Who hasn't seen the movie "A Few Good men" where LTJG Daniel Kaffee (played by Tom Cruise) is questioning Col. Nathan R. Jessep (played by Jack Nicholson) on the witness stand in court and Jack Nicholson delivers one of the most famous movie quotes of all time, "You Can't handle The Truth."
In 2005, Nicholson's reading of the line "You can't handle the truth!" was voted the twenty-ninth greatest American movie quote of all time by The American Film Institute. However, as popular as the movie quote is, I think in reality many people can not handle hearing the truth.
Some people realize that there is a difference between absolute honesty and total honesty. Sometimes total honesty will get you no where with someone so you must resort to absolute honesty in order to get things done. I spoke about that in a previous blog titled Bad Day when I first met Mr. Bricks and he slopped marinara sauce all over his white shirt.
I know I am just as guilty as others in not always being able to handle the truth. An example is recently when my manager Mr. Bricks called with a last-minute audition and I was running late to get out the door. I asked my sweetie, "Does this outfit look good for the audition?" he knew that because I was running late "total honesty" would have only delayed me further, so he resorted to "absolute honesty" and said, "I look absolutely fine." Did he personally think I should have worn something else? Yes. But, he knew that I couldn't handle the truth in a situation like that without creating total muckery. I would have most likely been very late or missed the audition completely by wanting to change my clothes. Note: In the grand scheme of things I still rocked the audition with what I wore! Score one for the Greek blonde girl's fashion sense - just sayin'.
I am not advocating anyone telling lies because that just goes against everything I believe in. I also think sometimes when it is just expressing an opinion, telling someone the total truth does more harm than good. In total honesty the truth could sound so blunt or so cold that some people won't be able to handle the truth. So in my Greek little noggin absolute honesty is also better in a situation like that. It happens to me in the music industry all of the time.
I think the reason that Simon Cowell's new singing reality show The Xfactor is going to be so successful is because he has no problem telling the truth. Of all the American Idol judges, past and present it was only Simon who always told the contestants the honest truth. Cowell often got booed for his comments because the contestants and the audience couldn't handle the truth.
There are situations when nothing except total honesty is the only acceptable policy:
Me: Who's your favorite and most talented client Mr. Bricks?
Mr. Bricks: You are Ava Aston
Me: That was the right answer!
Blessings,
Ava
xox
PS Don't forget there is just a few a little time left to take advantage of the March Madness sale on my "Gone" CD
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