Thursday, November 28, 2013

Is it wrong to hate celebrities?

J. Elvis Weinstein tweeted:
I remember a time when celebrities one didn't like inspired a chuckle or indifference instead of a deep, seething hatred.
Am I wrong to hate Tom Cruise? There are lots of celebrities I don't really like, but he's the only one I'm really disgusted by. A combination of not liking his screen persona, hating his acting style that the rubes think is brilliant, and not liking his actual personality which seems to be a Scientology thing.

I'm not sure if Weinstein does remember such a time, anyway. I remember old people who couldn't stand John Wayne because he didn't enlist in World War Two. There are the right-wingers who hate Jane Fonda, of course.

When my sister was in high school, she hated everyone. She was apparently offended that Stevie Wonder had once been billed as "Little Stevie Wonder" and was mad that someone got up to help him find his way to the stage during an awards show.

"He's blind," my brother pointed out.

"Well, he's been blind a long time. He ought to be able to find his way around by now."

She hated John Huston because he said in an interview that he was happy with his performance in Chinatown. She interpreted this to mean that he was exactly like the character he played.

There were the actors who were blacklisted, prosecuted or driven out of the country for political reasons.

Maybe that's the problem----that the studios used to keep actors in line, keeping them out of politics and not letting them do anything annoying.

Of course, Josh Weinstein has a point. Why hate celebrities? Paris Hilton isn't hurting anyone. The Kardashians only hurt themselves. Dustin Diamond is just pitiful.

On the other hand, if you're going to inspire public adoration, you've got to expect some seething hatred.

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