Does Fame Have To Result In
Dehumanization?
The matter of what exactly is the
purpose of paparazzi and what part does paparazzi play in society remains as
one of the most controversial issues amongst the world of entertainment. Being
in the limelight brings along several unfortunate aspects, most of the
wrongdoings that an average civilians would have no issue throwing under the
rug, would be highlighted and manufactured in a way that makes a particular
celebrity seem inhumane. I believe the whole paparazzi aspect of the
entertainment business is unnecessary. Being apart of this “paparazzi” which
just so happens to be an actual career for many should be banned. Celebrities
along with their families are everyday people who have a right to privacy, and
do not need to be hounded and harassed by these flashing lights.
It is easy to
contemplate how one would act or conduct themselves if they were to become
famous, however this one of those instances in which it is never truly certain
as what course a person may take if put in that position. From the outside
looking in, we are overwhelmed thoughts of how exhilarating it would be to have
millions of people screaming your name, waiting for you to step foot outside
simply to take a photo of you. However, we must step back and view this
scenario from a realistic approach. We live in a very individualistic and
privatized world where we try to keep to ourselves as much as possible and are
reluctant to feed people any sort information that will make us look
displeasing to the outside world. We are essentially afraid of being judged.
Now, when we take this ideology and apply it to that of a celebrity's life, it
may not appear as glamorous as many assume. Being known as a celebrity holds
pressure just to go out with family members, shop, to act as you want with no
interference, or in simple terms be yourself.
According to Stephen
Coz, editor of the National Enquirer,
said, “There's a difference between observing celebrities and hunting them
down” (“Celebrity”). The fact of the matter is, Paparazzi invades. In many instances
you not only have to watch what you do but also if you hold a certain image
where young girls, boys, and teens idolize you, there appears somewhat of a
wall in which you cannot cross. One of the most dreadful parts of being a
celebrity is the fact that these men and women, who hold these cameras and videophones,
have more power over your life than the actual celebrity. The paparazzi have
the power to literally belittle, diminish, and destroy the image of a
celebrity. All it takes is one
unflattering image, and instantaneously the reputation of said celebrity is
thrown into the gutters. These paid stalkers take it a step to far. In many instances we have found celebrities backlashing
on the paparazzi and are then attacked on several media sources such as blogs,
television, magazine’s, and radio. Some are then labeled as the aggressors in
the situation.
According to Duke a few years back the
ex-husband of a woman by the name of Taylor Armstrong who starred in the
reality television series “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” allegedly hung
himself after public humiliation and celebrity gossip. After Mrs. Armstrong
reported being physically and verbally abused by her estranged husband, massive
media outlets began posting following his every move capturing photos of this
man, selling them to magazines, plastering his image all over the web; leaving
this man to believe that he had no other choice but to take his own life. We
have also seen photos captured by members of the paparazzi to cause assumptions
of what a celebrity may be battling. If a photo were taken of someone whom
began to look thinner than normal, word of an eating disorder may arise; the
same can be the case of one who may appear slightly heavier than usual. It's quite disgusting how unsympathetic these
people are. If one is battling an
addiction, paparazzi will appear as a pack of wolves who have just set eye on
their prey. They will aggressively stalk said celebrity in hopes of finding
something by which they may be able to use, to make this celebrity seem like an
outrageous raging drug addict who hasn't any care in the world. In result,
because we the public are so simple minded, we feed into these fabricated
images and story lines and we instantly pick a side as if we personally know
the person. I myself have fell victim to mentally tarnishing a television star
by what I read about them from a few blogs, and unflattering photos.
What is even
worse about this whole paparazzi frenzy? The fact that children of famous
parents are dragged into the mix, harassed and stalked, when they themselves would
like to live the everyday life of a child. The parent may have wanted some
level of fame, but the child themselves did not ask to be hounded and harassed.
This issue is serving
as the most influential, being that it has been brought to courts and laws have
been passed in order to protect children of famous entertainers. According to
Fox News, the governor of California signed a bill that will restrict children
from being devoured by flashing photographers. Advocates for this issue were
upheld in the court to help pass this bill. Oscar winning actress Halle Berry
has taken prey to this action of child harassment from paparazzi. Stating that
her daughter has felt “intimidated by photographers who follow them
daily.” Soon to start in January, those
who violate this bill are looking at up to a year in county jail along with a
fine of up to 10,000. What puzzles me about this particular instance is the
fact that some if not most of these paid stalkers have children of their own. A
person must have little to no shame if they find nothing absolutely disturbing
about shouting and lingering over little children with a camera.
I believe that we must honestly step back and take a
glance at the big picture of it all. Part of the responsibility lies in the
people who buy and read the media. If we as civilians did not drool over and
were so obsessed with celebrities, the financial purpose behind obtaining these
celebrity photos would be far less. Thereby causing the paparazzi to decrease
in size and become less intrusive, because there wouldn't be such high value
for pressing a button on a camera that they call work. Overall, we as viewers
have a say in how far this can actually go.
Works Cited
Associated Press.
"Calif. Gov. Signs Bill Increasing Paparazzi Protection for Celebrity
Children." Foxnews.com. Fox
News, 25 Sept. 2013. Web. 5 Nov. 2013.
<http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2013/09/25/calif-gov-signs-bill-increasing-paparazzi-protection-for-celebrity-children/>.
"Celebrity Privacy." Issues
& Controversies On File: n. pag. Issues & Controversies.
Facts On File News Services, 9 July 2007. Web. 5 Nov. 2013.
<http://www.2facts.com/article/i0202350>.
Duke, Alan. "'Real
Housewives' Husband Apparently Kills Himself, Authorities Say." Cnn.com. CNN, 17 Aug. 2011. Web. 5 Nov.
2013.
<http://www.cnn.com/2011/SHOWBIZ/celebrity.news.gossip/08/16/real.housewives.suicide/index.html>.
