America's Celebrities: To Revere or Condemn

Over the past twenty years or so it appears that the media is littered with articles and editorials of highly prolific figures that are guilty of one indiscretion or another. It seems as if we are constantly inundated with stories of some former "prince" or "princess" who has somehow fallen from grace. We are all familiar with the "dangling of the baby by the balcony and boys in the bed" antics of Michael Jackson, the rape charges filed against Kobe Bryant, and the murder trials of O.J. Simpson and Robert Blake. However, more so than the stories themselves, it is the vitriolic tone and caustic criticism that accompanies these stories that this author finds disturbing. They betray a degree of mean-spiritedness and covert resentment harbored on the parts of both newscasters and laypeople alike. It is indicative of a society that is all too quick to judge and condemn upon the first hint of imperfection.

Is it reasonable to expect any human being to be perfect? After all, media icons that appear to be larger than life are indeed human and thus, are prone to err. Is it fair for us, as human beings that are also given to error, to project expectations on to others that we, ourselves, do not have the capacity to meet? One may argue that such is the price of fame and stature. One may even perceive this as some sort of cosmic balance whereby praise and criticism walk hand-in-hand. However, doesn’t this reasoning seem to smack of the sort of envy and resentment to which I alluded earlier? Just because a person is a celebrity, does that mean s/he deserves to be subject to the type of intense media scrutiny that killed Princess Diana?

One newscaster remarked that the parading of former president William Jefferson Clinton’s sexual indiscretions in the public arena could dissuade the more talented people from seeking the presidency. Whether this is true remains to be seen, but it does make sense that such scrutiny into one’s private life can be a frightening affair. I wonder how a layperson would react to being under such scrutiny. Would s/he be so encouraged to step into the public eye, even if s/he knew that s/he had something to offer to society in the face of such a possibility?

The deaths of John Ritter and Johnny Cash strike a cord deep within the hearts of many Americans. One is perhaps best known the prototypical "everyman" whose roles ranged from the lovable, bumbling bachelor that many fans came to adore during the "Three’s Company" episodes to the quintessential depiction of courage in Stephen King’s "It" to the loving and concerned parent depicted on "8 Simple Rules for Dating my Teenage Daughter". The other can best be described as the musician that epitomizes the quintessence of country music. As the author of countless country anthems that crossed over into the mainstream, Johnny Cash warmed the hearts of music fans worldwide and was primarily responsible for elevating the genre of Country music to unparalleled heights of popularity and recognition among the American public. Each of these heroes represented a side of us that is the heart of America. They both spoke to and captured the better parts of our nature. We, as a nation, therefore, mourn the loss of these individuals because they are a part of us that we can ill afford to relinquish. What adds an even more poetic and symbolic tone to their deaths is that they both occurred on the anniversary of an event that changed the heart of America forever. On the day of the WTC bombings many Americans asked whether we were so bad as to be deserving of such an attack. This author asks the reader to consider whether the way in which we are quick to condemn celebrities suggest that we are even deserving of being graced with the likes of a Johnny Cash or a John Ritter? And now that they are gone, will our loss prompt us to appreciate those that are still with us or will our insatiable appetite for yellow journalism send their reputations to the grave as well?

Perhaps, a more insightful approach is warranted. Rather than following the tone of tabloid journalism and satiric variety shows by mouthing words armed for the slaughter of people’s integrity, it might be better to look at ourselves to determine the measure of our own worth. Speaking of which, what does the willingness to assume the worst about another imply about the one making the assumption? Projecting outward is easy but reflecting inward is arduous. However, in doing so, one may find one’s self less apt to condemn the imperfections of others. Furthermore, allow the deaths of those that have passed to act as a sobering reminder that nothing gold can stay, so may be more prudent to refrain from tarnishing the status of our heroes and appreciate them while they are still with us.

Maybe, instead of tearing down those that we help to build up, perhaps we should focus on the contributions that these icons have made in enriching our lives in terms of their talent and of what they epitomize. They give us a reason to hope and dream. They allow us to briefly retreat from reality when life becomes too cumbersome. They represent the summit of our expectations. It is for these reasons that we need them just as they need us to admire them. They are not perfect but neither are we. With this in mind, consider what happens when we destroy the dreams we create.

Listed below are the famous people that have died in 2003. Let us thank God for the privilege of having known them.

Richard Simmons (this is NOT the exercise guru but an 89yr old actor) - January 11
Maurice Gibb (Bee Gees, he follows his younger brother, Andy Gibb in death) - January 12
Richard Crenna - January 17
Nell Carter - January 23
Ron Ziegler - February 10
Johnny Paycheck - February 19
Fred Rogers (Mr Rogers) - February 27
Hank Ballard - March 2
Lynne Thigpen - March 12
Daniel Patrick Moynihan (NY Senator) - March 26
Michael Jeter - March 30
Little Eva - April 11
John Paul Getty Jr. - April 17
Dr. Robert Atkins (Atkins Diet) - April 17
Nina Simone - April 21
Wendy Hiller - May 14
Robert Stack - May 15
June Carter Cash (Johnny Cash's wife, 4 months apart in death) - May 15
Trevor Goddard - June 8
Donald Regan -June 10
David Brinkley - June 11
Gregory Peck - June 11
Hume Cronyn - June 15
Larry Doby - June 18
Leon Uris - June 21
Maynard Jackson (First Black Mayor for City of Atlanta and Mayor during Olympics) - June 23
Max Manning - June 23
Lester Maddox - June 25
Strom Thurmond - June 26
Katharine Hepburn - June 29
Buddy Hackett - June 30
Herbie Mann - July 1
Barry White - July 4
Buddy Ebsen - July 6
Bob Hope - July 27
Sam Phillips - July 30
Gregory Hines - August 8
Charles Bronson - August 30
Gisele MacKenzie - September 5
Larry Hovie - September 9
John Ritter - September 11
Johnny Cash - September 12