Fundamentals of speech and communication

Fictional Talk Show Script for Speech Class

The mother of a British boy who committed suicide and left behind a printout of Eminem's lyrics gets to tell her side of the story during this fictional talk show for speech class.

My name is Mary Hurcombe, mother of David Hurcombe and my son is gone. While I cannot say I hate the American rapper, Eminem, because of his influence over my son, today I listen to all music with keener interest and I hope I can deliver a message to other parents. Rather than analyzing lyrics to music, parents must take the time to listen to their children. It could be a matter of life and death.

Despite the articles and news to the contrary, I'd like to say that I do not believe the lyrics of Eminem's song "Rock Bottom" inspired my son to jump in front of a train in London. However, there must be a way for the music industry to filter out the wheat from the chaff so to speak. Perhaps my son would not have committed suicide had Eminem not portrayed gays in such a negative light. It was all too late that I found out my son was fearful of being regarded as homosexual.

Maybe I should have had a stronger connection to my son. Perhaps we should have discussed his fears, his goals and his dreams. But as a working parent, I hadn't had the time to chat with my son, David, often enough. I cannot blame Eminem for that.

I do, however, blame a recording industry that promotes violence and foul language and behavior that modern human beings should indeed rise above. My son was afraid he was homosexual and that is a lifestyle that is clearly unacceptable to Eminem. Had the recording industry of the U.S.A. not released the songs in which this recording artist degrades homosexuals, my son might be alive today.