Then all sorts of weird stuff came out about Michael Jackson and I couldn’t listen to his music without thinking about all the other stuff, which spoiled the experience for me. So, I stopped buying and listening to Michael Jackson’s music.
Sometimes I could forgive and forget celebrities' transgressions. I loved Robert Downey, Jr.’s performance in Chaplin. Then Downey got into trouble with drugs, and for a while I had trouble watching his performances: I kept wondering if he was high. But eventually he redeemed himself, and I reached a point where I could enjoy his performances again. I loved him in Iron Man. After Elvis died, I was able to move on and enjoy his music. Will the same thing happen with Michael Jackson? I don’t know.
Reality shows can positively or negatively impact how I view a celebrity. Before I started watching their reality shows, I really didn’t know who Gene Simmons and Kathy Griffin were. Now, I watch Simmons and Griffin whenever I can. On the other hand, Paula Abdul’s reality show, Hey Paula, made me think that she needed psychiatric or medical help. I’m really on the fence with Denise Richards’ show It’s Complicated : it hasn’t increased or decreased her appeal to me. But her show must have brought her some free publicity. Celebrities should think long and hard before they agree to star in their own reality show.
It’s not that celebrities have to lead the lives of nuns or priests. That’s not the point. It’s just that I can’t enjoy an artist’s acting or singing if his or her personal life looms over them and colors everything they do. And if I can’t enjoy their performance, I don’t buy one of their songs or a ticket to their movie. I do enjoy visiting Planet Celebrity, but I get to choose who I visit there. And I don’t think I’ll be attending a Tom Cruise convention any time soon.
Article comments
1 - Joanne Huspek
It is often said that artists are genius and genius is antisocial. It could explain the self-destruct tendency so many of them exhibit. It's especially true of actors who come alive in their scripts, but are otherwise uninteresting (or quirky, odd, weird, etc.) human beings.
Me? I'm a cynic and don't even put my doctor on a pedestal, much less anyone else. We are all human, even those of us with talent.
2 - The Crow
Thanks for the comment!