By: Adam Sichel “Britney Spears shaves head in fit of rage;” “Michael Jackson homophobia, abuse, plastic surgery leads to suicide;” “Lindsay Lohan behind the scenes, what co-stars really thought about her?”
Rattle off any artist, actor, singer and they are bound to have been negatively affected in some way by the prison of fame. Famous artists such as Michael Jackson, Mozart, and hundreds of others have been performing their craft since the moment they could roll over on their stomachs. Mozart wrote his first concerto at four years old while Michael Jackson was performing on TV by the age of nine, traveling all over the country with his family. Both artists were forced to trade childhood for performing, developing differently from the average child. There were no play dates or socializing with other children. It was traveling in a bus all the time with family, agents, and royalty, in addition to having to act like an adult before they even knew what that entailed. An infamous group of artists known as The 27 Club signifies a group of artists who died way too young at the age of 27. Like Michael, Mozart and most every musician, at some point in their life they experience certain emotions that drive their brilliant melodies and lyrics, the ones that fans find so relatable. A song would not be good without the artist truly loving and breathing the meaning of the song, an art that can move you to tears. It is admittedly uncomfortable to conceptualize a celebrity, or one’s favorite artists having a flaw. An artist, especially one of celebrity status, should have no flaws and represent what perfection is both physically and mentally. When Kanye was admitted to the hospital in late November for psychiatric treatment there were rumors about physical abuse with the police, hospital staff, and overall negative media attention towards the acclaimed hip-hop artist known for sparking controversy. Kanye was not the only celebrity affected by rumors in his career. Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Demi Lovato, and Kid Cudi have all been viciously attacked by the media. The tabloids try to tarnish their whole careers by painting an image of the artist as a “sick person” or one of lesser value. The media eats off of people's shock when someone famous becomes less famous and more human. If the media cannot handle the effects of mental health, how does the public respond to millions of everyday people, criminals, and gun owners receiving mental health care? How does a kid feel if they are diagnosed with depression and their favorite singer is being ridiculed and humiliated for their depression--or their flaw. Mental health amongst artists is publicized falsely and used as a poking stick by the media to prod and play with. The country must come to a point where its artists are not looked down upon by having a mental illness or by struggling with internal conflicts. The media cannot begin to fathom the effect they have on people's dreams, thoughts, and opinions. An artist should no longer represent the ideal of perfection, but should represent an empty pallet, a ready-to-burn disc, an improv game, ready to show their flaws without shame.
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January 2018
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