Celebrity Gossip: Crossing the Line?

Hannah Montana is Pregnant! Britney Spears is Having Twins! Jaleel White aka. Steve Urkel died, Chris Crocker (from Leave Britney Alone You Tube fame) Committed Suicide!

The headlines spread like wildfire, powered by the busy fingers of those hungry for the latest celebrity gossip fare. From the chefs who cook them up to the fans who eagerly wait to partake, celebrity gossip is big business, great for sales, and always an item hot on the menu. However, one must wonder if this is a healthy diet, for all who consume of its wares.

I remember one day when I was a little girl, about ten years old. I loved to eat Pop Rocks candy. They had a way of sizzling, crackling, and popping in your mouth that just couldn't be beat. It was the experience that I had expected to receive from eating Kellogg's Rice Krispies, which I discovered at a very early age, did not live up to its claims. Nor did my box of cereal come with three little elves that would sing and dance for me while I ate my breakfast. However, I really enjoyed Pop Rocks, they lived up to their claim and I was hooked. One day, I was sitting in the back seat of the family car when my older sister, (who seemed to think it was earthly mission to ruin my fun), informed me with a look of horror on her face, that I should not have gulped that last handful of Pop Rocks. Then she went into lengthy discourse to tell me how Mikey from "He Likes It, Hey Mikey" cereal fame, had died after devouring a package of Pop Rocks, and that since I had savagely finished off my bag in one swift scoop, I would more than likely meet the same fate."

There I sat, in the backseat petrified, waiting to see if my stomach was going to burst. I can still hear my sister's laughter as she knew that it was nothing more than a rumor and that Mikey was still going strong, eating his Life cereal, and suffering the same fate that many celebrities experience, being the subject of celebrity gossip and false rumors. It's ok, I survived, my stomach didn't explode and I live to tell the tale.

This week the predatory false rumor bug bit another celebrity. Hannah Montana star, Miley Cyrus was victimized by false rumors that she was pregnant. Apparently, a hacker took an interview that Miley Cyrus had given the teen magazine, J-14 and released a falsely edited version via the Internet. The story swept across the WWW ravaging the hopes and dreams of Disney fans across the globe. J-14 posted a statement on their website, but undoubtedly there are still many who believe that the rumors are true, and regardless of how the rumors began, we can be certain that J-14's website's hits jumped tremendously this week. Of course, they'll summarize the entire ordeal as, "There no such thing as bad publicity."

However, what is important to realize is that these celebrity false rumors take their toll. I think in a sense, the general population may feel that since celebrities have reached the status of fame, wealth, and stardom that many could only dream of that they deserve to have their reputation's destroyed. I don't know if I would agree with that. When I look at someone like Britney Spears shaving her head in front of the cameras, I can only be certain of one thing, the price for fame is not privacy, it's sanity.

Just take a look at child stars, for example. There are so many stories, documentaries, books, and articles written about the "child star gone wrong" syndrome. However, what I believe the true issue may be, is that the child star is being psychologically abused in ways that the general population will never understand.

I remember when I was in seventh grade. I was picked on by a number of different bullies. My mother said it was due to my good looks. That really surprised me, because none of the girls threatening to beat me up mentioned that they thought I was very pretty. When the boys jumped in and teased me my mom said it meant they liked me. I didn't find that reasoning very plausible either. Seventh grade was a very difficult year for me, and in some ways, I do believe that those experiences of being bullied caused some feelings of anxiety, fear, and a bit of paranoia that is with me to this day. However, I grew up. The bullying stopped. I found my place in the world, and my self-esteem recovered.

Yet, I wonder how much worse it is for the celebrity child star that one day is the most popular kid in the entire school district, and then the next day is the target of media bullies, being picked on, humiliated, and exploited by the World Wide Internet! Talk about being bullied on a global level! I thought the seventh grade was bad and that was just a handful of kids!

What's even worse then the Internet rumors that circulate, is the way that celebrities humiliate and degrade other celebrities in the name of humor. I don't think its funny. But hey, maybe that's because I remember what it was like being awkward, silly, and the "odd one out" of the clique. But what seems strange to me, is that when I take a good look at the celebrities who seem to make their career ripping other stars to shreds, I get the feeling that maybe they were the ones bullied in the seventh grade. They all seem to look a bit awkward, gawky, and shy. Maybe they feel a sense of justification, I don't know. All I know is I think it is wrong.

Personally, I think the whole business of celebrity stardom stinks. In fact, you couldn't offer me two million dollars to subject my child to that type of degradation and torment. There is no amount of money in the world, that in my opinion justifies the emotional trauma and psychological abuse caused by media bullies that prey on celebrities, and to go after the child stars is extremely cruel. Am I surprised when I see them crashing their cars every other week, celebrating their birthdays in drug and alcohol rehabs, or shaving their heads in front of the camera? No, not one bit. But I do believe one thing, they aren't acting up for attention and they aren't living recklessly just because they feel like it. I believe they are truly suffering from severe psychological abuse and I believe they all need to find therapeutic help.

But I for one will not be party to being the "bully". I cannot find the justification in watching celebrities be exploited and humiliated under the guise of entertainment. I don't think its funny. I think it's sad. I look at Anna Nicole Smith and the horrible price she paid for celebrity stardom. Here is a woman who was completely exploited and humiliated as a trade off for the price of fame. Did anyone feel sad that this woman's life was a complete mess and in utter shambles before she died? I did. I felt grieved for this woman who was the victim of a mass media market called, fame that entertains us with movies, television, and theatrical drama while at the same time exploits the most vulnerable and hurting people on the planet. But I think we feel it's ok, because they are rich. That maybe their suffering isn't the same as the common man's because they have a fat bank account to fall back on. I don't know if I agree with that either. Pain is the same no matter how much money you have in the bank.

Life is hard. It's tough. We like movies and television as a means of escape from the daily humdrum 9-5 routines that we carry out daily. However, it crosses a line when we find that the stars that bring us joy are crumbling train wrecks headed for suicide, depression, insanity, and overdose. They call them "actors" for a reason, and many of our favorite stars are performing 24/7, 365 days a year.

So celebrity gossips, cook up your best dish. Serve it with your schmorgasboard complete with rumor, lies, gossip, tales, and scandals. However I'll push my plate away and say no thank you. The food you are serving is poisoned and it doesn't supply any healthy nutrients. Not to those whose lives you are ruining, not to the children who desperately need a role model to look up to, and certainly not for those who find that wholesome entertainment should be family friendly and fun. You won't catch me watching your latest talk show, or subscribing to your latest celebrity tales. However, you will find that I am pointing people to the truth of the situation through my articles and blog, and hopefully, in a small way, I'm doing my part to stand up for the next little kid who is standing in the bullies aim, waiting for someone to say, "Hey, leave that kid alone."