Should celebrities really be looked up to? (Editorial)
Courtesy of Official Miley Cyrus website
Miley Cyrus has definitely changed since her Hannah Montana days.
January 9, 2014
There are multiple of child actors/actresses that are put into role model positions in that kids are looking up to them as they grow up.
The public is looking up to these “role models,” as they do drugs, act out, and go to rehab. I do not think these actors should not be considered role models and parents should teach their kids to look up to other, more responsible people.
Consider the headline, “Miley Cyrus’ VMAs Backing Bear Speaks Out: “I Was Being Looked At As A Prop…Less Than Human.” This article on the VMAs shares a guest named Hollis Jane who was a bear dancer during Miley’s performance; she speaks out against the humiliation she experienced.
On Facebook she wrote, “We can all agree that right now all Miley Cyrus wants to do is make society’s jaw drop. So what’s more “weird” or “freaky” than having little people parading around in your show?”
She also states, “I had never been in a performance where I was purely meant to be gawked or laughed at. I will never forget that performance because it is what forced me to draw my personal line in the sand […] I walked out of the Barclay Center shaking and crying.”
Miley isn’t only humiliating herself; she’s bringing others down with her.
Former child star Lindsay Lohan is often on the spot, dealing with drugs, booze, and rehab.
In an article on CNN, Lohan’s life and career are depicted as running off the rails, starting in her disastrous year of 2007 when she was twice convicted of drunken driving, once for cocaine use, made three trips to rehab and served an 84-minute jail stay. Her arrests were “totally irresponsible — a stupid mistake,” she said.
Lindsay stays indenial about her alcoholic problems, but yet she knows rehab like the back of her hand. “I’ve been court-ordered to do it six times,” she said. “I could write the book on rehab. Constantly sending me to rehab is pointless. The first few times I was court-ordered to rehab, it was like a joke, like killing time.”
According to Journal News of the World, Zac Efron was sent to rehab for a cocaine addiction. Isn’t it so crazy to watch High School Musical now, knowing what he’s going through?
Efron went to rehab after his drug use spiraled out of control while he was filming the Seth Rogen movie, “Neighbors,” in April, the website reported.
The fame of these beautiful actor/actresses are grabbing America’s attention. It could be intentional or unintentional. But their fans are definitely noticing the mistakes their heroes are making. The fame is getting to their heads in all different ways. I think they took the term “YOLO,” (You only live once) a little too literal.
Alec Di Ruzza • Jan 23, 2014 at 9:43 pm
While one perspective is to look at the how celebrities are negatively influencing our generation as role models, I feel that there is another side to this argument. Yes, doing drugs, partying, lashing out, and going to rehab are all inappropriate behaviors that should never be looked up to, many of these celebrities are also seen recovering and rising above their past “bad” decisions, “rising out of the ashes,” and recreating themselves. For example, i recently saw a news article of an interview between Lindsay Lohan and Oprah, in which Lohan confessed her troublesome past and has said that she plans on setting her future right and getting back to what she was originally famous for, acting. I think this goes to show that celebrities, depending on the approach, can either inspire people to follow their paths, or oppositely, stand as an example of the harmful affects of their bad decisions.
Amelia Winn • Jan 23, 2014 at 1:48 pm
I agree with Miranda.The media is determined to find fault with even the most obscure celebs – consequently, we are fed a constant stream of negative portrayals and shocking rumors. It’s honestly obscene how minute details of these people’s lives are reported daily for the general populace’s entertainment. “So-and-so proposed and didn’t even get her a ring,” “it turns out this guy did drugs in his twenties,” “P.S. her nose is fake.” Who cares? Celebrities are human too – they are facing similar obstacles as the rest of us and they, too, are capable of making mistakes. We should focus on the good that these people do, and remember that we can always find a role model close to home if we only look.
Bri Hendriksen • Jan 20, 2014 at 2:23 pm
I really enjoyed reading this article! I absolutely agree with you. I believe teenagers idolize the wrong people just because they like their style or their music. They don’t look at the things that really matter such as personality and whether they have made a positive impact in someone’s lives.
Christian Pavlovich • Jan 20, 2014 at 8:03 am
Really well written! Its true we idolize people who may not be the best examples for us.
Zach Mitchiner • Jan 15, 2014 at 2:12 pm
While I do believe that celebrities have a negative effect on kids nowadays, I believe that this is not the number one factor that causes kids to turn bad. It is actually society. Even going to school in today’s world is resulting in a negative effect. The media should spend less time focusing on how celebrities are ruining kids, and more time on how all kids in current time are exposed to negative activities by simply going to school each day.
Kate Muir • Jan 15, 2014 at 9:21 pm
Zach, I thought this was an interesting comment. What kind of activities do you mean? Things happening at school or things teenagers are doing to one another?
Miranda Clash • Jan 12, 2014 at 9:39 pm
I agree that society’s idolization of celebrities has gone too far. It’s always important to keep in mind that famous individuals are people who make mistakes just like the rest of us, but the difference is that the media is reporting on every faux pas. Even speaking from the perspective of someone who doesn’t watch much TV or buy the latest magazines, my daily life is infiltrated with references to pop culture. I am fortunate to have a solid home life with supportive parents who serve as fantastic role models, and therefore the ability to recognize that some activities that celebrities partake in (i.e. drug and alcohol abuse) are wrong, but I know that many of my peers aren’t as blessed. I believe that it is mostly these individuals who are turning to celebrities as a a guide on how to speak, act, and dress, since nobody is there to tell them otherwise. Perhaps if the media focused more on the positive contributions of these famous individuals instead of their mistakes, celbrities would be more worthy of the title “role model.”