Media Invasion of the Private Lives of Celebrities

Being a celebrity is not all it is cracked up to be. They have to deal with situations that the average citizen most likely cannot relate to. For example, many celebrities constantly encounter paparazzi who stalk them in order to take their picture, invading their privacy. Celebrities must also juggle demanding jobs, while maintaining a home life that many attempt to live as normally as possible. Celebrities lead busy, hectic lives that require them to appear in public frequently, exposing themselves to intense scrutiny; nonetheless, the private lives of celebrities should be off limits because everyone has a First Amendment right to privacy, it is invading their privacy not our business, causes different problems such as serious damage problems that might end up messing with their careers, and affecting family members in a negative way.

A celebrity is defined by the media and society through characterisations; the introduction of various on-line and print media platforms enhance the presence of celebrity culture, such for advertising, activism, different genres of television (e.g. reality, gastronomical), and even political avenues as well (Driessens). Their fame is developed based on prominence cum establishment in the entertainment industry that transforms their recognition into a popular culture. In Graeme Turner’s Understanding Celebrity, he discusses the effects of contemporary popular culture representing celebrity as an icon of cultural change (Turner Understanding Celebrity). The power of a celebrity uses his status and popularity to create discourse with the public and media; how each present themselves to an audience in performances or marketing, these functions as general tokens of success in their glamourous lives (Driessens). The discursive effect in the celebrity contemporary culture aligns close to religion, with some qualities credited to particular celebrities and religious figures. The way some fans admire their celebrity figures reflects a spiritual experience, as fans view their idol as a person with immortal talents and influential qualities. This phenomenon is linked to how the media glorifies the celebrity and thus, produces a celebrated figure with an astounding influence amongst the public (Turner Understanding Celebrity). As a result, the celebrity’s economic value is

A single photograph - how it is captured, the angle in which it was shot, the context behind it - can alter the perception of reality. One image, if executed maliciously, can create such an intense pernicious effect on the individual photographed, that it can cause undue effects on their reputation, or even psychological state. Celebrities often find themselves victimized by the paparazzi in this way, and breakdowns due to a negative appearance in the spotlight have become prevalent in modern day socialite culture. Today, with everything just a click away, it is surprisingly easy to find intimate details of a celebrity’s life, and even easier to find incriminating photos with falsified headlines. The paparazzi has a negative connotation in society, and has generated an aversive effect on celebrities, because they have fabricated images with negative portrayals of celebrities, impeded on a celebrity’s right to privacy, and appropriated a celebrity’s fame in order achieve material that is deemed as newsworthy.

The first chapter of “Empire of Illusion” by Chris Hedges address the issue of celebrity culture and how media has created an illusion for life. Throughout the chapter, Chris Hedges makes many assumptions about the average person’s ability to read and think deeply about issues.

Why are people so fascinated with celebrities? What makes people want to be like them? What are celebrities actually like? Facing these tough questions, Ty Burr in his essay “The Faces in the Mirror” forces readers to question their own answers. By explaining the history of celebrities and the worship of them, he gives readers a wealth of knowledge. Wisely, Burr immediately establishes his credibility so that readers know they can trust his educated point of view. His essay is full of strong logic. However, it lacks a substantial amount of hardcore facts. Furthermore, Burr effortlessly snatches the reader’s attention by using dramatic statements and achieving a sense of pathos. Burr’s authority on the topic, along with his convincing logic, and dramatic statements allow his essay to achieve a remarkable persuasiveness to his essay.

In the article, entitled “The Impact Celebrities Have on Our Lives,” Deborah King establishes the reasons why being overly obsessed with celebrities can lead to bad habits. To begin with, King points out that everyone is too obsessed with celebrities. The article indicates that the younger the audience, the more likely they will try to be like them and want what they have. Furthermore, King writes that even though there are positive celebrities out there, people seem to be more obsessed with the celebrities that make bad influences on people. In addition, she emphasizes that even though there are celebrities that seem like good role models for their audience, they have a private life that no one seems to know about. As a result, King concludes

Sometimes a person doesn't choose to be famous: he or she is just living their life and then - BOOM! - fame follows for whatever reason. Not every actor, singer, dancer, writer craves fame; most simply want to express their creativity. Wanting to entertain or express your art shouldn't come with the excessive price of a goodbye to privacy. Paparazzi shouldn't be able to freely telephoto lens you while you are in your backyard or in the bathroom without some type of consequence. If someone did that to you, you would probably think it’s extremely creepy and get police intervention. Celebrities, on the other hand, are seen as bad, unhappy, or unappreciative jerks if they request their right to privacy. It's a very interesting reversal, and even more so that we continue to pay audience when it seems so wrong in our own “normal”

Multiplicity of people believes that celebrities need to have a sly-out toward facing crimes. However, celebrities’ need to abide enlightened that they are inspirational to little kids, fans, and parents. Why should celebrities’ receive the benefit of the doubt while, people that are not celebrities, be punished and to be charged for every movement and action that they

A group of people subject to continuous glamour and publicity has taken the spotlight, creating the American world of the “celebrity”. “It does not seem to matter what the man is the very best at; so long as he has won out in competition over all others, he is celebrated” (P. 74). Celebration is the basis of their existence. Propagated by the mass media, they have become part of the national prestige—shadow of money and power. This competition for attention is joined

Celebrity culture is a fairly new term that has emerged in the twentieth century due to an increase in media and social networking. It stands for a “culture of popularizing certain people who have certain attributes that society deem exceptional” (The Life Of). It seems like anyone can be famous whether they have true talent or not. The population decides who to follow and make famous by viewing an individual and watching how they live. Celebrities don’t behave in any different way compared to any other person; yet, they exceptionally act in a way that catches society's eye.

Looking towards the media with regards to the spectacle and particularly the spectacle in relation to celebrities, I find that when the spectacle focuses around celebrities, they usuaually focus on their rise and falls of being a star. Celebrities are everywhere, and the public strive on them, whether they are a good influence or bad influence. The public is attracted to anything celebrity related, they want to be consumed by the gossip. Therefore, I choose to do my media review on Amanda Bynes on the Showbiz Tonight show clip.

It’s like giving an allowance to a child, the more you give them, thinking they will do what they are supposed to do and act right, the more the act totally against it. Entertainers and celebrities get so wrapped in fame and glory and themselves, they often times forget they are just people, like everyone else. Their behaviors are most time excused by society and by courts due to them being under extreme pressure, their lives are in the public eye and this supposedly causes stress and strain on their lives. Are we supposed to look away and forget that we also have issues in our lives, but, if we are caught doing these same acts our actions are not looked away from, we are actually held accountable for what we are doing.

Have you ever wondered what influences us to behave the way we do? Look a certain way? Or even looked for an explanation to what causes us to apply a certain perspective regarding personal and controversial issues? One of the answers to these questions may revolve around the influence we absorb from celebrities. A definitive term for celebrity is an iconic figure to a category or group who has achieved success in one or multiple aspects of their lives. As a result, these individuals have drawn in publicity and fame. Over the years with the advances in media and other forms of communication, celebrities have become topics of discussion worldwide, rather if it’s at school, with colleagues or at the dinner table, it is fair to say that

Celebrities are everywhere in the news, the latest gossip appears in the weekly magazines without fail. Whether they be an actor, athlete, dancer, designer, model, singer or just rich; there is someone out there who is watching that person like a hawk, not letting a single breath go unnoticed. Such is the life of the rich and famous, under the incessant gaze of journalists and the paparazzi. Lives that many people take a great interest in and admire to the point where others would liken this great interest and admiration to a cult-like worship of celebrities. This is a brief description of what I think to be celebrity culture.

Celebrities have a right to have their own privacy, and the paparazzi had better not be allowed to restrict their lives. Furthermore, photographers and journalists must not be permitted to make news that can influence celebrities' success adversely. The rights of celebrities for privacy have always been abused, so they need to defend their rights, despite their profession. Though they are public figures, this does not mean that the publish of every detail of their private lives is justifiable. It is legitimate to take pictures when they are at the stage or on the red carpet, yet most cases they must be left alone. However, the media always inclines to release both sensational and negative news to public. The latest pattern is the Chris Brown and Rihanna domestic abuse scandal ("Chris Brown and Rihanna: A Dangerous Relationship" 1). This really influenced Chris