Elice Giorgione
A&E Assistant
“Celebrity” is generally equated with “lack of privacy.” It’s an unfortunate but unavoidable downside to fame and its trappings. Some people believe it’s simply part of the job and is something unpleasant that celebrities must accept. After all, having a lack of privacy a small price to pay for all of the wealth, adoration and perks of being a public figure, right? When a celebrity complains about the paparazzi, the people in this camp shrug it off as just another whiny celebrity being selfish and narcissistic.
Others, however, take pity on the stars. Yes, they’re being paid millions for their work, and they live in luxury, but should anyone really have to deal with being unable to go out for a quiet dinner without hoards of people swarming them and taking their photograph? It becomes even more of a problem when celebrities’ children are involved.
Oftentimes celebrities try to keep their sons and daughters out of the public eye to give their lives some degree of normalcy. Some succeed in this most difficult undertaking. Many aren’t so lucky, though, and are forced to see photographs of their kids splashed across the gossip pages. So perhaps it’s a price that celebrities have to pay for choosing this career and lifestyle. But their children were innocently born into it – they had no choice as to whether this was something they were willing to tolerate.
It’s slightly frightening to imagine grown adults following children around with cameras in the places they should feel safe and protected: on their way to school, shopping or on vacation with their families. In any other profession it would be unheard of and shocking for such behavior to take place. It may even become a police matter. But it tends to go unnoticed and not disturb us as much when it takes place in the world of Hollywood.
Sometimes being a public persona becomes not only a matter of privacy but also a safety issue. Consider the recent case of Catherine Zeta-Jones. Because of the high profile of both the actress and her husband, she became a victim of death threats and harassment. She was made to fear for her own life and safety. Can this be considered “part of the job” and something celebrities should be willing to accept?
We live in a celebrity-crazed culture. And at Pepperdine, this culture features even more prominently in our lives. We consume news and gossip hungrily, and many celebrities are glad for the publicity and attention of the masses. They play to it and bask in the spotlight. Others shy away from it and go to great lengths to separate themselves from it, such as Johnny Depp who lives in France to avoid the celebrity side of being an actor.
Some people maintain that we should only appreciate actors for their talent and work, never concerning ourselves with their private lives. But I think it is natural for people to find role models and inspiration in certain celebrities, which inevitably brings about an interest in these people beyond their work on screen. But where should the line be drawn? Because when simple attention and a healthy interest turns into obsession and stalking, the downside of the job becomes something no human being should ever have to deal with, no matter what their salary or public status.
09-16-2004