Opinion
 

Celebrities not worthy of worship

By Nathan Hoang

I spotted Benzino, a rapper and part owner of The Source magazine, going up the escalators at the Galleria. A mob of people surrounded him, some of whom were dying to get a picture and others who didn't know who Benzino was but took a picture of him anyway because of the unusual attention he was getting.

Many Houstonians were waiting around to gaze at stars because it's rare to see one. But was it worth it? Americans put celebrities on a high pedestal and treat them as though they are gods when they're really just regular people who get more credit than they deserve.

Americans love their actors and actresses. Ever since the Great Depression, movies provided an escape for Americans suffering through hard times. If Americans needed inspiration, they turned to movies. But now many Americans are turning the wrong way. If Julia Roberts inspired you in Erin Brockovich, don't turn to Julia Roberts. She failed to thank the real Erin Brockovich in her Oscar acceptance speech. Instead, turn to the actual Brockovich, the heroine who inspired Roberts and got her an Oscar.

But it's inevitable that celebrities are admired and adored by Americans. When we say their names, we find it necessary to say their last name as well. It's never just Jimmy. It has to be Jimmy Fallon.

They live lives we can only dream about. Waiting in the mall for star sightings will not change this situation. Taking a picture of J-Lo will not change your life or make you rich. Taking a picture with Jason Mewes will not get you a lead role in the next View Askew film. Celebrities are just people.

Because celebrities vote one way and tell you to vote the same does not mean you should change your ethics and listen to whatever they say. When Al Gore and George W. Bush ran against each other in the presidential election, a few actors declared that if Bush won, they'd move somewhere else, like Paris. When Bush won, they didn't even get as far as Paris, Texas. These celebrities aren't political figures, they're actors who pretend to be political leaders.

We look up to actors when we should look up to people who make a positive difference in the world. The pope, the world leaders, the doctors who saves lives -- these are the heroes, the people we should emulate, not an actor who plays a doctor who saves lives. You always hear, "He was super in the movie, and is super-hot in real life!" But you never hear, "That doctor was so awesome! I love his cute, steady hands!"

A celebrity is only what you make them. Don't give your admiration to the person who doesn't deserve it.

Hoang, an editorial writer for The Daily Cougar, 
can be reached via dccampus@mail.uh.edu.