How The Public's View And/or The Government's Role Can Escalate... Essay - 2,952 words

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 70s 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 (Newspage 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 fut ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Essay Tags: michael jackson, jackson, michael, public relations, martha stewart

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