! It feels for me that The Voice just allowed the rest of Australia to catch up with what we already knew – Mr P is a national treasure.

       
  17. jazzly June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    For what it’s worth Alan Rickman career didn’t begin until he was in his 40′s. Now he is an incredibly bankable star.

     
  18. Loopy June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Thank you Fiona and Wendy for publishing your article. Fairfax may put up a paywall but we will have the Hoopla to deliver great articles to us. I’m a 45 year old single mother and I’ve never voted for an artist on a reality show before DP on the Voice. I’ve seen Darren perform many times in the last 15 years. He’s a beautiful soul and deserves any success coming his way. Here’s to the late bloomers of the world. We rock! Paul Hogan was 47 when Crocodile Dundee made him an overnight success internationally

     
  19. Kimberly June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Brilliant article Fiona. I have a couple of other examples…this year I went to Bluesfest at Byron Bay. Appearing on the bill were two 75 y.olds – Buddy Guy and Seasick Steve. SS, currently a sensation, starting playing publicly at 70 y.o. Oh, and another man who would no doubt be seen by these vile ageist commentators as past it – Leonard Cohen who a couple of years ago wowed audiences with his comeback tours. He was/is in his 70s also.

     
  20. Kimberly June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Brilliant article Fiona. I have a couple of other examples…this year I went to Bluesfest at Byron Bay. Appearing on the bill were two 75 y.olds – Buddy Guy and Seasick Steve. SS, currently a sensation, starting playing publicly at 70 y.o. Oh, and another man who would no doubt be seen by these vile ageist commentators as past it – Leonard Cohen who a couple of years ago wowed audiences with his comeback tours. He was/is in his 70s also.

     
  21. Clare June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Hear, hear!

     
  22. Char June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Percival got his shot and did well and will do well. I got no beef with age-ists. The thing I would have liked to have seen discussed here was the vitriol spewed at Delta in forums and on social media. Seal was lauded, yet hasn’t had a hit since the 90′s (apart from a best of). Meanwhile, Delta is still making hit records. The ‘anti-female’ vibe of the commentators, bloggers and armchair critics was just appalling. And when Delta sung the pants off everyone, she was put down as ‘showing off’. It can’t be helped that seal and JMadd have poor voices, they always have. Delta is an amazing singer. So go Delta G.

     
  23. dC June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    LOVE it!!!

    How many “overnight successes” do we know who actually spent 20 years getting that success.

    We’ve never been in a time like the one we are in either. Well known bands playing into their 60′s & 70′s. Ironically their careers often started in those decades. Why? Well for starters, we all live a lot longer than we did 50 years ago. And the music is great, the songs they sing are great. Also, few are making money out of selling CDs anymore. So live concerts ‘came back’ into vogue. Bands reformed, older audiences started telling their kids they were going out to see a band!

    Enough! Your article was terrific……..

     
  24. Sue June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Loved this article. I think those in charge of marketing assume we’ll only buy music from those who are 25 and ready- for -an -alternative- modeling- career -attractive. It’s a crock. We’re not as shallow as they think we are. They just aren’t putting these talents in front of us to judge for ourselves.

     
  25. Amanda L June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Love it! Agree wholeheartedly!

     
  26. Alex Baker June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Congratulations to all the contestants on The Voice, our household enjoyed the show, as it seems so did many others and people of ALL ages. We voted for Karise because, first and foremost loved her voice, and secondly because we wanted this delightful 19 year old, who had apparently been doing it tough, win! The thought of age didn’t enter into the equation for us. We were thrilled Darren was runner up, he certainly has an amazing presence and deserves all the accolades. We are looking forward to the next ‘The Voice’.

     
  27. Lilly June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Such an excellent post, Bravo!!!

     
  28. shelley June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Yes FSN and assorted agreers, this ageism thing is as boring as hell. The confidence of the Gen Y’s seems to have allowed them to take control across the board and are steering their projects towards them and away from us. Truly, when they reach the grand old age of 40 themselves they will realise that behind the curtain of smoke and mirrors is themselves, not feeling their age and wondering why they are being disregarded. Wake up, Oz! We all matter, we all shop, holiday, enjoy stuff so pushing the age barrow as a putdown will only make you disappear up your own bum quicker than you can say 50 is the new 40. How shallow can these media folks be?!

     
  29. Paul June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Great piece of writing Fiona. What I did get out of the show was the generally positive comments from the team leaders and the generally humble personas of the contestants. That made it much easier to watch and to be not too concerned about who actually won (the votes)

     
  30. Elizabeth June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    That is a great article. Such passion. What is it about age that young people dont get. Wisdom and self awareness is
    such an awesome thing. I loved Darren Percival and will definitely be buying any album he puts out. I also loved Karise and will also buy her album. Why do we have to be pushed into such narrow brackets when we have such diverse tastes.

     
  31. Robin C June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Well said Fiona. I believe Darren will go on to have further success backed by his life experiences and loving family. I worry for Karise and hope their will be people around her to take care of what appears to be a gifted but fragile young woman.

     
  32. anna June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    LOVE!!!!

     
  33. Donna @ NappyDaze June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Bravo, what a wonderful piece to read!

    I like to think that whenever huge success comes knocking it is because its the right time. Maybe the last 25 years have not been the right time – in his song he shared he’d been in some dark places so perhaps fame at that time might have meant him not having his beautiful wife and children in his world, and I am sure he wouldnt trade them for anything.

    I absolutely adored the show and like you Darren was my pick. And no, not because I am a mother (or hell, even a mummyblogger, God forbid!) but because listening to him was like being showered with pure joy.

    Whatever the future brings (and I know it will bring success) he is old enough to take the good with the bad that will come his way, and I think maturity may make him a good chance to be the last man standing in the long run.

     
  34. kelli June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    obviously not many people have seen Mr Percival do a live loop show. he rocks and although I didn’t watch The Voice I have seen comments on various social media about the show.This is one very talented man!

     
  35. Sam McNally June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Absolutely brilliant, and bang-on correct, Fiona. Versus the “cool school”, whoever the hell “they” may be, and their age-centric, cool versus uncool worldview. All credit to Darren and credit to The Voice really as well, for going against the grain of “that thing”.

     
  36. cath June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Wasn’t Michale Boulton in his 40′s when he had his hits from his Time, Love and Tenderness album? Sure he had written hits for other artists but he wasn’t exactly fresh off the farm when he ‘made it’.

     
  37. Mike June 19, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Great article.
    I know who will still be making great music in 10 years. Darren!

     
  38. speccygirl June 20, 2012 Reply
     
     

    all the best to Darren and Karise – both genuinely and distinctively talented people

     
  39. Rose June 20, 2012 Reply
     
     

    I just think it is terribly sad that the music business in Australia is so one dimensional. Artists are not enabled to age with dignity and to continue to mature and grow in their careers as they should. Darren’s placing in this show should tell those boring old music executives something about the diverse interests of Australian audiences. This is partly why the major labels are failing and the independents thriving.

     
  40. Don Dons June 20, 2012 Reply
     
     

    I lost interest in the show in the final week. I had a sense that the winner wouldn’t neccessarily be the winner for the best reasons. I was disappointed for Mr Percival. He was ‘good to go’. While Karise has a phenomenal talent, I don’t feel she’s neccessarily at a time in life where she can appreciate the opportunity the way Percival would. Too much emphasis on peeps bieng ‘the right side of 40′. Gets so bloody tedious. Excellent article!

     
  41. Maree June 21, 2012 Reply
     
     

    This “middle aged” sheila for one thinks that Darren Percival is amazing regardless of age.
    He is and will continue to be a success.

     

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