The Worship of Celebrity

A recurrent theme in this blog over the past two years has been the inexplicable chasm between the values placed by much of Society on celebrity vs. the amount of esteem lavished on everyday heroes such as emergency medical personnel, firefighters, police officers, teachers, etc. No matter how frequently the failings of many celebrity politicians, athletes and entertainers are reported, there's always another one being doted on by some people who perhaps are vicariously living the celebrity life by merely worshiping the quite imperfect individuals represented by the rich and famous.

No better example could be cited than one of the all time sleaziest celebrities--Rod ("I'll eat bugs if I have to") Blagojevich. At his recent Federal corruption trial in Chicago (now facing a do-over in January thanks to one lamebrained juror), we were treated to the daily spectacle of people outside the Federal building clamoring to shake his hand and get his autograph! A few days after the trial ended mostly inconclusively, but with Helmet Hair now a convicted felon, he was mobbed by customers at a Comic Convention who paid good money to get in and meet the Great One. To all these people TNB says--you are pathetic and need to get a life!!

What about all the athletes who are practically the deity to many of their fans --that is, until many of their warts become viral, at which time a new "religion" (read- different celebs to worship) is adopted. Take New Orleans Saints star Reggie Bush who was one of the biggest all-time USC football stars (just after O.J. Simpson, who still has some admirers) until some newly exposed flagrant recruiting violations have totally disgraced the university, causing severe penalties and forcing Bush to return the ultimate college football award--the Heisman Trophy. At least among Trojan students and alumni, the adoration formerly heaped on Bush is no longer a practicing doctrine.

And who knows who will be the next celebrity to fall from grace--for all anyone can predict, it could be an entertainer such as Lady Gaga (not actually a member of the nobility), a politician such as Sarah Palin ( there are many signs that she actually is not a person of great substance) or maybe another athlete who seems like Mr. Clean (say Tiger Woods--oh wait that did happen).

In any event, someone new will burst upon the scene and will inspire slavish devotion until?

Me-Ness

For some time now there have been wails and moans about today's younger generation ("Millennials") being unusually self absorbed--you know "the me generation". But let's light up on these people (our kids and grandkids). TNB has observed that every generation (even the "elderly"--see last month's post Age Old Story) has to some degree succumbed to the it's all about me syndrome which might be, to coin a term, called Me-Ness. Examples abound of such unflattering, inconsiderate and downright rude behavior now in vogue.

• Recently, the Chicago Cubs announced that one bleacher section at one game was going to be peanut free to accommodate many peanut allergic fans. The uproar was shocking--if you or your child has such allergies, tough but don't inconvenience me ever so slightly. Me-Ness at its finest!
• While many if not most politicians exhibit a high level of Me-Ness (several steps past self-esteem!) no one has come close in recent memory to Rod Blagojevich, a now convicted felon who of course is hoping to find another moronic juror at his retrial who can be persuaded that his Me-Ness is a victim of the big bad Feds who dared to take him away from his family, threaten his home and in what has to be the most outrageous statement in a long time deprived (!) the people of Illinois of their Governor. TNB has never felt so desperate.
• When it comes to Me-Ness, even politicians, who after all still need to elected, aren't close to professional athletes. To cite just one currently in the news--overpaid, over-the-hill, steroid abuser Manny Ramirez who was dumped by the L.A. Dodgers with the Chicago White Sox giving nothing in return, except for picking up the $4.4 million (yes million) owed to Manny for possibly one month of his "services". As his final act with the Dodgers, when sent up to pinch hit in a crucial situation, he managed to get himself (deliberately?) ejected after one pitch. Then when he belatedly joined the White Sox in Cleveland (too exhausted by the 5 hour flight, in first class, to play that night) he gave his first interview almost entirely in Spanish, with a coach as interpreter. Manny grew up in New York City's Washington Heights and speaks perfect English, so what was this--Me-Ness at the ultimate?

When are we going to see a little You-Ness?