When watching our beloved television shows and blockbuster films or listening to our favorite artists and bands, it is important that we remember and appreciate humble beginnings. It is not as if a celebrity's success happened overnight. It is not as if they all were born in Hollywood, with unlimited access to resources, money and platforms. They had to work for it.
Many celebrities were once just like you and me. For example, "Hunger Games" fans may be shocked to learn that our Girl on Fire, Katniss Everdeen, is originally from Louisville, Kentucky. That's right, Jennifer Lawrence wasn't even discovered until she happened to be on vacation with her family in New York City, at the ripe age of 14. From rags to riches, even renowned rapper, Jay-Z, grew up in the projects of Brooklyn, New York. His dad abandoned the family, and he was raised by his mother, finding his only solace in music and performing in clubs until eventually making it big.
Maybe you and I will never get discovered for our talents, but one thing I do know is that every celebrity is more similar to us than we may think. Sure, they may have more money than us, nicer houses, famous friends, lavish clothes, but deep down, they feel what we feel, they are human.
So why am I saying this? Why am I stating the obvious? Well, recently, I feel like our ignorance toward this statement has become overwhelming. We see our nastiness toward celebrities on numerous occasions. For instance, Jimmy Kimmel is famous for the segment on his show called "Mean Tweets," where celebrities read mean tweets about themselves out loud. He has done numerous videos, from singers, to athletes, to movie stars, even President Obama has done it. I've watched a few of these videos, and there's one overarching take away that leaves me stunned--people are mean! We can be really nasty to celebrities. Maybe it's because we think that nobody can touch them, or that they "deserve to be knocked down a few pegs." I don't know why exactly, but man, are we mean.
Most recently, Amy Schumer experienced this rudeness firsthand. While out on a run, she was bombarded by a guy (in front of his family, might I add) who jogged up alongside of the actress, waving a camera in her face. When she said "no" and asked the man to stop, he replied, "no, it's America and we paid for you." We paid for you? What the hell is that about? Celebrities aren't toys, they're people. Schumer has now gone so far as to say that she's not taking any more pictures with fans because of this one man's overly aggressive approach.
Is this really what we want? A world where we treat one another like property or objects simply there for our entertainment? No, because celebrities are real people. Sure, their lives may be a tad more glamorous than the average person, but that does not make them any less human. Yes, celebrities entertain us, but that's not their only purpose in life. They have the right to their own privacy, and they can certainly deny your request for a mid-workout selfie.
