Reblogged from Freedom, by the
way
I veered from my usual morning news this morning to catch Matt Lauer’s interview
with Paula Deen on The Today Show. I am not a Paula Deen fan but I've nothing
against her, either. I just don’t enjoy cooking. So I don’t waste
any more time with anything that has to do with food preparation than absolutely
necessary to put meals on the table. Translated: I never watch the Food Network
or set aside funds for cookbooks or kitchen gadgets. I don't even own a food
processor (which costs more than a decent digital camera). If it can't be pureed in a blender or shredded by hand, it doesn't get made.
But
I am aware of pop culture so of course I know pop culture celebrity foodies such
as Paula Deen, Rachael Ray and Emeril.
So
why did I watch the Matt Lauer interview with Paula Deen? Because the Paula Deen
“incident” isn't really about Paula Deen. It’s about our culture. And I’m not
talking about racism, which has always been around and is three-dimensional with
every race, every ethnic group, and every religion harboring racists. Let’s be
honest. Racism is not, nor has it ever been, a wart that only manifests itself
among WASPS.
The
Paul Dean saga is just another example of how our society celebrates celebrities
to the point of icon status only to search for cracks in their shiny veneers so
we can rubberneck while they crash and burn. Tiger’s extramarital
affairs…Lance Armstrong’s and Barry Bond’s steroid use…Martha Stewart’s insider
trading… …and now, Paula Deen’s use of the N word.
The
specific ingredients may change but the recipe stays the same:
· Person excels
in their individual field of pursuit.
· Public and
media propel person to celebrity status.
· Businesses
seek opportunity to ride coattails of celebrity with endorsements so they can
sell more products.
· Jealous (or
astute, depending upon your perception) people search for flaws.
· Flaw is found
and media fuels a public outrage
· Businesses
cower and drop celebrity.
· Celebrity
tearfully apologizes.
The
final ending is not always the same. Some celebrities, such as Martha Stewart,
rise higher from the ashes. Others, such as Lance Armstrong, try to propel a
second career out of their mistake and fail. Others still, such as Michael Vick
and Tiger Woods, are still working on redemption of both their game and their
reputation.
Which
brings me back to the Matt Lauer interview with Paula Deen.
After
watching the interview with my teenage son. I said, “Don't ever wish to be a
celebrity, son. You can and should strive for excellence and wealth but fame is
a double-edged sword because someone will always try to bring you down.”
But
my son, in the usual teenage fashion of tuning out mom’s philosophical ramblings
had a different take away from the interview, “The Black kids at
school call each other the N word all the time. But if I said it…”
And so it goes.
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