Making fun of celebrities is a favorite past-time. While far too many celebrities do silly or outrageous things that result in public attention, frequently the criticism and attacks on celebrities are due to people’s unspoken envy of their fame and wealth and the belief that they deserve to be criticized because they have a “better” and “easier” life that members of the average public.
It’s sad but true that the only thing the public loves more than fawning over celebrities and putting them on a pedestal is tearing them apart when they fall below the frequently unrealistic expectations placed on them.
Case in point, actress Catherine Zeta Jones’ recent statement that she had received treatment for Bipolar II disorder. While Catherine garnered well-deserved support for her courage in admitting that she was being treated and for drawing positive attention to the disorder (although, regrettably, it appears that going public wasn’t entirely voluntary since her privacy was violated and she was “outed”), some members of the public used is as an opportunity to ridicule and criticize her.
Shame on these individuals for doing so and shame on them for making fun of mental disorders.