Wouldn't this be funny and ironic?

[Merry]

-but to understand how one individual may have come to that point-some say its just a choice-thats pretty cut and dry. I am not a cut and dry type guy. My life has shown me very little is often cut and dry. I have friends who see things cut and dry-until they face their own personal adversity and fail-then they see the gray areas of life.
.

Again, beautifully stated, Ken.

[Jumpsuit Junkie]

Actually, they betrayed a confidence, (that is the difference) that is why there are Privacy Agreements in place for Celebrities, as you know.

Actually most of Elvis' so called friends didn't spill the beans until many years after his death and I believe we have done that topic to death!

I was actually talking about Parker for the most point and I believe he didn't write an expose on Elvis.

Unless you've been on the other end of circumstances, such as Ken describes, one can't imagine what it is like, so one may have no empathy. Which is understandible.

With the greatest of respect I am not as open as Ken and find it hard to share openly things that have happened in my life. Just because I don't express what is going on in my doesn't mean I don't feel or have empathy.

No, in my opinion, we are placing ourselves in someone else's shoes, and not being blind sighted by what is said, by some uneducated people,

Again this seems to be aimed at the MM and no I'm not blind sided

Nothing wrong in being a manager.
I was a manager in a couple different fields. In one I had to take a course on how to motivate people-to bring the best they had to the surface and to get them to use it. You see managing is more than the "deal" or the direction of work IMO it is helping others do their best in whatever field you are managing. When they succeed-the whole business is better. They are better. To me that is good management. I do not see this as Parkers way of managing Elvis.

Some good points there Ken and I agree, it's about team work and how you can make your team feel. Being a manager means you have to lead from the front. You have to put Parker into perspective, he is from a bye gone era where these newfangled management skills hadn't been defined. You right in that just because they hadn't been defined they are lessened in some way. All the same if you don't have someone train you in the skills to manage people you could do more harm than good!

A manager may not have people skills although they have the ability to manage a career

[utmom2008]

I can't name any other star who's relationships with those who surrounded them take so much heat for their masters supposed failures.
Personal accountability has a large part to play in everyone's life. Some fans seem to want to abdicate this responsibility from Elvis. As a consequence there is a clamour to blame as many people as possible to justify Elvis' untimely demise.

I agree with your statement that some fans want to abdicate any and all responsibility from Elvis' shoulders.......BUT....I have also never seen a star whose male fans want to constantly point out all of his failures and shortcomings. Surely there is a happy medium somewhere I would hope. Some of the members here catch alot of flack over seeing Elvis through rose colored glasses. There is also a large male camp here that constantly names off everything that was wrong with Elvis, but they will always end with "we love him too." It's actually kind of funny at times...a non-biased observer might think there was a touch of "venus envy"() at play here.

[utmom2008]

With the greatest of respect I am not as open as Ken and find it hard to share openly things that have happened in my life.

Well we can certainly remedy that. Let's find you a long comfortable couch to lay back on, relax...and start telling us your troubles.

A manager may not have people skills although they have the ability to manage a career

True, but at the same time, doesn't a manager have to deal with people somewhere along the way while managing a career for someone? Isn't that where good people skills would come in to play?

[Donut]

I can't name any other star who's relationships with those who surrounded them take so much heat for their masters supposed failures.

Personal accountability has a large part to play in everyone's life. Some fans seem to want to abdicate this responsibility from Elvis. As a consequence there is a clamour to blame as many people as possible to justify Elvis' untimely demise. Yes there were people who had certain duties and responsibilities but when it comes down to it there really aren't many stars who can claim to have a career nearly as successful so something must have gone right.

Elvis was an international superstar of the highest order, the fans forgave Elvis for the crappy films as the 68 Special and many other highlights of the 70's prove. History is what it is, if you start to change it, it unravels and history is changed, for the better I don't know.

I would like to ask a question, by discussing alternatives to Elvis' history are we trying to change his career to make it better, or is it to somehow change how and when Elvis died?

I get your point and agree with you to some extent. I think the problem is we know too much about Elvis private life and those around him so we judge according to how we perceive what we read, plus Elvis is dead and can't defend himself anymore so we tend to be on his side when we talk about some situations that were unfair to him.
I wouldn't blame the MM for his failed marriage or Priscilla for his drug use but Parker was in charge of Elvis career so he is the one to blame for wasting his talent. Even the 68 Special would have been a continuity of his crappy movies if Elvis didn't have Steve Binder by his side. I don't even think Parker had much faith in Elvis untill his return to Las Vegas and we know he kept him there practically untill the day he died so I don't think he was such a good manager after all and he wouldn't have been able to make as huge a star to someone less talented than Elvis, in fact he never achieved it untill he met him.

But no, by discussing alternatives to Elvis' history I don't think we try to change anything just trying to understand why things went the way they did

[Diane]

With all that was said and done the fact is Parker did not have any people skills at all except for his extreme talent for manipulation (the snowman).

He may have loved Elvis in his own limited way but he thought of himself first and always. That in itself limited him as to being a great manager.....it's called "tunnel syndrome".

No doubt Elvis made many mistakes throughout his life but he was not alone...EVERYONE around them made their share too so we who root for Elvis want to point out that he wasn't the only one to blame. We are all affected by what people do around us whether we are conscious of it or not...that's common sense...no one is in complete control of their own lives at all times otherwise we'd be gods.

Diane

[KPM]

Some say I am too open-to easy to talk They may have a point.
I just can not explain my position and my reasoning without giving some of the background of where I'm from, who I am and what I've seen and experienced.

[Diane]

Some say I am too open-to easy to talk They may have a point.
I just can not explain my position and my reasoning without giving some of the background of where I'm from, who I am and what I've seen and experienced.

Not a darn thing wrong with that Ken. Too many people are too busy just listening to themselves....keep on being who you are!

Diane

[midnight]

I agree with your statement that some fans want to abdicate any and all responsibility from Elvis' shoulders.......BUT....I have also never seen a star whose male fans want to constantly point out all of his failures and shortcomings. Surely there is a happy medium somewhere I would hope. Some of the members here catch alot of flack over seeing Elvis through rose colored glasses. There is also a large male camp here that constantly names off everything that was wrong with Elvis, but they will always end with "we love him too." It's actually kind of funny at times...a non-biased observer might think there was a touch of "venus envy"() at play here.

Excellent post Rosanne! I have noticed exactly what you are saying. I am not trying to bash the guys on here but I have noticed a lot of them think "the guys" ,aka Memphis Mafia, were the cool dudes in the Elvis story! Yet Elvis was this self destructive guy who was only interested in himself and his needs. Makes me wonder why they really like him ,with all his faults!

Seriously I think they are all jealous because they know how much we all want him and they do not have a prayer with us ladies!! They have to try and turn us off from him somehow!!!! Sorry guys! I am kidding.....I think!

[Merry]

Not a darn thing wrong with that Ken. Too many people are too busy just listening to themselves....keep on being who you are!

Diane

Well said, Diane.

[Merry]

I agree with your statement that some fans want to abdicate any and all responsibility from Elvis' shoulders.......BUT....I have also never seen a star whose male fans want to constantly point out all of his failures and shortcomings. Surely there is a happy medium somewhere I would hope. Some of the members here catch alot of flack over seeing Elvis through rose colored glasses. There is also a large male camp here that constantly names off everything that was wrong with Elvis, but they will always end with "we love him too." It's actually kind of funny at times...a non-biased observer might think there was a touch of "venus envy"() at play here.

Yep. That's the crutch of it lol

[Merry]

Excellent post Rosanne! I have noticed exactly what you are saying. I am not trying to bash the guys on here but I have noticed a lot of them think "the guys" ,aka Memphis Mafia, were the cool dudes in the Elvis story! Yet Elvis was this self destructive guy who was only interested in himself and his needs. Makes me wonder why they really like him ,with all his faults!

Seriously I think they are all jealous because they know how much we all want him and they do not have a prayer with us ladies!! They have to try and turn us off from him somehow!!!! Sorry guys! I am kidding.....I think!

I think, that Elvis personified "cool" for a lot of men, generally speaking, I've read this over and over, and over; hence why they like to discuss the "bad boy image" protecting it, and treasuring it. I don't understand why they do, someone else might be able to shed some light on that.

I also read, over and over, that when Elvis became introspective, 'The Guys' didn't like this, as their partying was lessoned, as Elvis wanted to explore his Spirituality, not party.

So, of course, there was sour grapes towards whomever brought that change, which was directed towards: Larry and Priscilla, with The Colonel making changes, and wrongly, in my opinion, throwing out Elvis' books.

Hence, there was this division in the ranks, and the petty jealousy began, which turned into spitefulness, with Elvis in the middle, which he didn't need.

There would be more to it than the above, I'm sure, as there is, with everyone's life.

They were still Elvis' friends, it was a long time ago.

[Brian]

I think Col. Parker was a bad manager in 2 ways

1.Taking 50% of Elvis income

if the Colonel needed more money he should've managed more clients

2. The song publishing issues

I thought this was a shrewd and brilliant business decision in the begining to get 25% to 50% of the publishing of the songs Elvis was to record but after 1963 as good material by non songwriters were harder to come by this practice should have stopped.

other than that the Colonel did a good job in my opinion

when you think about it he did the same things any other manager would've done.

he booked the tours and the recordings sessions and when Elvis wanted to make movies the Colonel took care of that as well.

[Jumpsuit Junkie]

I agree with your statement that some fans want to abdicate any and all responsibility from Elvis' shoulders.......BUT....I have also never seen a star whose male fans want to constantly point out all of his failures and shortcomings. Surely there is a happy medium somewhere I would hope. Some of the members here catch alot of flack over seeing Elvis through rose colored glasses. There is also a large male camp here that constantly names off everything that was wrong with Elvis, but they will always end with "we love him too." It's actually kind of funny at times...a non-biased observer might think there was a touch of "venus envy"() at play here.

Ha ha, no Venus Envy from my point of view, I can see what your saying but I hope you see what is meant about the rose tinted glasses

Some say I am too open-to easy to talk They may have a point.
I just can not explain my position and my reasoning without giving some of the background of where I'm from, who I am and what I've seen and experienced.

Ken your a stand up guy, that's why I respect what you have to say, I will never fall out with you, I like our exchanges

I think, that Elvis personified "cool" for a lot of men, generally speaking, I've read this over and over, and over; hence why they like to discuss the "bad boy image" protecting it, and treasuring it. I don't understand why they do, someone else might be able to shed some light on that.

I also read, over and over, that when Elvis became introspective, 'The Guys' didn't like this, as their partying was lessoned, as Elvis wanted to explore his Spirituality, not party.

So, of course, there was sour grapes towards whomever brought that change, which was directed towards: Larry and Priscilla, with The Colonel making changes, and wrongly, in my opinion, throwing out Elvis' books.

Hence, there was this division in the ranks, and the petty jealousy began, which turned into spitefulness, with Elvis in the middle, which he didn't need.

There would be more to it than the above, I'm sure, as there is, with everyone's life.

They were still Elvis' friends, it was a long time ago.

I talk about those around Elvis getting a tough time and hey presto

[Merry]

Ha ha, no Venus Envy from my point of view, I can see what your saying but I hope you see what is meant about the rose tinted glasses



Ken your a stand up guy, that's why I respect what you have to say, I will never fall out with you, I like our exchanges



I talk about those around Elvis getting a tough time and hey presto

Thanks "Moderator".

[Jumpsuit Junkie]

Thanks "Moderator".

Perhaps you missed the Irony?

iro·ny irony
Pronunciation:
\ˈī-rə-nē also ˈī(-ə)r-nē\
Function:
noun
Inflected Form(s):
plural iro·nies
Etymology:
Latin ironia, from Greek eirōnia, from eirōn dissembler
Date:
1502

the use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the literal meaning b: a usually humorous or sardonic literary style or form characterized by irony c: an ironic expression or utterance

[Diane]

[QUOTE=KPM;283248]Nothing wrong in being a manager.
I was a manager in a couple different fields. In one I had to take a course on how to motivate people-to bring the best they had to the surface and to get them to use it. You see managing is more than the "deal" or the direction of work IMO it is helping others do their best in whatever field you are managing. When they succeed-the whole business is better. They are better. To me that is good management. I do not see this as Parkers way of managing Elvis.{QUOTE]

No it wasn't Parker's way of managing because he was too self-involved and short sighted.

Diane

[Brian]

A couple of people on this thread have commented that Colonel Parker was a bad manager because he wasn't a people person.


what makes you think he wasn't a people person?

[TotallyInsane]

Per Colonel Parker:

"I'm gonna live up to my reputation of being a nice guy - this is it folks"!!!!