People thrive off of sensational stories. Murder, disaster and sex are the most eye-catching topics on any newsstand. We are drawn to bad news. So, it’s no wonder that tabloids, which highlight only the sensational and controversial, have become exceedingly popular over the years.
I feel sorry for celebrities, honestly. All of their lives are closely scrutinized and if they slip up at all, it is broadcasted to the world. I guess that’s what goes along with fame.
Some stars, however, live for this. They are constantly trying to go bigger and bolder, just to start a ruckus among their wide-eyed, pop-culture saturated throng of fans. Someone should tell these stars that bigger is not always better; cough Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears cough, the list goes on.
There comes a point when enough is enough. The discussion now, though, is not whether something is too outlandish –after seeing Gaga wear a meat dress and travel places in an egg, I don’t think we’ll be surprised at anything- but it has now become a discussion of what is appropriate in society. Do our standards for propriety allow performers to be on stage clad in only sheer netting, with nothing underneath it, in venues besides a strip club? If they do, maybe we should question if they should.
We’re the ones who feed this behavior. Without society’s reactions, these celebrities probably wouldn’t try as hard to be controversial. For example, Miley Cyrus’ vulgar performance at the VMA’s awarded her 203,885,833 Youtube views in just two weeks. There are entire websites dedicated to Lady Gaga impersonators, such as Renee Cole’s “the lady gaga experience.” This is why they do it; to attract attention and start talk.
So, the question is, whose fault is it that sensational has taken over? Does the blame really belong to the stars, or does it belong to us, the fans that spur them on? Perhaps before we evaluate their motives and actions, we should evaluate our own.
