06 September 1999
The Price of Public Life - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
From the recent incidents at The White House, or the goings-on at Glen Clark’s house, our politicians, our movie stars, our celebrities, pay a damned massive price when they are thrust in the public eye, albeit whether they want to or not. Lives that are left in shambles or marriages that suffer the same fate. When discussing the relentless pursuits of the media or the gossip-mongering by the tabloid industry, one will immediately conjure up the tragic fates of Diana, Princess of Wales, or more recently John F. Kennedy Jr. With Kennedy, his death was due to piloting his own plane, because he could find no privacy or solace, should he have flown commercial. Diana, was killed while the paparazzi were trying to get that one shot of her and Dodi, finally happy. Glen Clark would like to fasten himself a victim, his family too, in this latest casino investigation. His life as a Premier was thrown into a tailspin, partly on his own doing, but because of the media’s pursuit for the truth.
Now I am the last person in the world to ask for the press and the media, to lighten up and stop uncovering the truth. But, in the last little while it’s become a freak show and a 3-ring circus with shot-up, wanna-be outlets like Extra or Inside Edition and Hard Copy, simply catering to our voracious hunger for glitz and scandal. I think, legitimate news agencies have the right, nay the responsibility as the fourth estate to tell us just what the hell is going on with our politicians and our celebrities, but when we have crack pots who run the tabloids out of Florida, or the tab TV shows out of Hollywood, trying to carve a niche in the market, the viewer would be easily confused by what is journalism or spectator sport. I point you to the headlines that have garnered our attention in the last decade, Jon Benet, Tonya and Nancy, The Bobbit’s, Michael Jackson and of course, O.J. Don’t forget the Au Pair thing, and the biggest of them all, Bill and Monica.
Simple phrases have now beat out the whole story. I rattle off Au Pair and we immediately remember Louise Woodward and her baby-sitting gig. I’m sure most of the people like the Buttafucos or The Bobbit’s wanted nothing of the spotlight. Sure, they milked their way once in the public eye, but the misfortunes of their lives that propelled them to public life, were not attempts to get their 15 minutes of fame. Gillian Guess is a woman who said she was not in it for the attention, but she sure fooled us. Her face and her skirts made the headlines here and around the continent.
Glen Clark is probably one of the most charismatic individuals to romp on our Provincial scene. The scrapper from East Vancouver, the underdog made it to the Province’s highest office. But along the way he made bad decisions and through his own stupidity or his own misjudgment he made bad friends. I’m sure like all politicians he wanted to make a difference for all British Columbians, but along the way he miscalculated and screwed up. His downfall has been noteworthy, as well as newsworthy, and it’s also been a long fall to the bottom. His family has endured a lot and he himself must be suffering. There was great promise in this man, but he went wrong along the way and has paid a hefty sum for his stint in public life. Like getting a look at the mangled up car on the highway, slowing down to see the blood or gore, we forget, we as a consumer we contribute to destroying someone’s life. When we buy a tabloid we give The Globe or The Enquirer, license to print something salacious or silly. It’s okay if we simply watch or read, but it’s most dangerous when some of us actually believe what the amatures have showcased. A teacher said to a class I was in earlier this year, that he was sickened by people like Monica Lewinsky and Gillian Guess getting all the media attention and financial incentive from their follies. Well I disagreed then and I disagree now. I mean, does anyone think that Gillian Guess will ever get jury duty ever again? And does anyone think Monica Lewinsky will ever get a job without the help of Vernon Jordan? Or that she’ll ever have a meaningful romantic relationship with another man? I doubt it.
Maybe fame isn’t cut out to what it really is, because it takes a lot of chutzpah to get to the top and a hefty and expensive sum to meet the tragic end at the very bottom.
Questions and comments may be sent to: editor@thecommentary.ca
An archive of Joseph Planta's previous columns can be found by clicking HERE .