Apologizing can be tough, and when a celebrity has to ask for forgiveness in a public forum, it can lead to his humiliation.
This has happened time and again with public figures who have done wrong and had to admit their misdeeds. Many times, such figures are apologizing for committing an act of infidelity.
Adultery is not uncommon, but when a public figure commits this, it is viewed differently than when an average person does it. Numerous celebrities’ public confessions have left the public in shock, forever tainting their images as much-admired idols.
The latest example of this phenomenon is Tiger Woods.
Up until his infidelity came to light, Woods was known for being an excellent golfer, and that was about it. He kept to himself and not much was known about his family, other than it appeared to be a picture-perfect family.
But when reports that Woods had been in a car accident near his home Thanksgiving night surfaced, the trouble in paradise began.
TMZ first broke the story Nov. 27, posting on its Web site that “Woods struck a fire hydrant and then a tree on a neighbor’s property.”
After some investigation, what was a minor accident turned out to be a result of Woods’ habitual adultery.
This was contrary to the image the public had of Woods, which made his apology a much-anticipated one.
It is debatable whether he or any other figure in the spotlight owes the public an apology. He cheated on his wife, not the entire nation.
Apologizing to the world will not take back all of his indiscretions, and it will not help him repair his relationship with his wife, Elin; it might, however, satisfy her to see him suffer through such humiliation.
Depending on the situation, similar apologies should be kept within the family, friends and others who were directly affected by the incident.
Because celebrities are public figures with millions of dollars at stake with endorsements and various other deals, it’s easy to understand why they would want to come forward and make a public plea for forgiveness.
But apologizing will not help their case. Instead, these apologies will be forever remembered by the public and turned into a joke.
As for Tiger, it shouldn’t be long before we see sketches of his apology on Saturday Night Live.
Karen Ramirez is a psychology junior and my be contacted at [email protected]
