Sometimes The Media Goes Too Far!

There are times when famous people suffer terrible losses. Not so long ago, it was Anna Nicole Smith, who lost her son. Shortly thereafter, Anna Nicole Smith passed away. Recently Kelly Preston and John Travolta lost their only son, and in both cases, the media crossed certain boundaries and exploited these public figures as if they have no feelings. To desensitize the masses even further, the photos attached to the articles, are usually not of grieving celebrities, but of happy, smiling celebrities. Therefore, the public begins to see these celebrities as objects instead of “ordinary people,” making it “okay” to invade their privacy.

The media goes so far as to give hourly accounts to the public as to the happenings of these celebrities. In the death of Jett Travolta, the media gives most of the credit to “John Travolta” rather than “Kelly Preston.” Why is that? Perhaps it is because the name “John Travolta” is a better seller than the name “Kelly Preston.” The mere mention of the name captures the audience’s attention. On the other hand, was it not Kelly Preston, who carried her son for nine-months and went through the pain of giving birth? Yet she gets secondary credit! It is a shame how the media uses manipulative tactics in order to sell a story.

Losing a Child

To lose a child is one of the worst things a person can go through in life. Until a person experiences that type of loss first hand, he or she cannot understand the immense pain and suffering a family goes through. Additionally, the loss of a child puts an enormous amount of stress on a marriage. Sometimes a marriage cannot handle the tension and the couple end up divorced, as a result. Not only does this happen with normal, everyday people; it also happens to celebrities as well.


Celebrities Are People Too!

Just because someone is famous does not mean he or she is immune to emotions. Most likely, their emotions are probably intensified, because they are famous. When tragic things happen to regular people, their support system is usually friends and relatives. On occasion and sometimes for years to come, a reminder of the tragic event will happen and may trigger Post Traumatic Stress.

Nobody likes to remember a tragic event or re-live the traumatic experience all over again. A celebrity will probably endure the tragic memories for years to come, because of the media exposure they receive. Furthermore, it is times like these, when famous people suffer tragedies that the media ought to take a step back and give them privacy; rather than, taking fifty steps forward and exploiting their lives for possible sales or entertainment.


The Public and the Fans

Without public interest, the media is not empowered. When a family member dies, the last thing that family wants to hear is negative opinions. In the case of Jett Travolta, some of the public criticized the religion, parenting skills, among other minor shortcomings, as contributing factors towards his death. Please understand that despite the fact that this young man had celebrities as parents, they are human just like the rest of us. They grieve just like the rest of us. They hurt just like the rest of us. Let them mourn in peace. It is the least that the “fans” can do for their favorite celebrities!