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How the public's view and / or the government's role can escalate or create a situation for celebrities? There is something about famous people that fascinates the public. Although they are ordinary people who must eat and breathe as the next person, famous people are seen as very intriguing to most. Why was everyone so interested in the O. J. Simpson murder trial, the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal, or the birth of Madonna's baby?
Everyday, people are accused of murder, cheating on their wives, or giving birth to a baby. What makes the lives of these people more appealing than those of everyday people? While many celebrities like the attraction they get from the general audience, there are still some adverse effects of this attention. There are people who try to sue them just because they are celebrities and have a lot of money.
The governmental agencies might also be prejudiced when it comes to legal matters since they know that the celebrity fined or imprisoned would constitute a great example of justice at work for the general public. Within the scope of this research we will see how celebrities problems get blown and people concentrate their attention on them just because they are celebrities. It is the abundance of mass-media outlets today and their intense competition for audiences that has vastly stimulated the natural instinct of humans to know about each others lives (Ault 345). Because there is this natural public interest in a persons success or status, publicists use this to their advantage for commercial gain. Some public relations professionals specialize in image enhancement for high profile entertainment entities by offering services such as producing press kits, press releases, and publicity for their clients. Michael Jackson is a prime example of an entertainer who is constantly in the public eye for his music, his humanitarianism, his love life, and his alleged illegal actions.
From a public relations standpoint, someone with Michaels stature requires someone to protect him from the effects of negative publicity and produce positive publicity as well. Whenever there is a news report or tabloid article that accuses Michael of committing the unthinkable, it is important that something is done to minimize harm done to his image. It is also imperative that his publicists move quickly and try to resolve any problems before they get out of hand and there is no hope for recovery. Born in August 1958 in Gary, Indiana, Michael Jackson has been a media magnet almost all his life. His public image has changed from being a cute kid star with lots of personality to a living legend in the entertainment industry. While performing with his older brothers in his early years, he depicted total poise and confidence while on stage, which was unlike his shy and reserved personality off stage.
By the late 70 s with the release of his solo album Off The Wall, the public saw a more mature and sophisticated adult Michael Jackson. It was during this time that the media started to become very interested in his private life. He was increasingly portrayed as a figure trapped in an eternal childhood, surrounded by toys and pet animals, and insulated from the traumas of the real world (Internet Fan Club). In 1982, the video for Billie Jean, a track from his second album Thriller, portrayed Jackson as a mysterious individual who was in a world of his own. By November 1991, Michael was receiving negative reactions to his grabbing his crotch and violently smashing windows in his Black and White video. His personality was becoming a tabloids dream come true.
Tabloids can sometimes be a public relations nightmare if taken too far. Malicious rumors, ambiguous facts and embellished stories are fed to the public on a daily basis. Exploitive tabloid magazines and their equally tactless television kin make today's society feel that private lives of stars should be completely open to anyone. Regardless of the truth or falseness of the stories reported by the media, the public continues to immerse in the information. As long as there is a story that people will buy, the tabloid reporters will always present a story to sell.
The more stories that are published about a particular celebrity, the more publicists have to devise ways to reproach the fabrications. If the stories or rumors have some truth in them, the situation must be addressed in a timely manner to avoid a sense of conspiracy. As time goes on without an explanation or clarification, the public will hold negative sentiments against the client. Negative media exposure concerning Michael Jackson began in the late 1980 's with controversy surrounding the gradual lightening of his skin color.
Jackson was being criticized for seeming to deny his ethnic background by lightening his dark skin to a more white complexion. In 1992, rumors began to spread claiming that Jackson slept in an oxygen tent and was interested in buying the bones of the Elephant Man. (Internet Fan Club) There also seemed to be a peculiar relationship between Jackson and his monkey, Bubbles. These rumors added to the bizarre image that was being perceived by the media and the public. So, how were these rumors and allegations handled by his publicists? One form of retaliation against the media was through the video for Michael's song "Leave Me Alone." The video was a parody on all of the controversy surrounding him from the rumors of the oxygen tent to the Elephant Man bones. This was one of the tactics used to disperse the malicious rumors about Michael.
Prior to 1992, Michael Jacksons refusing to be interviewed left the media open to describe him as a mythical-like figure and a hypochondriac who lived in his own world. He attempted to dispel this image, and succeeded to a degree, with a carefully rehearsed interview with U. S. talk show host Oprah Winfrey (Internet Fan Club). During this interview, Jackson denounced the rumors of the skin lightening, explaining that he had a skin disorder called vitiligo and was not bleaching his skin. He also told the public that the rumors of his buying the Elephant Mans bones and his sleeping in an oxygen tent were also false.
Michael clarified his love for children and animals by revealing the sadness he experienced from his childhood being taken away (News page Fan Club). For the first time, the public was able to get rumors cleared up from the primary source. In the interview, Michael said, "The media writes weird stuff about me all the time. The distortion of the truth bothers me. I don't understand why they feel the need to make things up about me" (Internet Fan Club).
It was very important to the salvaging of his image that he publicly discharged the vicious rumors surrounding him. However, in August 1993, shortly after his interview with Oprah, Jackson was accused of child sexual molestation by a 13 -year-old boy and the media focused directly on it. In addition to the molestation charges, Jackson confessed to his addiction to painkillers and his seeking treatment in a rehabilitation clinic. He said that he became addicted to prescription painkillers after scalp surgery to repair damage caused when his hair caught on fire during filming of a Pepsi commercial (McDowell 22). His renewed wholesome image was once again polluted. In November 1993, Jackson left the U.
S. and went into hiding. Once more, the public was left oblivious and open to speculation about his innocence. But in December 1993, four months after the allegations, Jackson faced the television cameras to deliver a four-minute speech defending himself of the molestation charges against him. However, Jackson chose to keep control over the situation by avoiding questions from reporters (Weinraub 2). It was not until January 1995 that the molestation charges were dropped as a result of a $ 20 million settlement.
Instead of clearing the air of the accusations, many say that the settlement was an admission of guilt. But Michael was on the verge of renewing his image with different spin. His marriage to Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis Presley's daughter, was a shock to his doubtful public. Many wondered about the authenticity of their relationship.
The two agreed to be interviewed on Prime Time Live by Diane Sawyer, apparently to let the American public know that they really loved each other, slept in the same bed, and even had sex. Despite the awkwardness displayed by the couple during the interview, they projected a loving relationship. However, after only nineteen months, the marriage collapsed. The overall consensus felt the marriage was a PR attempt to revitalize Jackson's career. In June 1995, more controversy erupted, only this time it concerned his song, "They Don't Care About Us." Apparently the lyrics were blatantly offensive to Jewish people.
Jackson apologized, tried to explain his reasons for the lyrics, failed to appease anyone and released a re-vamped version of the lyrics on future LP pressings (McDowell 22). It seemed that everywhere he turned, Michael Jackson was the target for media scorn. Michael was incessantly in and out of court trying to sustain his good name. Although in many instances he was the victor in the legal battles, the abundance and content of the disputes left much to be questioned about Jackson's character 5. A celebritys image can help to make or break them. Depending on how a situation is handled, a predicament such as a legal battle can be critical to rebuilding the celebritys character.
Michael Levine, a celebrity publicist and author said, I think that the image challenges to someone like Michael Jackson are monumental and that he is at a precipice now at his career, perceptions-wise (McDowell 22). So how does a publicists or public relations professional combat negative publicity against a client with Michael Jackson's caliber? Aside from the small number of interviews that Jackson completed, he also wrote a 283 -page autobiography, Moonwalk which was published in 1986. In it, the 29 -year-old entertainer talks about his show business friends, his plastic surgery, his girlfriends and his rise to musical super stardom. Jackson's image was also changed for the better in 1997 with the announcement of the birth of his son Prince Michael Junior. Jackson's first child with his second wife, Debbie Rowe, was certainly of major interest to the media and the public.
Jackson had reportedly sold the photographic rights of the first pictures of the child, himself, and Debbie to OK Magazine for a disclosed amount of money - most of which had gone to a children's charity. Although rumors spread surrounding whether the child had been conceived "naturally" or through artificial insemination, Michael Jackson's portrayal as a loving husband and father was gradually restoring his image. But more importantly, Jackson has exemplified his compassion with his involvement in many charities. In January 1985, Michael Jackson, along with 44 other American popular music stars, recorded the song "We Are the World" in an effort to reduce hunger in Africa. His Heal the World Foundation, which was founded in 1992, provides medicine for children and fights world hunger, drug and alcohol abuse and child abuse. In 1992, Jackson made monetary donations to a children's hospital in Rotterdam, Estonia, and Latvia; dedicated a children's playground at an orphanage in Bucharest, Romania; and airlifted relief supplies to children in Sarajevo and Bosnia (Internet Fan Club).
In 1998, Michael made public his plans to found an international charity called the World Peace Foundation for Children. In 1999, Jackson and the Red Cross organized the "What More Can I Give?" charity concerts in Seoul, Korea to help children in need worldwide. Over the years, Michael has made monetary contributions to over 36 charity organizations including the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the American Cancer Society. Awareness of these events was made through plenty of publicity in the face of the negative media surrounding Jackson at the time. Michael Jackson's most recent contribution was his promise to travel to the East African state of Sudan to join the bandwagon against child slavery in that country. Despite the negative publicity from the many legal battles and accusations, Michael continues to maintain support from dedicated fans.
Many fans, both young and old, find it hard to believe that someone of Jackson's character and who cares as much as he does for children could have done the wrong attributed to him by the media. Some critics believe that Michael uses the media attention to his advantage by organizing publicity stunts and contacting the press when he will be at certain events. Jackson's high profile has sustained longer than all other performers not only because of the public's curiosity, but because of the ceaseless efforts of the greater media. Michael Jackson's publicists should be commended, because regardless of his reputation in the media, he continues to attract audiences and impart inspiring messages through his music. Martha Stewart was in the middle of her regular cooking show on CBS showing her audience how to prepare a salad. Little did she know that outside the studio awaited a group of Federal Agents there to investigate Stewarts alleged insider trading in a friends company.
Stewarts problems began when she invested in a bio-tech company belonging to her friend Sam Waksal. Waksal's company, Imclone, had developed a drug called Erbitux that supposedly had profound implications for cancer sufferers. Pharmaceutical giant Bristol Myers Squibb agreed to invest $ 2 billion dollars on the strength of the drugs promise. The share price climbed as high as $ 75. 00 until the US Food and Drug Administration rejected the drug and demanded a raft of new tests that could take years. The decision was a disaster for Imclone. Imclone knew for certain of the drugs rejection on December 25, 2001.
The public was not informed until the 28 th. During those three days Jack Waksal, Sams father, sold $ 5 million dollars worth of shares and Sams daughter Asia sold $ 2. 5 million dollars worth. (Aoki 1) Merrill Lynch brokers, including trader Peter Bacanovic and his assistant Douglas Faneuil, also pushed through other Imclone sales during these three days, including a sale of $ 227, 000 of shares held by Waksal family-friend Stewart. Stewarts potential responsibility hinges on whether she was acting on insider information from Sam Waksal, as investigators suspect, or whether her broker Peter Bacanovic was merely acting on her long-standing order to sell the shares if and when they fell below $ 60. 00. The fact that Martha Stewart is staring into a legal deep hole is causing tremendous amusement among those who dislike the way she has imposed her vision of domestic perfection on the nation and made herself a billionaire in the process. Her fans disagree and are saying that Stewart is incapable of such things she is accused for.
Stewarts own company has been damaged by the scandal, which has underscored the fact that it has only one product, Martha Stewart and if she is damaged goods, so is the company. Stewart has lost over $ 200 million dollars, nearly a quarter of her wealth. Entertainment exists in a variety of ways and is adored by those who find similar interests. Many of todays artists are influencing their viewers with their explicit performances.
Rap-artist Eminem is very controversial and seems to hate everyone other than his producer Dr. Dre. His lyrics are tremendously offending, but he doesnt care what others have to say. Eminem is so graphic and many are shocked that he is still allowed the rights to rap. He has taken issues way out of line and parents feel strongly about enforcing censorship on his music. Eminem is clearly famous for his lyrics and is doing nothing wrong, but expressing himself, his supporters suggest.
He is supported by many fans and his The Marshal Mathers LP won the best album honors from Rolling Stones critics, while its readers voted him the best male performer of the year (Cantin, p. 26). The audience is definitely being pleased and so are the artists. Eminem brings excitement to his fans causing his concerts to be sold out. Teenagers as well as adults all over the world are pleased with these young pop-artists and rap starts. They find this entertainment pleasurable and enjoyable. Eminem's controversial, and so are cigarettes.
Trying to ban something is just going to build an army of people who are going to do what you dont want them to do (Cantin, p. 29). Children all over the world are being influenced by their superstars. The lyrics used and presentations are presented in an unruly manner. Since America is the leading country and people all over the world look up to it, trails start to assemble adjusting themselves to what is cool. Media having a great affect does not respond by using its gatekeeper tactics.
The examples of Michael Jackson, Martha Stewart and Eminem illustrate how peoples attention can be not only beneficial for celebrities, but harmful as well. There always will be those who would want to use the fact that celebrities have a lot of money and they could be sued for something, and governmental agencies would want to make a good public example by fining or imprisoning a celebrity. So, being a celebrity is not that great after all. Bibliography: Aoki, Naomi, and Globe Staff. Martha Stewart Prosecution Likely Cases Would Allege Insider Trading: Boston Globe.
Boston, Mass. : June 4, 2003. pg. A. 1. Ault, Phillip H. , et al. Essentials of Public Relations New York: Addison-Wesley, 2001, 345 - 354. Cantin, D.
Being a Celebrity. London: Pluto Press, 2003. McDowell, Edwin. "Michael Jackson Writes His Story." The New York Times. 18 April 1988. Section C, 22. Michael Jackson Internet Fan Club. 28 April 2001 web Weinraub, Bernhard. ""Professions of Innocence: Jackson Takes His Case To The Television Public." The New York Times. 26 December 1993. Section 4, p. 2
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