Everyone knows that the Osmonds are Mormon royalty. Or as close as we get to a royal family, LDS-style.
Marie Osmond, the only daughter in the testosterone-laden Osmond clan, has announced that she and her husband of 20-years, Brian Blosil, are calling it quits.
I never really had the Donny Osmond crush, like many children of my generation, because even back then I had a bad-boy thing going on (loved David Cassidy and all that hair. Ooh la la.). But I grew up singing Osmond songs, and I think I still know all the words to Paper Roses, thanks to Marie’s version of it, which I played over and over again on my family’s eight track player.
And I’ve watched as Marie has tried to be a very real, very human person in the public eye, and that means not really hiding the fact that her life is FAR from perfect.
I’m sure there is much we do not know, and frankly, it’s not our business. Marie Osmond did not wake up one day and say, “Hey, I think I’ll just start hanging out at clubs, and showing off my hoo hoo to the paparazzi so I can get in every blog, newspaper, and magazine in the Universe and be famous for doing absolutely NOTHING except having money and going to clubs and all that…” Uh, sorry. Got off track.
But she didn’t. She was BORN into this famous talented family, into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and she has done her best to live under the microscope from that time.
Nobody ASKED her if she wanted to be a role model for young Mormons everywhere.
From what I’ve seen of Marie Osmond over the years, I wonder if she has always chafed under the stifling repressive bonds of patriarchy? It would seem that way.
Marie also seems to have NOT jumped on the Melaleuca bandwagon, like her brothers. (For those of you NOT in the know, Mormons love multi-level marketing like Amway, and the Osmonds have used their name recognition and past success to push Melaleuca). Can I be the first to say YUCK? Well, maybe not the first. I find their pushing of this MLM distasteful at best.
But Marie hasn’t played in.
She has been fairly open about her struggle with postpartum depression, even taking on FrankenCruise, with this statement:
“When Tom becomes a woman and has a baby and has postpartum, then he can become an expert.”
A failure is never easy to endure, especially publically. Failure of a marriage, something so personal and heart-wrenching, is even worse.
So, I just wanted to say that I wish Marie Osmond the best, and hope she can find the happiness she is seeking. I hope she knows that it’s really inside her, and she has had it all along. Despite what we were taught all of our lives, what was shoved down our throats as the ONLY TRUE THING, there is no need for a “priesthood holder” to find that happiness.
I refuse to believe that a loving God won’t let a woman into His kingdom unless she has a man ahead of her, who knows her secret name, and will pull her through to meet God. That’s a chauvinistic man-fantasy. Those types just WANT to believe a woman can’t survive without a man by her side.
The enlightened ones, both men and women, know better.
Good luck, Marie.
Writer in a Bubble 
I am glad to see someone who is sympathetic to a very real human person, complete with failings, I believe that Marie and Brian deserve sympathy and comfort at this time, rather than being “raked over the coals” by the media.
Thank you for saying that this is THEIR business, as it certainly isn’t ours.
Scripture tells us of a loving God who died for our sins & failings. If we do not accept that we are forgiven our failings, we call Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross unnecessary.
I also, wish Marie and Brian the best, the pray that God will enable them to part as friends. I pray that their children may know the love of BOTH their parents.
Bernie
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I’m also glad to see someone who understands that people are only human. I don’t really understand most of the Mormon beliefs. It seems to be a religion that is run by men and is all about men first. I couldn’t live like that and be okay with it. I hope things work out well for Marie.
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I feel a lot of kinship and sympathy with Marie, although we have never met. Stars like Paris Hilton and Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan provoke the media and bring the lavish attention upon themselves. When they turn on the paps, I have little sympathy for them. Marie has never done that. She doesn’t deserve media scrutiny now, although I am sure she will receive quite a bit just because she is a Mormon.
It’s hard to be set up to fail. And I feel like that’s what happens in cases like these. How do you live up to those standards? When you fail, like all humans do, it’s all public fodder.
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I have always admired Marie Osmond. Besides a marvelous talent she has always been human. She has always used her problems to help others, to make others more aware of what is happening to those around us, she has always shared so we know what is happening to ourselves. I have always believed that if you have celebrity it is for a purpose, Marie Osmond (and a few of her brothers too) have used their celebrity well.
I wish her happiness and wholeness. Having been on the receiving end of more than one divorce, I can tell you from experience whether you initiated the proceedings or were dealt the hand it is not easy. It is made worse when you have to live up to expectations in the public spot light. I hope the press (ha haha) will leave her in peace.
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Natalie:
I read your comment about Marie Osmond and then checked the comment section. After watching the reactions of your fans for awhile, I expected to see a bunch of negative comments being tossed around about her. It was quite refreshing to see the wonderful and understanding comments made on her behalf.
By the way Natalie: I commented on your response to Robbie and me;
http://www.nataliercollins.com/weblog/2007/02/15/the-worst-massacre-in-utah-history/
http://www.nataliercollins.com/weblog/?p=409#comment-41599
Wayne
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i’ve always admired her too and wish her the best and much happiness.
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Notbusy:
I agree to with you about Marie. It would be wonderful if there were no divorces in any faith or otherwise. I think if every one, (including myself), would try to follow more closely, the admonitions of the Savior, and read his words, and then try to do and act on the things He taught, there would be a lot less, (I said less), broken families.
In our general conference, the members of the Church were counseled how to treat others, especially family members. We were also taught by several leaders about forgiveness and how it cankers our souls if we don’t.
On the subject of being led by men: I see that happening all through the Bible. Even the Savior himself chose mostly men to be his disciples. The women of the LDS Church have some of the most important positions in the Church. And, according to them, have had some of the most rewarding experiences in their lives. They just released one lady from the Relief Society Presidency (the women’s organization) who had served there for several years, and called another to serve in that capacity. They also released another lady from the Primary Presidency (the children’s organization), and called another to serve. Each one told of their joy in serving in those worldwide positions.
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A Church is not required in order to know how we should treat one another, faith is not even required as I am one of each. All that is necessary are human emotions and thinking before one speaks. The Golden rule is a helpful reminder.
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Well, Wayne, all I have to say is one man’s General Conference is another man’s Nascar race…..
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Interesting response. Really I wasn’t talking to you Natalie. I am well aware of the fact this is your website, but I was hoping Notbusy would read my comment because they were kind of directed to her through you. Hope you didn’t mind. I guess I better not do that, huh. I am not really sure I am welcome here anyway. Maybe I better start watching the races.
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Wayne, you are certainly welcome here, and you can address anyone you want.
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I admit, I had a Marie Osmond doll when I was 4 or 5. My family were not members at the time, so it must have just been the popularity of the whole “Danny and Marie” thing.
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A couple comments:
Marie may not be hawking Melaleuca, but she is hawking Xocai, a “healthy chocolate” which near as I can tell is another MLM company. See http://www.marieschocolate.com/ . I was a big fan of the Osmonds (however my big crush was on Jay, not Donny) and have been saddened to see them reduced to hawking MLM companies.
Marie’s first divorce came around the time I was leaving the LDS church. I had a lot of reasons for leaving (when people ask the short version is I was female, I was intelligent, and I was Mormon-I couldn’t continue to be all three and the first two weren’t budging) but Marie’s divorce did upset me. I knew a woman who was trying to get a temple divorce-she had told me how long and hard the process was. Marie got divorced and a year later got remarried in the temple. I was convinced that her money and name had greased the skids.
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To see them reduced to it??? You are obviously less than 50 years of age because they have always been on the leading edge of whatever came down the pike MLM-wise dating back to early 70’s
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Marie IS involved in a multi-level marketing company..XOCIA check out her web site http://www.marieschocolate.com
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I used to to be Mormon and I used to be married, now I’m 23 and divorced and happier than ever. Marie seems like a heck of a woman and I hope she finds happiness again. Check out my blog : twentysomethinganddivorced.blogspot.com
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My future husband left the Mormon church….he was a returned missionary. He is also very intelligent, a physician, and could no longer abide by the Mormon callings. He is now in therapy to help him get over the guilt inflicted upon him by the Mormon church. I believe he is on his way to making himself happy after years of being everything for everyone.
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The action plan we offer can arm you with the information you need to you make the right decisions while navigating through the divorce process.
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I think it should all be private but Marie keeps bringing it all up.She puts down her husbandS.acts like SHE was left holding the family finances, BUT SHE wanted the divorceS,plural! How sad she lets her kids see this on TV(or their friends see it) and you know there’s the kids emotional baggage from HER decisions. She needs to shut up stay home and raise those kids, she keeps calling herself a “single mother”! I checked this site to see how it was SHE could divorce but it was frowned on for all others. I guess money DOES talk and they have plenty.
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George Osmond engineered the Osmond family from scratch within my lifetime. Marie was not born into an empire, her old man assembled one around her using his children like trained little monkeys to bring the punters into the show, and Marie was the cute little girl that put him over the top–that and Donny’s secondary sexual characteristics finally kicking in. The George started out hawking real estate but selling is selling, and what the Osmonds do is sell crap–music, herbs, whatever’s hot usually on the Mormon fad circuit. Most people get over depression and then feel better. Marie uses the urge to kill herself as motivation to scam off another book. I’m waiting for the book about surviving the loss of a child. I’m waiting for the commemorative doll set. Most people collect dolls to relax. Marie obsessively flogs them on the shopping channel and beats her hobby into a multi-million-dollar industry. Mot people would just drop out of a meaningless dance contest when you kid just died and your father dropped dead in the semi-finals, and you’re starving yourself so hard trying to steal Kirsty Alley’s weight loss gig that you hit the dance floor like a sack of potatoes on national television just like the old days down at Utah Valley Hospital when you were sticking your finger down your throat to make weight for the producers of the Donny and Marie show.
Most people would just shut up about divorce if they really wanted it private, rather than making multiple shots at the biggest chic-centric daytime chat shows to talk all about how great you are for surviving your own bad choices, and saying just enough to let the world imaging each ex-spouse you’re ditching is up so something sinister and dark, but not really making any actionable claims.
Anyway. I always wonder why so many people are so gullible where Marie in particular is concerned, because it’s always brave and spiritual Marie coming through these just unexpected tragedies that have nothing to do with her lifestyle, her obsessive work compulsion, he insane demand for public attention, he unblinking devotion to covering her arse and protecting he Osmond product line, including her arse in particular. I just look at her and think, well, at the bottom of this there’s a real story somewhere and she’s not the heroine in it. But we’ll never know, because whether bought or threatened into silence, we never get so much as a hint at what’s really going on there.
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Thank you, that was my next post about George orchestrating his own get rich quick scheme with his little children.
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