colin and MG,
O.K. I know I am biased on this subject being a rather defiant (but
hopefully never rude) smoker myself. I see how she broke the rules in
Saskatoon and at the Tribute but how grevious was the effect in reality?
She lit up one or two in the gallery - I don't think Gilles, who was close
to her could have cared less, and the amount of smoke was not enough to ruin
the gallery environment. Smoke can affect paintings, but in this case, they
were her own, and no doubt subjected to years of her smoke anyway. Maybe it
was rude to the reporters? Most of them were international and most
countries outside the U.S. don't make as big a deal about secondhand smoke
that we do. She was probably anxious about the show, she is admittedly
quite addicted, and it was her big day, so in that perspective, I don't
think I would call her out on it. As for the Tribute, again I don't think
one cigarette up in her balcony with Donald and friends was so egregious.
Last I knew smoking inside was allowed in New York (although perhaps not in
that venue). I'm not trying to excuse her and say she is above the rules,
but I have seen so many people go way over the top in their zealotry against
smokers. One can smoke outside in downtown L.A. 50 feet away from the
nearest human being, and there is bound to be a person who will start loudly
coughing and complaining. This is where I agree with colin - why aren't
they more concerned with the general air pollution in downtown L.A., which
is equivalent to smoking a pack and a half a day, or worse yet, the
particulate matter emissions from cars that everyone commuting to work is
subjected to on the freeways and streets every day? Some people are so
hypocritcal. I've had some people who I know to regularly smoke pot start
coughing around me smoking OUTSIDE, complaining about their lung and
bronchial problems. I've known others who are selective with whom they
reprimand like an ex-snoker woman I know who only goes after the easy mark
to make a big scene about their smoking but who will also have one herself
if it's with a new guy she is attracted to. I would bet Joni has either
experienced or witnessed some of these same situations and I think it does
stoke her defiance a bit. Bottom line is people should be so zealous about
tackling the more important big issues, IMHO. <rant off> ;-)
Kakki
