Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Why it can suck to be named Don

Before I get into the meat of this post, let me preface by saying overall I do enjoy my name. It is unique enough that I don't share my name with anyone I know personally. However, it is common (and simple) enough that I don't get "How do you pronounce that". In addition it is a name that easily lends itself to other nicknames. I have rarely been called just "Don". It is often altered or mixed with other words/sounds (my name is often sung) to be creative. In addition, as it is used as a title in both Spanish and Italian, it often allows for fun variations such as "The Don" or "Don Corleone". So overall, I like my name.


However, every now and then I get reminded of one key fact that demotes my name: It is an OLD name. If you google image search "Don Cordell", this picture is the first one to come up. I mean seriously, doesn't everyone have an "old uncle Don" somewhere. While this has helped thin out the number of contemporaries I have to share my name with, it does make some things difficult. Namely, old people say and do stupid things at a much higher rate than we young adults do. This has been brought to media attention recently when Don Imus made his comments about the Rutgers Women's Basketball Team. I know, I know, he was trying to be funny. But it was a STUPID COMMENT. The type of stupid comment an old man makes when he is trying to be "hip" and "funny". In a response on Al Sharpton's radio show he said "I didn't think it was a racial insult, I thought it was in the process of us rapping and trying to be funny." Yeah. Anytime a 67 year old white man talks about "Nappy-Headed Ho's", he must be rapping.


Anyways, that's just the most recent example of a stupid old man doing my name "proud" (said sarcastically). Another example I ran into is at the following web address: http://www.doncordellforpresident.com/. To make it worse, this guy shares my LAST name too. His presidential platform is nothing more than a ridiculously long rant about why he hates Mexicans.


Is it up to me to redeem the name "Don" for future generations?

4 comments:

Ronnie said...

All you have to do is grow a beard, get fat, get a bunch of hair on your back and you'll look just like that guy in the picture.

Stefani said...

My roommate used to call you Donald Duck.

Anonymous said...

Snoop Donny Don, you need to get a jobby job.
-RD

kel said...

Don! Where did you go? Have you given up blogging again?