Writer's Block: The Right to Privacy

[sea_thoughts]

[Error: unknown template qotd]As a private person myself, I would say that some parts of celebrities' lives should be off-limits. In this day and age, it can be difficult to keep some part of your life to yourself but I think you can still do it, provided that you don't SELL those parts of your life. If you advertise your children and your home and your sex life, people will think it's fair game to ask you about them and to invade those parts of your life in whatever way they see fit. If you guard those parts of your life and make sure that your friends and family know how to be on guard as well, it makes journalists' lives a lot harder and your life a lot easier. If you reach a certain level of fame, you'll always be recognised but that doesn't mean you have to give up a semblance of a normal life altogether. Look at Britney Spears, then look at Christina Aguilera. Of course, Britney had a very public meltdown but she'd already been living most of her life in the public years before that (it didn't help that she'd dated someone else who was famous for a number of years). Christina, on the other hand, seems very careful about press access to her husband and her baby and the rest of her life that doesn't include singing. Result: she's still married.

Comments

[sea_thoughts]

True, but I think part of that was a reaction to being so controlled during her first album and having her image dictated. So when Christina hit 21, of course she was going to rebel and wear outrageous stuff. That part of her personality had to come out or she would have really been messed up. And it helps that she didn't marry one of her backing dancers (or get married and then annul the marriage less than 48 hours later). That doesn't mean I feel no sympathy for Britney. I do. I just think that living so much of her life in the public eye made it very hard for her to have a normal marriage.

[demandingvoice.livejournal.com]

Personally we give too much attention to celebrities. Yes, they have a wonderful talent. It's great that they share it with the world so others can enjoy it.

Do we give this much personal attention to our favorite doctor, dentist...the car mechanic?

We are all human beings. Our talents differ. But to elevate someone to 'superhuman' status..because they can act, sing, hit a baseball...or whatever...is ridiculous. It's one thing to want an autograph or meet someone because they are famous for something--it's another to obsesses over what they are doing on holiday, dinner out or watch they watch on tv during their free time.

[sea_thoughts]

Good to see you, and yes, I agree. It creates pressure to keep on being extraordinary in everything.

[aguabella.livejournal.com]

I think you make a very good point. I think that despite the intrigue of the celebrity life and lifestyle they should be entitled to their own privacy. This overexposure is also mostly born out of the last twenty or so years, because when you look at old Hollywood, yeah there was press, but it wasn't at such a intense level like it is today.

Look at Britney Spears, then look at Christina Aguilera.

*nods* I find this comparison really intriguing, because five or so years ago when they were at the height of the careers everybody kept looking at Christina and thinking she would be the one to melt down, because of her "acting out" while Britney more or less kept the "good girl" image. I think, like you said above, that in the long run that ended up being better for her because she didn't keep it all in. She acted out, she made some questionable fashion choices, but she in the end grew up and out of it.

[sea_thoughts]

This overexposure is also mostly born out of the last twenty or so years, because when you look at old Hollywood, yeah there was press, but it wasn't at such a intense level like it is today.

True, but in old Hollywood, the studios were much more powerful and stars did not have as much freedom. The only reason Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy's affair was never exposed was because of Howard Hughes leaning on newpaper editors.

I find this comparison really intriguing, because five or so years ago when they were at the height of the careers everybody kept looking at Christina and thinking she would be the one to melt down, because of her "acting out" while Britney more or less kept the "good girl" image.

Heh, I think everyone was saying that WAS Christina's meltdown and this would be the end of her career bla bla bla. Like they'd never done anything crazy and questionable themselves at twenty-one. Um, hazing anyone? Sororities and fraternities? Remember those? I bet if all those journalist had to spend their college years in public, they wouldn't come out of it that well. I think the other problem is that Britney had such a public breakup with Justin and didn't really get over it, despite those two marriages.