Celebrities; the world is obsessed with them. Every day new stories are released depicting the scandalous lives of particular celebrities: who’s dating who, how much weight somebody has gained or lost, or who was photographed stumbling out of a club in the early hours. The world is obsessed with knowing every detail of a celebrity’s life, but how far is too far?
In recent years, many famous figures have taken a stand against the media and their exploitation of the celebrity world. Some love the attention of being constantly followed around by paparazzi, others reach their breaking point. We see all of these people living in the spotlight and being destroyed by the dark side of fame. For a lot of people, when they decided to follow their dream of being an actor, a singer, a television personality or anything else in the entertainment industry, they didn’t realise the harsh reality that with those occupations comes the label of being ‘public property.’ Suddenly they’ve unwillingly sold their soul to the prying eyes of the world.
The amount of celebrities who partake in destructive behaviour and/or lash out at media figures is becoming increasingly common. Reporters and photographers are reaching new lows in order to create appealing news stories, often disrespecting and objectifying the very people who keep them employed. In many cases celebrities find themselves feeling much like animals in a zoo, always being observed and scrutinised.
Celebrity culture is a growing pandemic throughout the world. People want to be celebrities and so desire to know as much about their lives as possible. Information that most people would prefer to keep personal is suddenly considered public knowledge. Yet, with such obsession and admiration comes negative, and sometimes fatal, consequences. Princess Diana, for example, died while trying to escape overbearing reporters. The French courts ruled that the photographers were not responsible, yet it clearly shows how far the media is willing to go to get a story. We claim to love those who have acquired fame, and yet we seem to indulge in their self-destruction and alienation. Is it really worth it?