Are we over emotional ?

Mind you, I haven't had the radio/telly on since 9 am.

I think it's preferable to endless footage and non-stories about the royal family.

To some extent I think it was the shock that has made people react as they have. Very few seemed to know he was ill. I know I gasped when I saw the news this morning. As WK says, I grew up with his music and it connects with important periods of my life. I remember the same shock when John Lennon died, and also Freddie Mercury. It's that this talent has gone and we'll have no more to add to what we have from them. It is shallow emotion compared with the tragedies other people on here have suffered, but it is that moment of realisation of mortality.

It is sad, and it brings it home when someone dies who is close to my own age , however, we haven't had the radio on all day; the only time I heard it was when DH told me first thing and I switched on the TV and heard some woman earnestly telling Lorraine Kelly that 'everyone' dies within three weeks of their birth date, either way.
That got me thinking about all my family and friends who have died and I cannot think of one who died within three weeks of their birth date. Where do they find these people and are we interested in their views?

I was surprised when I found out early this morning but not sad.
As someone else said you can't mourn for someone you didn't know. I didn't understand the out pourings for Diana either. My friend and her DD came up from Portsmouth just to lay flowers outside the palace at the time .
I admired Bowie's musical talent but I can't say I'm sad and yes I've seen enough now. I think I heard there's a programme on BBC tonight about him. I won't be watching.
Bad timing that the DM has published a centre fold article written about him by his ex today.

It's a sad loss for his family but when something like this is reported endlessly I think it's a clear sign that it's a 'slow news' day

Lemmy 'sang' with the group.Motorhead. He was very influential and admired within his musical genre. I had heard of the group and knew that he was iconic, but whether I had ever heard any of his music or would have recognised it if I had is doubtful. David Bowie was an exceptionally talented and gifted individual and influenced far more people over far more genres than Lemmy. Many famous performers have come forward today to register the part David Bowie played in their musical development and performance.I have heard some of Bowie's music and would recognise some of it if I heard it.

I do not object to the deaths of famous people being well publicised. The performances and work of the above and also Cilla Black were loved by many people and are wound into the fabric of their lives. The song's of Cilla Black certainly wind in and out of my life and I can understand the deaths of these people being headline news, but I do find the wall to wall coverage of Bowie's death today a bit OTT.

Supplies of food and medications got through to Madaya today taking, literally life-saving supplies to the 40,000 starving people in that town. There is a hospital doctor's strike tomorrow. The RAF has raised the stakes in its battle against IS. These significant and important news events haven't just been sidelined by the outpourings following David Bowie's death, they have almost been entirely forgotten. Many people with houses and businesses flooded will probably be very happy to discover that the chairman of the Environment Agency has resigned, except they will not know unless they go through the lowest level of news with a magnifying glass. Pop icons are not Gods and and probably more than half the population, if they have heard of them, are indifferent to them.

There needs to be a sense of pperspective.

I quite agree M0nica. I'm fed up with the 6 O'clock news. Its a pity he died relatively young but I want to hear the news not this waffle about David Bowie. What claptrap people are coming out with!

Fifteen minutes into the 6pm BBC TV news, it's still all about David Bowie. Yes, this is (to use an unfortunate term) overkill. I was waiting to hear the news about the relief of Madaya which I have now found (with difficulty) on the BBC web site.
Even 35 years ago, there was a lot of emotion following the murder of John Lennon. The first I heard of it was when I went to the hairdresser and found him wearing a black armband.

Oh, it is news. A lot of people are sad.

"Pop icons are not Gods and and probably more than half the population, if they have heard of them, are indifferent to them."

Probably not. But most of the Western world has heard about this one!

Monica, do you know how to do short posts?

It is news, he was a pop icon and a lot of people will be sad at his death, but to devote more time to David Bowie than all the other news and the weather together is a bit much. Shame the programme wasn't switched around so the piece on David Bowie was on after the rest of the news. That would have more appropriate.

I can't do short posts either

It certainly seems overdoing it to me; yes, he's an icon to many, yes, it's very sad (but surely no sadder than any death), but I can't for the life of me understand why it's dominating the BBC news.

I didn't mind David Bowie, I think it's sad for his family that he's died and I know he was a creative genius and all that, but enough now! I don't want to hear other famous peoples' tweets read out on the BBC NEWS! I've turned everything off and am grumpily reading the paper.

loopylou the millions who are sad today about his death will not be as sad about the death of someone who was unknown to them, so in that respect it is a sadder death.

hummingbird I rolled my eyes when Madonna's tweet was read out.

I think all those who are 69 and reading about how he has died young at 69 are feeling cheered. (That they are 69 and alive and YOUNG I mean)

If we can't spare a few hours in one day to remember someone who touched the lives of most of us in this country, I think it's a sad thing. We might as well say the evil bastards causing suffering in the world have won. Our life has to go on.

Well said jingle.

Channel 4 news which started at 7 is still on David Bowie. Sorry, jingl, "a few hours" is more than I'm prepared to spend on someone who I can't think of as one who touched my life particularly. I liked the Major Tom song, but couldn't tell you any of his others. I really think your saying that the "evil bastards" have won in that case is bizarre.

I agree we can spare a few hours to remember an icon like Bowie but honestly, I've turned the radio off several times today because it's been wall to wall coverage.

Do a tribute hour, play his music on the music channels but the main stream news dominated by his death does seem odd to me. I've just put channel 4 news on, hoping to see coverage of the famine relief in Syria, updates on the proposed junior doctor strike tomorrow and the resignation of another shadow minister because of the chaos within the PLP. It's more emotional coverage of Bowie .

I know how I feel and have had Major Tom running through my brain today (as the radio and tv have been off), and I feel sorry for his family.
But, quite honestly, I am not really interested in what Madonna, or anyone else for that matter, thinks.

I loved David Bowie in my youth , I do think the media over does it though . A simple announcement and short tribute would be better . I am generally an over emotional type but even I think it is too much . Same with Cilla , it began to get on my nerves after several hours .