From the ground that we call Port Washington, we can only gaze at the stars. Untouchable, magical, and captivating celebrities around whom our society seems to revolve. Stars of today can become all the rage with ease. Their lives, schedules, and fortunes seem all too far away from reality, which is what makes any gossip about these stars such hot news.
Recently, Justin Bieber’s arrest and Philip Seymour Hoffman’s overdose made headlines. Of course, a death is always upsetting news and given Hoffman’s supposed sobriety of 23 years, it was a shame to see such talent leave the industry on such a tragic note. It is appropriate for fans and supporters to mourn the deaths of the talented, but citizens of today’s society, specifically teens, invest their lives into the lives of their favorite celebrities to a previously unseen degree.
In the days following his arrest, Justin Bieber’s name seemed to buzz through the halls. This says that as an age group, teens respond and react more than other age groups to celebrity news.
“Well, personally, it’s just frustrating and disappointing because it’s painful to watch someone who I look up to get targeted and scrutinized by the media, especially when they make him out to be such a bad person. In general, I don’t feel that celebrities are meant to be role models. That’s what parents are for,” said sophomore Sydney Levy.
With the love that comes along with fanbases, stars are in the spotlight 24/7. There’s no doubt we don’t all like to be the center of attention once in a while, but being famous is supposed to be about talent, hard work, and bringing the joy of music, film, or television to consumers. Today, people are so-called “famous for being famous.”
“I love Harry Styles. I definitely find myself dedicating my own time and effort into learning about his life and other celebrities. It makes me happy and entertained, but I know their lifestyle is unrealistic, so obsessing over them is unnecessary,” said sophomore Dani Levitsky.
Others also feel more casual about the stars in our society.
“I don’t care too much about Justin Bieber, I really just want a pair of his drop crotch pants. As for Philip Seymour Hoffman, I think it’s important to memorialize people that made important contributions to the Hollywood industry. Other than that, I just listen to the music I like and watch the shows I like. Celebrities are regular people just like the rest of us,” said sophomore Kayla Shafkowitz.
All in all, celebrity news impacts us students way more than it should. Go ahead, go to the concerts, watch the shows, but don’t idolize a person who is a normal human being. The news of celebrities making similar mistakes to our own is hardly news at all.