Downsides of Fame - Celebrities Haunted by Stardom
By Marisa Mitchell | Opinions Editor
Entertainment and Hollywood has been an influential part of culture for decades. Movies, plays and musicals have all stemmed from various rituals and traditions. As the entertainment industry soared, all eyes fell on the figures of fame. Unable to deal with the pressure of their new-found influence, many celebrities fall into shocking and sometimes deadly scandals. Though becoming a star is something many dream of, the true horrors are often unknown.
One of the biggest phenomenons in Hollywood is the “27 Club”, which lists many celebrities who all died in unfortunate circumstances at the age of 27. The club includes singers like Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Amy Winehouse, who all died in scandals such as alleged suicides and overdoses. These people had all built a positive reputation on being fun-loving and confident people, though many publicly struggled with severe depression and substance usage, likely a side effect of the pressure of fame.
Some celebrities have opened up about their constant struggles and lack of privacy due to paparazzi and obsessive fans. Britney Spears, Selena Gomez and Tobey Maguire have all publicly slammed paparazzi and expressed feeling constantly harassed.
A well-known example of paparazzi allegedly harming celebrities is the highly debated case of Princess Diana. On August 30, 1997, Diana was killed in an automobile crash. When announced, theories on who was at fault spread globally. A major theory blames paparazzi cars for not only chasing her vehicle and causing the crash, but also preventing paramedics from getting Diana to a hospital in a timely manner. In the aftermath, fans were enraged. Many accused the paparazzi of not only murdering the princess but taking photos of her as she was dying. To this day, many use the tragic event as a symbol of how dangerous paparazzi and fame could be.
Along with paparazzi dangers, Hollywood actors have dealt with mistreatment on set as well. The Wizard of Oz, though celebrated as the firstcolor film in Hollywood, is also criticized for the abuse actors received. According to an article by biography.com, Judy Garland was body shamed constantly and given drugs to keep her working for hours on end. Post film, Garland was addicted. She later died at 47 of a supposed accidental drug overdose.
Despite scandals, there are still many hoping to one day step into the spotlight. Even at KMC, there is a group of students wanting to make it big off of Youtube. Juniors John Korfhage and Joseph Brungardt have worked together releasing challenge videos on Korfhage’s channel, McSweaty.
“I think what is drawing me to being famous is the clout,” Korfhage said. “I also think it’s just fun to make videos, even if I don’t have as many views. I think everybody wants to be famous because it is like a rite of passage, you can kind of do whatever you want. It could be a little dangerous with people trying to attack you.”
Though he wants to be famous himself, Korfhage believes a theory of celebrities faking their death to escape fame.
“I honestly think the rapper Juice WRLD is still alive,” Korfhage said “He probably faked his own death because he hated being famous. There’s hints in different songs about it.”
Brungardt is regarded as the “brains” behind the videos. Similar to Korfhage, he hopes to gain recognition through social media.
“I want to be famous so I can make money,” Brungardt said. “I honestly think if you think fame will take a toll on your mental health then you shouldn’t be famous, but I don’t think there is a downside of fame. Paparazzi is all just a part of being famous.”
Their channel is just one example of people pursuing the appeal of fame. Theater teacher Gabriel Heffernan disagrees with the glamour of fame.
“I think one downside is people will put their whole identity in being famous,” Heffernan said. “If you lose fame or become quote unquote irrelevant, you might lose your sense of self. I think paparazzi can be a physical danger because they get in people’s business and it is all to sell a picture. I can’t say that the paparazzi is directly to blame for celebrity mental health, but I think they definitely have a role.”