Snares of Fame

The foibles of living before a television camera have been apparent recently with the disintegration of the marriage of Jon and Kate Gosselin as well as the life of Susan Boyle.

The Gosselins of course made a choice in 2007 to give up any sense of normality when they became the willing subjects of a reality show. Watching preschool sextuplets run around made for great TV, and my 91-year-old mom watches the more than 90 episodes for hours on end. Christian publishers found the Gosselins wholesome and have published two books on the churchgoing family.

However, fame and funds has resulted in a complete lack of privacy. When Jon went out for an ill-advised beer with a younger woman the whole world soon knew about it. A decade into their marriage, the union is on the brink of collapse. Every argument is magnified for the public to consume. While ratings are through the roof, the Gosselins are in a real catch-22. They don’t have income outside their life before the cameras but that reality is causing their marriage to crumble.

The real tragedy is that the children will have video documentation of the demise of their parents’ marriage. Once the cameras finally go away, how will any of these children adjust to life without performing?

Susan Boyle came crashing down much quicker from the harsh glare of television lights. The obscure 48-year-old church volunteer became an overnight Internet sensation after she auditioned on Britain’s Got Talent. Once she advanced in the competition, she transformed her frumpy appearance into a more acceptable look for a TV singer. As the paparazzi hounded her, she let loose with expletives last week and broke down from emotional exhaustion this week. The competition is over and so is the burst of her fame, but not without a heavy price.