Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Airing The Dirty Laundry...

When I was a really little girl, I used to love reading about movie stars. To me, they were like royalty. They lived in beautiful houses -- with swimming pools -- they wore gorgeous clothes and generally had perfect lives. Or so I thought. Any hint of impropriety was just that -- a hint. It was all part of the fantasy. Movie stars didn't live "normal" lives like the rest of us. They were never the noisy neighbors who got drunk and had fights, while the rest of the neighbors closed their curtains and pretended they couldn't hear them.

Or so we thought.

I'm not sure I like the new transparency that has been forced onto celebrities by the paparazzi and by sleazy media sites such as TMZ and Radar Online. But the genie is out of the bottle, and we are given a view into these folks private lives. Having said that, wouldn't you think they would want to present a better face to the world? Don't these people care that everyone can see their dirty laundry? Unfortunately, there is no such thing as privacy anymore. When Alex Baldwin or Mel Gibson leave repulsive and sickening messages on folks' voice mail, don't they realize it will go viral in a matter of minutes? When Lindsay Lohan or Paris Hilton, or any other bimbo du jour gets drunk or stoned, throws up and passes out -- on camera -- don't they realize that those pictures will be on the internet -- forever? No amount of cosmetics or plastic surgery can enhance a mug shot.

What are these people thinking?

I don't know about anyone else, but I prefer not to see people -- anyone -- descending into dissoluteness. It should be kept private, whether it's the neighbors or the previous year's Oscar winners. If I hear one more news story about Lindsay Lohan's addictions, bad behaviour and jail sentence, or Mel Gibson's dirty laundry and foul mouth, I think I will throw a shoe through my television set. And then I'll probably get arrested for violence.

Watch for my mug shot.

21 comments:

The Panorama said...

Movie stars are not really normal people.Most stars suffer from a sort of narcissistic personality where everything is about them.Lindsey Lohan is obviously sick and appears to be sociopath.
I too am sick and tired of reading about these stars behaving in such a despicable manner but there are a lot of people who love to read about such things and that is why the papparazzi writes so much about them. Lindsey Lohan's destroyed her film career with her erratic behaviour.

Rebecca Nelson said...

I believe as a society we encourage a lot of the inappropriate behavior we see in Hollywood. We buy into "STARS" being royalty (which I don't like either!) by attending the over-priced movies they are in and by purchasing products they endorse (same is true when we slap down our hard-earned buck$ for designer this and designer that)! SOMEBODY is watching the TV Shows you mentioned and buying the trash Magazines (like PEOPLE and The Enquirer, etc.). I believe this fuels the gi-normous egos of actors across the board and hurls into the universe (via the Internet) more salacious junk than I care to read (or know) about.

Rebecca

The Bug said...

Oh I'm with you! We could each throw shoes at the TV! I think we'd be ok as long as it wasn't someone else's TV. Heh.

Charles Gramlich said...

I try really hard not to pay attention. Mostly I don't even know who many of these people are.

Katy said...

Yes, this tabolid gossip being reported on the nightly news programs is getting old. Why can't this kind of dribble be left on the gutter where it belongs?

Honestly though, I feel sorry for Lindsey. When everyone around you, including your parents, are on your payroll and are just using you to make money, I can see how it would be easy to have a warped since of reality.

Jeannette StG said...

Okay -I'll watch for your mug shot:)
Part of why celebs think they can get away with it, because they are "famous" is partly our fault too. We have them let away with it, made excuses. And we're letting the media get away with publishing their dirty sleezy stories, because so many read it!

I've begun to leave a confronting comment to the author of the article whenever I see some ridiculous news about celeb on the internet.
It's the public that has the ultimate control - if they only could get their stuff together, LOL!

Brenda said...

They never seem to learn that whatever they do will be in the news. I am pretty sure that that are too high or drunk at the time to care and then wake up with a double hangover. I think if I were sitting next to a famous person on an airplane I may not even recognize them. I am not very "star struck"...but was when I was maybe 12.

jennifer black said...

I agree--I am sick and tired of hearing about these types of things. It depresses me that even though I actively try to avoid such sordid and private events, I can't. All sorts of public places--airports, the oil change place, etc--have TVs blaring non-stop, and they all seemed to be tuned to these channels.

On the other hand, the paparazzi would disappear in a few months if their photos and videos didn't sell. We created this monster with our buying habits.

But with TV shows like Bridezilla and the "Real Women of x" making solid money, I don't think Frankenstein is going back in the box any time soon.

Sad sad.

Jennifer

heartinsanfrancisco said...

I doubt they care about their bad press on the theory that any publicity is good. And drunks and drug addicts are by definition out of control, whether they are famous or not. What offends me most is that people who by most standards have everything are still so angry and unhappy, ungrateful and abusive.

TC said...

I'm not defending them or the press in the least BUT what Mel said to his baby mama? It happens, Mel has lost all his free rides with his slurs against people of the Jewish persuasion though.
Lindsay? She needs to go to a convent and grow a garden and be quiet for about 10 years and come out and see if she has anything worthwhile to do then.
I agree with most though, I don't even buy People because it's on a level with the other rags @ the checkout stand anymore...

Rosaria Williams said...

Movie stars live in public all the time. After a while, they crack; nobody can live like that.

Whitney Lee said...

I love the fact that none of this is ever aired on Sesame Street which is typically all I get to watch in the morning. Honestly, if it weren't for the blogs I read, I wouldn't have a clue what you're talking about.

I think the fact that we (as a public) excuse or accept all sorts of behavior has enabled celebrities to behave in an obscene manner and still expect to retain their earning power. If Joe Blow down the street did half the things that the stars do and got off with a slap on the wrist or some piddly ass sentence most citizens would be up in arms. When that's the fate of a celebrity we just shrug. It's a shame.

DUTA said...

The average people like this kind of gossip as it shows that the rich and famous have also problems in life.
The Media just gives its customers what they want to see and hear.Of course, celbes like Lindsay and Mel have become a bore even to the average.

the walking man said...

I wonder if this behavior is really the true them or if it is a way to keep their name in the press. No press is bad press as we used to say eh?

Jo said...

Saroj, you are so right...! These folks are narcissistic, and I think sometimes they manufacture their own bad publicity, just to keep their names in the news.

Rebecca, yes, we have created a very strange phenomenon with "stars" haven't we? We expect them to be the same two-dimensional people we see on the screen, but unfortunately they are very human, and magazines like People and Enquirer make their money off that.

Dana, heh, heh. My TV is new, so I would probably get very violent if I broke it. :-)

Charles, you're lucky!

Katy, Lindsay's mother is a wannabe, and she tags along with her daughter to nightclubs. No wonder she's so screwed up.

Jeanette, you are so right...! Unfortunately for everyone like you, there are ten people who love to read the trashy stuff.

Brenda, I think they live in a little fantasy bubble, and when their tapes hit the news, it's a reality check. Oops...

Jennifer, I will so SO HAPPY when reality shows disappear. But since they seem to be all TV is about anymore, that probably won't happen any time soon. Everyone wants their 15 minutes of fame.

Susan, I guess it proves that money can't buy you happiness, doesn't it? It just seems to be that the more people have, the messier their lives get.

TC, yes I have the feeling Mel was baited, and maybe some of the tapes were "doctored". I would just prefer not to hear them. They're on almost every channel. And yes, poor Lindsay. It's hard to believe she is only 24 years old.

Rosaria, I think it would be horrible not being able to go to the grocery store. I once saw Rene Zelwegger in a grocery store, and everyone was staring at her. I felt sorry for her.

Whitney, "If Joe Blow down the street did half the things that the stars do and got off with a slap on the wrist or some piddly ass sentence most citizens would be up in arms." Omigoodness, you are so right...!

Duta, you hit the nail on the head. Mel and Lindsay are a bore -- along with all the rest of them.

Mark, there is more (!!!) than a grain of truth in what you say. They would disappear if not for the bad publicity.

CHummelKornell said...

I, too, dislike the drivel that is contrived around those perceived to be "stars". Having said that, however, I think perhaps much of the ado about nothing comes from the media. They must report dastardly things (they think) about famous persons in order to sell their shows, publications, photographs, etc., etc. Playing the Devil's Advocate here, I believe if you are all listening to the people who really know Mel Gibson you will learn that he has offered a great deal of support to his fellow stars in the way of being there to help them through trying times. I believe him also to be a champion of needy causes, putting his money into helping. Since I don't recall even a hint of scandal associated with his long-standing prior marriage, I have a difficult time believing that he can be such a Demon now. Recordings (especially those made without your knowledge) can be edited to show whatever one wishes. In all relationships there can be bad times. Things can be said that may be immediately regretted. I listened to the tapes and I heard a desperate man venting his frustration. Have we never said terrible things for which we are sorry? Isn't it possible that this young woman is simply a gold digger looking to further her career on the coattails of a star? What did she see in him in the first place? Perhaps she saw a financially secure future once she produced an off-spring, which she did. Isn't it possible that the media is taking the tidbits and twisting them into a major story? Who among us who has ever separated from a significant other hasn't said or done things that were not rational at the time? I say leave the poor man alone, he is suffering enough!

I'm reminded of the feeding frenzy around Princess Di, whom I respected. Her short life was made miserable by the media and the papparazzi. Even she could not withstand the onslaught of their abuse. As for Lohan, well, I really have no opinion since I choose not to read or listen to the reports. Without us, there would be no "story" and therefore these poor people would be left alone to suffer and resolve their own problems.

CHummelKornell said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
CHummelKornell said...

Jo, Sorry for the repeated comments. My server kept saying my comment was too long and that it would not accept it. I kept editing it so I could post it and when it finally took and I viewed it, the others were also there. My computer has a mind of its own today. Sorry for the inconvenience. As always, I enjoy your posts.

Jo said...

Connie, yes, I agree with you completely. I always liked Mel Gibson, and I think this woman baited him. My favorite movie was "Forever Young" and he was wonderful in that. However, having said that, perhaps he should have known that she was recording his conversations so she could release them to the media. I hope he keeps his mouth shut now. :-)

Cyth said...

As always Jo , you said it so nicely and with such civility.... I agree and I applaud you.

Jo said...

Cyth, thank you...!