The King is Dead. Long live the King.

Another thing that Martina called me off on this week is the fact that we’re always mentioning the death of people on the blog but never their birthdays. Now, there’s a good reason for this, and it’s that while death are unique occurrences, birthdays happen every year and they lose their novelty pretty quick. We would celebrate births but let’s be serious, we never know if the newly spawned brat is going to be the next Yuri Norstein, so, what’s the point?




I’ll tell you what’s the point. As Martina pointed out, it’s about celebrating life rather than death but, once again, by mentioning their deaths we’re actually celebrating life: we’re remembering for the achievements they had during their lifetime and wooing the sudden stop in that career. It has something to do with that Greco-roman notion of achieving immortality through fame or whatnot. You can figure out the rest by yourselves. You’re smart enough. I know you are.

Anyways, with Hayao Miyazaki’s (another person who is closer to death than his next birthday, who’s retiring after every film and that we hope that he never actually does because he’s so goddamn awesome) birthday so past our temporary rear window it is time to celebrate someone else’s birthday. The birthday of someone that has achieved immortality already and renders our introspective moment all the more timeless. Last Saturday, January 8th, was Elvis Presley’s birthday and while he has nothing to do with animation and cross media, he also has a lot to do with animation and cross media.

You see, The King has been depicted so many times in popular media that a retrospective of his appearances is as ridiculous as non-profitable. From Johnny Bravo to Courage the Cowardly Dog, from Rock-a-Doodle to Sons of Anarchy, from Alf to Family Guy, from Plymptom’s Hair High to The Simpsons (and, then again, in Itchy & Scratchy's Little Barbershop of Horrors), from Sandro to Disney’s Lilo & Stich. And all these appearances leave us with a lingering question that keeps us up at night:

Why?

Why this popular obsession with a man that, nowadays, has become a character rather than a historical figure? Can anyone of you, loyal readers, mention even one album from the top of their heads, without going to Wikipedia? I mean, the whole fried banana and peanut butter sandwich sounds as awesome as it sounds unhealthy, but where does this compulsion to write, draw and include Him come from? Is it because of the sequins on his white leather jacket? Does it remind you of simpler times with easier problems, when we only had to worry about the nuclear relationship between two passive-aggressive superpowers and their pissing contests?

Anyways, maybe I talk too much. I know what you really want. Here are some clips from many sources paying homage to The King:







And so, that’s our celebrity birthday for all of you, Capricorns. And now that I mention this I realize that Martina is Capricorn herself. Oh, snap! This has all been a setup to mention her birthday and I fell for it! Anyways, now you know that she’s Capricorn. And single ;).

The age of Aquarius is rearing its ugly and it will be epic. Speaking about that, you know who’s an Aquarian? Yes, that’s right. Get your wallets ready as I don’t want something nice, I want expensive things. You’ve been warned.

BTW, is anyone else upset about Caprica ending? No? Just me?