Being the celebrity fanatic that I am, it should come as no surprise to see me curled up on the couch with the latest issue of People or Us Weekly. Every so often, the magazines will place a two page spread entitled “Stars, they’re just like us.” This has to stop. The fact that Angelina Jolie drinks water or Cameron Diaz was seen walking her dog does not automatically make us “twinsies”. The truth is stars are not like us. They attend award shows, donate insane amounts of money and support when the world is in a time of need, and have privileges that many people have only dreamed of. One of these privileges is financial security. That being said, why the hell do so many celebrities get stopped for DUI’s when they could just as easily have called a driver?!
She is in no way the first person to have done this and certainly won’t be the last, but for some reason, Paris Hilton was the first one to pop into my head. We all know her for her bleach-blonde hair, her famous lineage, and that doe-eyed stare that begs the question, “the lights are on, but is anyone home?” Her first DUI arrest took place back in 2006 where she was booked at 1:43 am and released shortly after. The unfortunate thing is that from the get-go, the seriousness of her offense was trivialized. Hilton later spoke with Ryan Seacrest on his radio show and when asked about her DUI she said, “It was nothing.” Furthermore, her publicist Elliot Mintz told the press that “…I don’t know if this is going to have an impact on [her fans] one way or another. But of course she regrets what took place.” What if her fans are teenage or even 21 year old girls, who now think that it is ok to drink and drive? "The potential of celebrity figures to influence others exemplifies the concept of observational learning, or modeling, which is an integral component of Bandura's Social Learning/Social Cognitive Theory" (Smith, Twum, & Gielen, 2009). Essentially, developing individuals tend to mimic what they see. If what they see sends a negative message, then they're being set up to fail.
Also back in 2006, Paris’s gal pal Nicole Richie was stopped after motorists saw her driving the wrong way on a Burbank freeway. Once CHP caught up with Richie, her car was stopped in the carpool lane and she was on her cell phone. She admitted to police that she had taken Vicodin and smoked pot and was subsequently booked. Last but not least, the one and only Khloe Kardashian. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Kardashians. I may even have seasons 1 and 2 of Keeping up with the Kardashians on DVD…but that’s beside the point. Back in 2007, Khloe was stopped on her way home after having several drinks with her sisters. Even though the DUI itself was reenacted on an episode of Keeping up with the Kardashians, America was exposed to the reality of Khloe being released from jail and having a discussion with her mother about it on the car ride home. In some way, I feel that perhaps Paris and Nicole may not have been such repeat offenders had their mothers sat them down and explained the severity of their actions as Khloe’s did. Also, Khloe stated in an interview with Tyra Banks that she has to “go to the hospital and see injured people who were either a drunk driver themselves, or were hurt by someone.” Why is it that she seems to be the only one who did some soul searching?
Stars, they’re just like us….but with money. Celebrities can afford the best lawyer, the biggest house, and the fastest car on the block. If you can afford all that, then the least you can do is buy a driver. And what’s the best part, you ask? They don’t have to be the best; they just have to be sober.
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20226263,00.html
Smith, K., Twum, D., & Gielen, A. (2009). Media coverage of celebrity DUIs: Teachable moments or problematic social modeling?. Alcohol And Alcoholism, 44(3), 256-260. doi:10.1093/alcalc/agp006
I love reading your blogs. Talking about celebrities and their issues is so entertaining, and you do such a good job incorporating celebrities with crime. In regards to this specific blog, I totally agree. It does not make any sense to me when you hear about celebrities getting DUIs. While they should have the money for a driver, even if they don't, I would think they'd have money for a cab! I mean, I am not a celebrity and I still manage to call and pay for a cab when I've been drinking. It definitely beats the alternative! I think showing Khloe in a positive light was a really good example. While a lot of celebrities seem to be "repeat offenders," it is good to see that some do have empathy and realize that they can do wrong.
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