Celebrity obsession seems harmless when we duplicate silly things such as fashion trends and hairstyles, but what happens when the obsession goes too far? Celebrities may be beautiful, glamourous, and loaded with cash, but are they good role models for America's youth? Take these questions into consideration:
(1) What constitutes a role model? Qualities such as beauty and fame, OR qualities such as brains, ambition, drive, honesty, and kindness? Sadly, it seems many young girls look to celebrity role models because of the former and not the latter.
(2) Hollywood is not "America." This is a song by Ferras, and I think it makes a good point. Celebrities often indulge in a variety of dirty habits, such as excessive drug use and reckless partying - not your typical American lifestyle. Female celebrities in particular seem to be getting thinner and thinner. "Thin may be in" in Hollywood, but it becomes dangerous when young girls take the idea of a thin body image too far and it adversely affects their health.
So celebrities may not be the best role models, but regardless of their shortcomings, we continue to duplicate their behavior. Is it possible we can admire a certain celebrity to such a great extent that our own personal values get thrown on the back burner behind blinded idolization? Smoking is pervasive in celebrity culture. Although celebrities try their hardest not to get caught lighting up in front of the paparazzi, it looks like someone, or rather MANY someones, have been caught red handed.
Similar to the body image issue, female celebrities receive the brunt of criticism for smoking cigarettes. Gawker points it out in this article and from my research online and personal celebrity gossip experience it seems to hold true. I may be unconsciously searching for female smokers since I am a female, but I think it may be due to the fact that young girls seem to be more impressionable to celebrity culture than their male counterparts. This article from the New York Daily News seems to focus on female celebrity smokers as well.
I looked to see if two of my favorite Hollywood icons, Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn, were smokers, and I could not find evidence that they were regular smokers, but it is evident from their movies and pictures that they smoked cigarettes at least on occasion.
Yes that is a cigarette in Audrey's mouth! Granted that during these starlets' time the ill-fated effects associated with smoking were still unknown and smoking was seen as elegant and trendy.
Does that trend still hold today? Will the glamour and beauty that female celebrities possess make everything they do beautiful and glamourous as well? I must admit I was extremely surprised when I read in another New York Daily News article that MTV reality star Lauren Conrad is a smoker. Although I would not say I look to Lauren as a role model, I do think she is a smart girl and a hard worker and I will admit I am envious of her glamorous career in the fashion industry and trendy L.A. lifestyle. For a second I caught myself thinking: "Hmm if Lauren does it [smokes cigarettes], maybe its not so bad," and then I realized that I was getting caught in the awe of celebrity I am currently condemning. But then I thought again, and I realized that it is not the glamour of Lauren's lifestyle that I envy, it is the fact that a small town girl (much like myself) moved to the big city with big dreams and made them come true. Seeing Lauren makes me realize that a regular girl who is smart, hard-working and determined can be successful. I'm not going to start smoking just because Lauren does it, who even knows if it is true? Hopefully other young women who follow celebrity trends will stick to fashion tips and realize that even though smoking can be a "celebrity" dirty habit, the celebrity label does not make smoking any less harmful to your health.
2 comments:
I agree that young girls are highly impressionable to the portrayal of the celebrity lifestyle. Another point to consider is that although people know the harmful effects of smoking, it still looks cool. That's the appeal. So when celebrities partake in the behavior, it obviously sends the message to youth that it is cool, doing nothing to get rid of the stereotype.
I agree that Hollywood is often looked to as the "cool thing" to do. When I was younger I definitely remember thinking smoking was cool because I saw it on television. I think those things are hard to resist when you are younger but now that I am older I don't find myself doing things just because celebrities are.
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