2006-12-01
is fame worth the lack of privacy?
|While perusing the internet last night, I ran across Britney Spears' outing with Paris Hilton. I'm sure most are aware that the festivities yielded some embarrassing photos for Britney.
To put it delicately, she provided numerous Kodak moments in a compromising position. This led me to wonder, do aspiring celebrities really want to be celebrities?
After living in the United States for a while, I think any non-celebrity out there understands that with fame comes a complete and utter lack of privacy. Usually fame also comes with lots of money.
I think we can safely assume most people want lots of money and some people want lots of fame, but most people do not want a lack of privacy. And yet we still have celebrities complaining about fame's ugly step-sister -- namely, the lack of solitude.
I agree. The lack of privacy would really suck; I couldn't handle that. That is why I keep these oh-so marketable talents of mine safely hidden away. Truly, it is a burden to keep the lid on them but I choose anonymity over fame.
As stated many times over, I enjoy exercising and all aspects of it. But, it would really bite it hard if I had to wear sunglasses and a baseball cap when I left my house in the morning to go work out, ever watchful for the paparazzi hiding amidst the evergreens.
Again, I choose this anonymous middle-class lifestyle and I embrace all things that go with it.
So it always surprises me when a celebrity is shocked at the images they see of themselves.
Please don't assume I am speculating that Britney Spears is shocked at the image she sees of herself. I'm thinking of the celebrities who want to thrown on a pair of jeans and flip flops to go shopping at Target and are then angered by the sounds of cameras clicking. Don't they have a personal assistant who can buy their Tide and Doritos for them? Also, this brings to mind the chicks, like Jennifer Aniston and Cameron Diaz, who want to sunbathe topless next to the pool in their backyard.
I'm just saying the downside of fame is well-documented. To quote the theme song of "The Facts of Life": "You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have the facts of life."
If you're going to be famous, you're going to lose your privacy. If you don't like everyone knowing your business, do your freaky stuff in the privacy of your basement or, for those lacking a basement, the secret S&M room in the back of your house.
And remember what your mother told you; always wear a (clean) pair of underwear.
2006-12-01 at 9:49 a.m.
