NORMAL LIFE: Shameful Streisand

The Italians made a good point today about the exorbitant pricing of tickets relating to Barbara Streisand's forthcoming European Tour. Ever since the conception of Sky One/Movies/Sport in the early 90's, society has been bombarded with the increasing cost in entertainment.

Just thing of the costs that didn't exist in the 80s. Mobile phone and Satellite TV subscriptions and annual gym membership fees. Now, artists (I have never understood why they are called artists) of all types are jumping on the bandwagon, abusing the goodwill of their fans.

Apparently, calls by Italian consumer groups have been made to cancel Streisand's date in Rome, claiming that the Italian Olympic Committee should deny Streisand use of the National Stadium due to "absurd and shameful prices". The stadium is, after all, "public property and cannot be used for immoral deals that are shameful to a civilized country" one of the consumers groups claimed. I couldn't agree more!

By god, I wish we had the same enthusiam to object to such pricing in the UK. By contrast, tickets for the UK show sold out in 20 minutes, with tickets costing between £100-£600. What kind of stupid idiot pays £600 to watch an 'artist' mime (they do sometimes, you know) along with their own CD? Sad, just sad!

Related article here.