Monday, October 11, 2004

Superman, R.I.P.

See the title above, for clickable link.

Goodbye Christopher Reeve.

A few thoughts, some serious, others not.

You may be surprised to hear that I don't blame Tom Cruise for this one. The unfortunate accident that paralyzed Reeve happened long before Tom went off the deep end. This, as many know, is simply another manifestation of the "Superman Curse." Reeve used his time after the accident to promote the problems of the paralyzed and to advocate for increased research and therapy to repair damaged spinal cord patients. He even reprised his role (somewhat) by appearing in a few episodes of TV's "Smallville."

So now, Reeve has died and the last time I heard his name was as an aside during Kerry's attempt to answer questions on stem cell research. He almost wasn't mentioned at all, only coming after Kerry name-dropped Nancy Reagan and Michael J. Fox (in that order). I guess the stars of the '80s have to stick together.

Tom didn't perpetrate this crime, cause he knows that "you don't tug on Superman's cape; you don't spit into the wind."

So is it clear now why Margot Kidder ('80s Lois) has appeared on "Smallville" as Dr. Swann's assistant? Was he too ill to do any filming this season?

As to the Curse--well, it has now claimed Reeve. Dean Cain has never done quite well since "Lois and Clark" ("Ripley's," portraying Scott Petersen (!), and now a crappy CBS dram-com? Yikes.) Does Tom Welling wake up worried some nights? Probably not, since that would require more brain power and forward thinking than is evidenced in that pretty, pretty head of his.

Anyway, rest in peace Christopher. You were an icon to some, if only for a short time.

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