On Sept. 21, a 59-year-old man stalked Madonna, writing messages of adoration on the sidewalk outside of her house. More threatening was the fact that he was in criminal possession of a 7-inch pickaxe. Meanwhile, everywhere a celebrity goes, they either must endure paparazzi and screaming fans or disguise themselves so they are not recognizable. It makes one wonder: Is being a celebrity worth it? And why can’t we give them some privacy?
Have you ever gone a week or so where you had absolutely no time to yourself? Humans require some alone time to meditate, rest and refresh. Celebrities have it rough in this department; they’re constantly in the public eye. We demand they entertain us — we pay them large amounts of money to do just that — and people, particularly those in our nation, like to be entertained around the clock.
I’m not saying that celebrities haven’t asked for this. They’ve strived for a career where they are in the spotlight, where their faces are blown up on big screens and where albums carrying their voices are bought by the millions. But everyone is entitled to some off time. Celebrities need privacy just like 9-to-5 workers need time off at the end of the day, so they can continue to work the next day.
It is hard for a celebrity to go out on the town, and that’s understandable. People adore them and worship the ground they walk on (something I personally find to be a little strange, but hey, you pick your poison). But when we invade their homes and private lives, we are taking it way too far. It is messed up to stalk someone and harass them around their house. It is illegal — and rightly so.
We hang on the stories celebrities tell us, dance to the songs they sing us and sometimes even believe the things they believe. But if we keep demanding so much from them, we are in great danger of seeing a decline in the quality of entertainment they deliver us. I hold that this is part of the reason that Hollywood and the music of today has gone down in production quality; not just because of scheming executives, but because actors and singers are far too exhausted to put out a quality product.
Celebrities do a lot to keep us entertained. Some of them break bones; some of them snap emotionally. It’s quite honestly a stressful job to be in the spotlight 24/7, all for the entertainment of a nation. The least we can do is give them some privacy and time to themselves. It’s what we would want if we were in their position.
Ian Everett is a creative writing freshman and may be reached at [email protected].
I completely 100% agree with this. Yes, celebrities do it to themselves to a point but seriously, give them a break. Leave their children alone too! The kids didn't ask for this, parents are fair game but until the kid becomes a celeb on their own, leave them out of it.