It seems to me that pop culture, especially celebrity-based pop culture, is centered around a little thing Avenue Q likes to call “schadenfreude,” or, for all of you who don’t speak German, what is often translated to “happiness at the misfortune of others.”
Making fun of celebrities has become so commonplace that no one even gives it a second thought. People rarely question the nature and impact of their jokes. That is, people that aren’t my grandmother. Now let me tell you that my grandmother is one of the most interesting and incredible individuals I know.
In February, while baking cookies at a friend’s house, I received what I thought was an odd phone call from my grandmother. Britney Spears had just shaved her head and my grandmother, who is generally more into foreign affairs than pop culture, felt that the media was on a hunt to destroy this girl’s life.
A few months later, the previously unknown Chris Crocker cried and ranted on Britney’s behalf in his infamous YouTube.com video, “Leave Britney Alone.” While it’s hard to take him seriously (because he also seems to be exploiting Britney’s misfortune for personal gain), both he and my grandmother brought up some decent points.
No matter how much you hate Anna Nicole Smith, was it right to ridicule her right up until her death? Is tragedy that funny to us as long as it’s happening to someone famous?
Britney’s history of either idiocy or pain, depending on how you look at it, is a long and complicated one and not really lighthearted fare. But what about a more lovable, blonde, blue-eyed, wedding crashing character with one hell of a smile?
Owen Wilson, a movie star who seemed to have so much going for him and seems like the kind of guy you would want to hang out with on the weekends, was the subject of relentless media inquiries and lots of chuckles. The most notorious incident was on ABC news, when anchor Taina Hernandez could not contain her laughter throughout the announcement of Wilson’s suicide attempt.
Why is someone losing the will to live funny to some people? Why doesn’t he deserve privacy and the chance to heal? Are we so obsessed with watching people fail miserably on American Idol (and just about any other reality show) that it’s also entertainment when they fail in life too?
There is often a fine line between humor and tragedy. Dark humor has always been around and is often hilarious. But what makes humor funny is taking into account the reality and humanity in any given situation. When we can no longer relate to the people we make fun of, we lose our compassion.
So the question is: When has humor gone too far? Freedom of speech may dictate that the answer to that question is never, but is there any common decency left? Does achieving any level of fame mean you waive your rights to all personal privacy, even in times of personal tragedy?
I hope not.
Communication sophomore Talia Alberts is a PLAY pop culture columnist. She can be reached at [email protected].
