Frankly My Dear, Should We Give A Damn?

I’m fascinated by Justin Bieber and the media coverage he garners.

Good or bad, this kid gets press that is off the hook. From peeing in a bucket and visiting a Brazilian brothel to egging a neighbor’s house, this guy is everywhere. But is he really all that different from the classic “stars” from the good old Hollywood era, or is he just a victim of social media?

Which begs another question: Would we hold those “stars” in as high regard if their every move was as scrutinized as this kid’s?

In the golden age of Hollywood — before Instagram, TMZ, the 24/7 news cycle and social media — there were still scandals, screw-ups and celebrity indiscretions that went unreported to the general public thanks to professional PR guys that made sure fans never heard the true stories of their idols’ latest shenanigans.

Consider a quick list of some members of the Golden Age of Hollywood whose scandals never hit the papers (remember print?), were glossed over or successfully spinned into a non-issue:

• Thomas Ince: The father of the modern western was shot and killed aboard William Randolph Heart’s yacht, then cremated and buried before his wife was even notified he was dead (are ya kiddin’ me?). Add infidelity, booze, jealousy, a loaded revolver and you’ve got one helluva scandal.
• Buster Keaton: This brilliant comedian (in my opinion, better than Chaplin), writer, director and actor had an emotional breakdown and went to rehab for alcoholism, and it wrecked his career.
• Clark Gable: Gone With The Wind (Rhett Butler himself) had a love child with Loretta Young. Judy Lewis, herself a star, didn’t know Gable was her dad until she was told…the night before her wedding.
• Joan Crawford: Slept her way to the top, from writers and directors to studio chiefs and co-stars, male or female. Gotta love her equal opportunity spirit.
• Marilyn Monroe: The star’s multiple abortions, drugs and affairs with both a U.S  President and his Attorney General brother are common knowledge now, but were little known by the general public during her heyday.

My point is, these stories didn’t make it out to the public because of the major studio’s grand PR machine, a lot of cash being spread around, and — more importantly — the lack of instant media coverage.

While I’m not defending the Biebs, don’t ya think somebody could keep this knucklehead on the down-low for a while, considering that whatever you do or say is instantly available to everybody?

In an age of instant communication, where everything you post is instantly readable by everybody everywhere, how much information is too much? What responsibility do we each have in what we post? And while PR and social media do have their place, are we really using both media in an effective and positive way?

Whattaya think Justin? I’m just askin’…