So let’s talk about celebrity and about the ones who only get their 15 minutes (or so) of fame. People like Bobby Sherman, Veronica Lake, The Cowsills, Flip Wilson, even Sandra Dee.
The first thing I want to say is that parents should think long and hard before they throw their children into the fame game. The first child star I remember from my generation who died of an overdose was Anissa Jones from Family Affair. Since then we have been almost inundated with the tragic drug and alcohol infested lives of most of the child stars right up until the recent exploits of Lindsay Lohan and Miley Cyrus. (I cringe to even use their names on this blog). Even the sweethearts like Melissa Gilbert and Maureen McCormick have come out with their drug and alcohol problems in recent autobiographies. The pressures, immaturity and exploitation of the celebrity game shouldn’t be something parents would want for their children. Let them getting their grounding first and they can seek their fame as adults.
Then there are the stars who, for one reason or another, walk away from their fame. Bobby Sherman was my heartthrob when he was on “Here Come the Brides” but soon after the show folded he left the bright lights and has since had a great career as a paramedic in his home town. A sweet success story out of the limelight. There is life after Hollywood. Others who seemed to walk away, Fess Parker, Charlene Tilton (of Dallas fame), Eve Plumb (Brady Bunch). But stories like these are few and far between.
Why do people seek fame and stardom? I think in the beginning most people go for the goal because of money, not the celebrity. But I think celebrity becomes an addiction. People seem to want to see their name in tabloids otherwise why do they go to the parties and the hot spot bars? Why do they misbehave and apparently make no attempt to cover it up? Why do they bed hop and steal husbands? Do they even have a moral compass?
Tomorrow I will talk about another side of celebrity.
No comments:
Post a Comment