Bindi Overload... - 2006/10/14 10:01 At the risk of being flamed for being 'unAustralian', (whatever that means) I feel worried for Bindi Irwin herself for being over-exposed and expected to take over for her Dad. She's a little kid! Yep, she's a bright little kid and very personable and precocious, but she's just lost her Daddy and Steve's manager talks about her taking over his legacy.
Now, this could very well happen and she could very well want it to happen as well, but does she really have a choice? She's receiving a lot of attention and cheers on the red carpet, interviews well and is as cute as a button, but she's still a little kid! I wonder just how much time she's had to grieve...
I can see 'Young Australian of the Year' written all over her.
Don't get me wrong. I really do think that she's been through a lot and is a polite and nice kid, but I can see some exploitation could occur if her Mum doesn't watch out. Actually, I think that the exploitation and hero worship of a little girl has already begun. I hope that it doesn't ruin young Bindi.
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gemma_rox Expert Boarder
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Re:Bindi Overload... - 2006/10/14 10:37 I think Bindi is a lovely girl and has handled herself well. I agree with a lot of what you say.
My problem is that she is still a girl and hasn't been given much of a chance to grieve in private.
The other thing that concerns me is whether she is being overexposed, which could cause the public in a few years time to turn on her. A la Nikki Webster, who only in 2000 at the Sydney olympics was the hero girl that all of Australia loved.
One thing with Bindi, is that she is a wonderful role model for a lot of children and adults. If my 2 year old has half Bindi's poise and concern for conservgation when she is the same age, then I will be an even prouder mum.
Bindi is certainly a credit to the good parenting she has received.
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sarah Platinum Boarder
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Re:Bindi Overload... - 2006/10/14 11:07 I think there must have been something about her family life that was really special to have helped Bindi's public persona appear so prodigious and appealing. And yes, I think she is a terrific public role model for kids, I would be delighted for my five and two year old if they chose to admire Bindi.
I think kids relate well to the concept of animals needing champions and I imagine for Bindi it was easy to relate to her parents work. Perhaps it is not too surprising that she articulates wanting to do the same.
"I will feel equality has arrived when we can elect to office women who are as incompetent as some of the men who are already there." Maureen Reagan
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aarondarc Admin
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Re:Bindi Overload... - 2006/10/14 12:43 I think that alot of people forget that Bindi is SIX, and she doesn't really understand what's going on. It's bizarre, the Bindi "explosion". I think it's a bizarre projection from the public onto a little girl who is, after all, having her public schedule laid out by her business agent, and told what to say. When a child that young grieves death, it forms a large part of their ideology throughout life, and she is being taught "what" is happening, through an agent that has dollar signs in his eyes - her emotions dictated by a commercial interest from a man who freely admits how important this agenda is.
And of course she wants to be like Daddy, she's six. When I was six, I thought my Mum was so cool, I wanted to work in Centrelink when I grew up... just like her!
The difference was, however, that I had the freedom to move away from that, naturally. Bindi is locked into an empire, and has a lot of responsibility on her.
It's the agent who I really dislike in all this, though. Did you read the interview where he talked about Bindi being a star, grinning ear to ear, and made the abominable comment that when he filmed her borth (!!!) he knew as he saw her coming out of her mother that she was going to be a bigger star than her Dad?!?!? And this is the man pulling her strings, now - especially while poor Terri has been struggling to cope with her immense grief. We see little Bndi as the strong one in complete contrast to her Mother. But really, it's that she's six years old. She's not quite as advanced as we seem to have decided she is, she's just not processing it properly, she's actually nothing really unique when it comes to dealing with death in that way for a child. Children don't really undersatnd what's happening, and so they seem tough, but in fact, it's a kind of ignorance.
And when it has been explained to her in a way that places the empire on her shoulders now, then I find the whole thing really disturbing. All we've seen is Bindi make a speech on the memorial and attend a Nickleodeon awards ceremony, and we make this little girl some sort of queen of the future of this country.
That said, at least Bindi may provide a woman's touch to their "brand" (and there's no better word for it) of conservation, and do away with that strange, masculine warrior thing that Irwin brought to it (which ironically meant his popularity had so little to do with conservation, and more as an extreme sport that dangerously resembled hunting more than saving them).
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terrapin Platinum Boarder
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Re:Bindi Overload... - 2006/10/14 14:53 Agree, agree, agree! Its good to read discussion on this which rings a bell with me. I was a bit surprised when, in the wake of the memorial service, I referred to her as Stepford Bindi and a few of my friends who are normally quite cynical (and I mean that in a good way!) thought it was a bit harsh. It might have seemed I was having a go at Bindi herself, and ok that might be partly true, but only in the context of what she's been moulded to become, a consumate professional. Which at her age is a surreal and unsettling sight.
Like any child performer, her enthusiasm for the role is likely a product of "encouragement" from the adults around her. Lets just hope that enthusiasm doesnt wane cos the pressure from her manager in particular is not going to let up - meal ticket anyone? His damage control in the Age today;
Irwin manager John Stainton responds to concerns that Bindi Irwin is too young to be exposed to such attention, telling the program: "I think they (the critics) don't understand that this little girl is very much enjoying what she's doing.
"She is in control."
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Katiefor free Expert Boarder
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Re:Bindi Overload... - 2006/10/14 15:04 My partner's mother died when he was 7. When he saw what Bindi was asked to do he was shocked. I don't believe she is in control of anything and neither should she be. She is a Kid who should rely on Elders to Control. She should be learning, playing and growing.If she is a commodity she will burn bright for a while and then come crashing down. It's how it goes.
THE MIC 
