Mark Wright’s Blog

An incident took place last week that involved an obsessed fan of “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul.  A woman was found dead in her automobile outside Abdul’s residence from an apparent suicide.  The plot thickened when it was found out that the victim, Paula Goodspeed was a former contestant on “American Idol.”  She made it on the TV show and her performance received criticism from all of the judges.  She was also hammered for the performance on numerous blog sites.

Now there is talk that the judges from Idol might be partially responsible for Goodspeed’s death because of their criticism of her performance.  I find this to be absolutely ridiculous.  If the contestants have seen the show, they know that they are probably going to get ripped.   Part of the appeal of the show is that people get humiliated.  We have gone from reality TV to humiliation TV.  I don’t know why we seem to love the suffering of others, but it seems to get ratings.    

I have been ripped and criticized in virtually every facet of my life, social, business etc.  If the criticism was valid, I took it to heart.  If it wasn’t, I ignored it.  I don’t lay any of the blame on the judges of Idol this girl’s death.  It is all too common to blame someone else for the actions of others.   There is probably a lot more going on than getting ripped on a TV show.  They are doing their jobs.  They are evaluating talent and during this, sometimes the criticism has to be harsh.  Personally, I don’t like the show.  I have watched it a few times and have always felt like the winners are manufactured by the show.  It is not any different than any of the Boy Bands or media created groups.  There is obviously a market because it sells.  It is just not my cup of tea.

  I didn’t know the woman but she was obviously tortured.  There are allegedly references in her blogs about needing to feel like there was something good about her.  I think that is something that everyone feels.  I’m sure there were many good things about this person.  I just wish she could have seen them.  It is a tragic thing when someone feels that suicide is the solution to their pain and problems. 

I think part of it is that we are a society that is judged by how much money we make, what kind of car we drive and how what we do for a living.  We are made to believe that what we have is more important than who we are as human beings.  We figure if we are famous, we must have accomplished something.  If people love what I do, then maybe they will love or at least like me.  When they can’t achieve it, sometimes they go for the next best thing, obsession with those who have.    It is not difficult to see how something like that could happen when we have been programmed to think that way.   I’m not so sure that fame is the cure all for self worth.  With the drug and alcohol problems and other scandals many celebrities face, it would seem to me that they battle as many personal demons as the rest of us do.