TMZ recently released surveillance videos of Ariana Grande and her boyfriend in a donut shop. This video seemed pretty normal, until Ariana Grande gets the grand idea to lick a donut that was on display on the counter. You can see her boyfriend, backup dancer Ricky Alvarez, egging her on to perform this childish act. To make it even worse, the moment one of the shop workers brings out a tray of donuts, Grande exclaims, “What the f*ck is that? I hate Americans, I hate America.”
This surveillance video got me thinking about our country’s obsession with the lives of celebrities and the pressure of living in the spotlight. We all know their names. We have our favorites and least favorites. We follow them on every form of social media possible to keep up with whatever it is they are doing. We aspire to be like them in practically every way imaginable. We need to tread carefully though, because these role models are not always the best examples to follow.
We do not know these people personally, and we have no idea what they're like off camera. We like to believe we know everything about them, but we really just catch the glimpses of what their PR people approve for the public to see. You cannot grasp who a person is solely based on what is put out there on television, in the news and on social media.
I get it, these are just people. They make mistakes. They are not perfect. They may just want to live a normal life as if they are not famous. Yet, they are famous. These celebrities know that they have millions of fans watching their every move. One mistake and their career and reputation may be ruined forever. That is a lot of pressure, but in this day and age, it comes in the job description. As a celebrity, you have to think twice about everything and remember that your actions influence millions of people.
Take a look at Bill Cosby, he’s a very successful actor, comedian, and author. Cosby was known for his sitcom The Bill Cosby Show, but now you cannot say his name without thinking of the recent allegations of sexual assault. Then there’s Justin Bieber. He started off as a cute little YouTube singer from Canada who turned into a weed-smoking, drag-racing, singing diva. Now, there’s Ariana Grande. I am not going to be able to picture her without proclaiming her hatred for America while ruining perfectly good donuts.
Not all celebrities are bad role models. There are some incredible people out there doing amazing things to influence the world. There are some great people who serve as positive role models for our youth. It just takes hard work, strong morals and careful consideration to make a positive mark on the world. Just like everyone else, celebrities need to think twice about their actions. You never know who could be watching you in the donut shop.
