Sunday, December 13, 2009, 10:12 AM
Sports, Celebrities, In the News, Stop the Presses
By Kevin Moreau
Tiger and the fame monster
Watching David Letterman joke about Tiger Woods last Monday, it became clear that the best thing the golfer can do is publicly admit his misdeeds. The only way to put this whole mess behind him is to take ownership of it, the way Letterman did. (Woods hadn’t done so at press time.)
It’s easy to understand Tiger’s reluctance to open himself up for public consumption. His private life, he feels, should remain just that: private.
Unfortunately for Tiger, we no longer live in a world in which public figures can reasonably expect some measure of privacy. They should be able to, no question. But in the 21st century, we’ve come to expect our celebrities to share everything about themselves—even when we’re disgusted by it.
This is the world we live in: We look down our nose at the White House party crashers and their ilk for the things they’ll do to feed their naked addiction to attention, at the same time that we shake our heads at Tiger Woods for stubbornly refusing to sacrifice himself at the same altar.
In this new world, accomplishment in one’s chosen field is no longer the sole arbiter of celebrity status. It’s merely one way to achieve fame. And once you’ve become famous, those accomplishments are no longer important. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are more famous for their relationship than for their film roles. Pitt’s ex, Jennifer Aniston, is primarily famous for having been dumped by him. Jessica Simpson’s acting and singing careers are little more than sidelines to her main occupation, which appears to be taking heat for her weight, wardrobe and romantic relationships.
What you’ve done doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you continue to feed the beast. And every part of your life is fair game, whether you like it or not.
The beast has been conditioned to expect such sacrifices. Just look at that real-life “Truman Show,” MTV’s “The Hills,” which follows a group of nominally attractive young people, whose friendships, chance encounters and even jobs are predetermined and manipulated for maximum soap-operatic impact.
Long ago, before “American Idol,” Madonna drew criticism because her music was seen as an extension of her desire for attention, rather than an artistic statement. But it turns out that Madonna was a visionary (just as she’s always believed). These days, wanting to be adored is itself a valid form of artistic expression.
When it comes to what Lady GaGa calls “the fame monster,” the rules have changed. Privacy is not an option. And the beast must be fed.