Is Jennifer Lawrence wrong?
While I was one of those who would not buy a cellphone for a very long time, I gave in over ten years ago. There were no payphones near where my car had broken down and I had to push it away from a freeway off-ramp on my own. Then I had quite a hike to find a payphone to call AAA for help.
But in all of the time I've owned one, I've never taken a selfie. Nor do I plan to start. I may take photos of things I find interesting but not of myself. I might have considered taking a selfie with certain celebrities if I ever met them but now I've had to cross Jennifer Lawrence off of that list. Seems she has made it clear that she won't be posing for selfies with fans any longer.
"I have just started becoming really rude and drawn into myself," the Louisville-native said. "I think that people think that we already are friends because I am famous and they feel like they already know me - but I don't know them.""I have just started becoming really rude and drawn into myself," the Louisville-native said. "I think that people think that we already are friends because I am famous and they feel like they already know me - but I don't know them."
She's right of course in that the general public feels like they know major celebrities because almost every facet of their lives is common knowledge. That relationship is one way. Millions of people go to see her on the big screen but they don't really know her or have a relationship with her. She doesn't have a verified Twitter account. But let's use Twitter as a barometer of how the relationship between fans and the major celebrities is a one-way street for the most part.
Katy Perry is the person with the most followers on Twitter with over 95 million. Conversely she only follows 106 people. I think she should have a fundraiser where people contribute $25 and one lucky person gets her to follow them from among all the entries. She'd raise millions for whatever cause she wanted to support. FWIW, she follows Taylor Swift and she is among the 244 people who Taylor Swift follows.
So most celebrities with millions and millions of followers on Twitter are themselves very selective about whose Twitter feeds they follow. That's because like it or not, their own lives are far too busy to be wrapped up in the lives of large blocs of their fans. That isn't to say celebrities don't do some wonderful things for a few of their fans. One example would be Taylor Swift giving a private concert for a 96 year old man who is a major fan of the singer.
It comes down to a simple concept. Do celebrities have the right to a private life? When there is enough interest in these people to spawn an entire industry in entertainment news, it becomes a tough question with some grey areas. No one should be forced to endure even a few interruptions when trying to enjoy a meal in a restaurant. Is it fair to expect a person to stop and pose for dozens of selfies every single day of the week if they venture out into public? If a celebrity doesn't want to do that, they don't have to. If they want to pose for some and not for others, that is also their right. But those whose requests are rejected will not react well to hearing a "no" when someone else just got the coveted photo. Maybe a policy of no selfies with no exceptions might be smart.
Bottom line is that buying a ticket to a movie, or a concert or anything else that puts money into the pocket of a performer doesn't entitle the purchaser to even a moment of that performer's personal time.
* * *
I have jury duty tomorrow. It isn't that I don't want to do it, the problem is the timing. Between now and April 18th I will be primarily focused on preparing income tax returns. The deadline is April 18th in 2017 because April 15th is on Saturday and the Washington, D.C. observance of the Emancipation Day holiday must be moved to Monday, April 17th.
I'm hoping that if this is actual grand jury service I can get it postponed to May when I will ostensibly be on vacation from work.
* * *
A few random ponderings:
Is it right that pot shops in states where selling it is legal have trouble being able to use banks because of the federal prohibition on pot use? I don't think so.
How amazing is it that the movie Rogue One opened on December 16th and still finished the year #2 at the domestic box office.
Did you know there was once a Debbie Reynolds Hotel Casino near the Las Vegas Strip? I actually gambled there once.
Why is some Orange County high school calling me with their general announcements? At least they finally added an opt-out number.
Everyone who advocates for the $15 minimum wage should read this illuminating op-ed by one small business owner. He's being forced to move his business from Los Angeles to Las Vegas by the new California minimum wage law.
But in all of the time I've owned one, I've never taken a selfie. Nor do I plan to start. I may take photos of things I find interesting but not of myself. I might have considered taking a selfie with certain celebrities if I ever met them but now I've had to cross Jennifer Lawrence off of that list. Seems she has made it clear that she won't be posing for selfies with fans any longer.
"I have just started becoming really rude and drawn into myself," the Louisville-native said. "I think that people think that we already are friends because I am famous and they feel like they already know me - but I don't know them.""I have just started becoming really rude and drawn into myself," the Louisville-native said. "I think that people think that we already are friends because I am famous and they feel like they already know me - but I don't know them."
She's right of course in that the general public feels like they know major celebrities because almost every facet of their lives is common knowledge. That relationship is one way. Millions of people go to see her on the big screen but they don't really know her or have a relationship with her. She doesn't have a verified Twitter account. But let's use Twitter as a barometer of how the relationship between fans and the major celebrities is a one-way street for the most part.
Katy Perry is the person with the most followers on Twitter with over 95 million. Conversely she only follows 106 people. I think she should have a fundraiser where people contribute $25 and one lucky person gets her to follow them from among all the entries. She'd raise millions for whatever cause she wanted to support. FWIW, she follows Taylor Swift and she is among the 244 people who Taylor Swift follows.
So most celebrities with millions and millions of followers on Twitter are themselves very selective about whose Twitter feeds they follow. That's because like it or not, their own lives are far too busy to be wrapped up in the lives of large blocs of their fans. That isn't to say celebrities don't do some wonderful things for a few of their fans. One example would be Taylor Swift giving a private concert for a 96 year old man who is a major fan of the singer.
It comes down to a simple concept. Do celebrities have the right to a private life? When there is enough interest in these people to spawn an entire industry in entertainment news, it becomes a tough question with some grey areas. No one should be forced to endure even a few interruptions when trying to enjoy a meal in a restaurant. Is it fair to expect a person to stop and pose for dozens of selfies every single day of the week if they venture out into public? If a celebrity doesn't want to do that, they don't have to. If they want to pose for some and not for others, that is also their right. But those whose requests are rejected will not react well to hearing a "no" when someone else just got the coveted photo. Maybe a policy of no selfies with no exceptions might be smart.
Bottom line is that buying a ticket to a movie, or a concert or anything else that puts money into the pocket of a performer doesn't entitle the purchaser to even a moment of that performer's personal time.
* * *
I have jury duty tomorrow. It isn't that I don't want to do it, the problem is the timing. Between now and April 18th I will be primarily focused on preparing income tax returns. The deadline is April 18th in 2017 because April 15th is on Saturday and the Washington, D.C. observance of the Emancipation Day holiday must be moved to Monday, April 17th.
I'm hoping that if this is actual grand jury service I can get it postponed to May when I will ostensibly be on vacation from work.
* * *
A few random ponderings:
Is it right that pot shops in states where selling it is legal have trouble being able to use banks because of the federal prohibition on pot use? I don't think so.
How amazing is it that the movie Rogue One opened on December 16th and still finished the year #2 at the domestic box office.
Did you know there was once a Debbie Reynolds Hotel Casino near the Las Vegas Strip? I actually gambled there once.
Why is some Orange County high school calling me with their general announcements? At least they finally added an opt-out number.
Everyone who advocates for the $15 minimum wage should read this illuminating op-ed by one small business owner. He's being forced to move his business from Los Angeles to Las Vegas by the new California minimum wage law.
posted by me at 6:23 PM
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