Celebrity role models. I just do not get it.

[done]

I am not picking on any one in particular but why does being famous make you a role model? I have seen folks claim everyone from Paris Hilton to Bruce Smith  as role models and heros.

I have never understood why being a good actor, or being able to throw a ball good, or in the case of Bruce Smith crush the life out of an opponent makes you a humanitarian. I met Bruce Smith many times at one of my previous jobs. He was a good, down to earth dude and a great ball player but role model? I mean Heath Ledgers death, was tragic, he was a real good actor, I enjoyed his films but I cannot say I would place his death above the coworkers 4 yr old son that died of cancer about the same time. While Heath's end came mostly at his own hands, the 4 yr old fought like a 40 yr old against his cancer.

To me a role model/hero is someone like a Congressional Medal of Honor winner, MLK, George Washington Carver, Joe Clark, even Patton etc. People who really sacrificed a great deal of their life (or with CMH winners frequently all of it) with little or no comparative personal gain, to make the world a better place than it was.

Many of the biggest heros most folks probably would not even know their names.

Like I said, while I am bringing up some examples, not picking on any one celebrity/athlete, just the whole concept of famous equals role model. I just do not get it.

[fishinfiend]

I agree with you. Unfortunately, most young people do not take one's character into consideration. I think they view actors, musicians, etc. as role models simply because they are weathly and popular.

[bass wrangler569]

As a young person, I can tell you that I do not have any celebrities that I consider to be "role models." That doesn't mean that there aren't any celebrities that might be excellent role models, I'm sure some celebrities are honest, good people who worked their tail off to make it to where they are, I just don't know any celebrities well enough to consider them a "role model". To me, you have to personally know somebody for them to be a role model in your life.

[Muddy]

I have 3 role models, My Father, My Uncle Anthony and a good friend of mine

 When I was a young, and upcoming drummer, I did look to established drummers as to how they acted, dressed on gigs and most important how they played. It was a good way to learn some things to do and not to do.

 Advertisement and hype create this other notion of role model, I never once bought into it.

 Understand that pro athletes and musicians should adhere to a standard of professionalism and it is good for a youngster to see these things, his parents and relatives should remain his role models however

[Maxximus Redneckus]

M starr summed it perfectly The celebrities could care less about there fans as long as your buying there hype they live like kings/queens and REALLY THINK THEY ARE. While you are just a brick in there huge wall.Trust me yall youngins your just tools

[NewAngler]

I have 3 role models, My

Understand that pro athletes and musicians should adhere to a standard of professionalism and it is good for a youngster to see these things, his parents and relatives should remain his role models however

X2

Katie Couric (sp?) asked Lil Wayne in an interview "you smoke weed, and you have children. what do you say to all the kids that look up to you as a role model"

His response, "Katie, i have two kids, i only need to be a role model to two kids..."

Not only is that untrue, but a complete jackass thing to say.. For some reason or another we are in a time where its easier to look up to an athelete or an actor than it is your own mother, father, grandfather etc.

I grew up admiring my grandfather for the way he presented himself with a life altering diesease my grandmother had.

i grew up admiring my father for being a great play buddy and never missing one of my sports games.

I will never miss one of my kids games, and i will never leave the side of wife because of these guys that were in my life, i never looked outside of my family for a role model, hero, i had it all inside of my house.

Great topic.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

M starr summed it perfectly The celebrities could care less about there fans as long as your buying there hype they live like kings/queens and REALLY THINK THEY ARE. While you are just a brick in there huge wall.Trust me yall youngins your just tools

A great inanimate role model would be "Hooked on Phonics."

[BadKarma42]

M starr summed it perfectly The celebrities could care less about there fans as long as your buying there hype they live like kings/queens and REALLY THINK THEY ARE. While you are just a brick in there huge wall.Trust me yall youngins your just tools

A great inanimate role model would be "Hooked on Phonics."

You are my role model, big fella.

[Tokyo Tony]

It's simple: people are idiots. The people who look up to idiot celebrities are idiots themselves who would behave just as foolishly if they were rich and famous.

[bilgerat]

Ex NBA star Charles Barkley nailed it a few years ago. An interviewer was giving him the third degree about something he allegedly had done and said something along the lines of "but you're a role model"

Barkley snapped back that he was NOT anyone's role model. That was the job of parents, teachers, etc.

Regardless of what you think about him, he was right.  

[Palomar]

Every Body needs to fill a hole.

The (media)world teaches us who we are to fill it with.

muddy's post is an example of a path to take unfortunately his kind are rare and or an outcast, and I'm sure he's OK with that. You too my friend are the outcast for not going along with the media as well.

[Matt Fly]

Sorry, in order for kids to know right from wrong, that starts in the home with the parent(s).

  If you've done your job, then your kids will know who to look up to for positive guidance.

   

[ilovefooffur]

I think Spongebob Squarepants is the role model of my 5 year old, and I'm okay w/ that.

[Muddy]

Every Body needs to fill a hole.

The (media)world teaches us who we are to fill it with.

muddy's post is an example of a path to take unfortunately his kind are rare and or an outcast, and I'm sure he's OK with that. You too my friend are the outcast for not going along with the media as well.

No outcast is cool, now outhouse , then we need to talk

[bass wrangler569]

Sorry, in order for kids to know right from wrong, that starts in the home with the parent(s).

If you've done your job, then your kids will know who to look up to for positive guidance.

exactly, great post

[FishingBuds]

My role models changed back and forth as a kid, my pops would be my role model until he was drunk and did something stupid, then it would be my mom as a role model for putting up with pops ;D

when pop took care of business then he'd be back in with the role model bizz ;D

He was a alcoholic and since quit drinking cold turkey. Been that way  for the past 10 years and still going.

He's also a survivor of throat cancer now going on 3 years, He's always admitted when he screwed up and always correct us when we screwed up to, he gave me great advice when needed and it was always to the point nothen fancy. Best one was when I moved out on my own and he told me that "its hard out there in the world boy, they might kill ya but, they can't eat ya". God Bless him, he's a strong man.

[joshuaryan]

+1 for Spongebob

[mac]

I know everybody thinks that their folks are good.But growing up my parents totaly supported my passion for bass fishing even though they didnt fish.When i was ten or eleven my dad drove a to another town to buy me my first baitcaster one of the grey shimanos in south africa at the time they were rare and double the price of the states so that blew my socks off at the time.A few days after that somebody remarked to my dad that he was shocked my dad shelled so much for a reel and my told his friend he would never spend that on himself but it was for me.So for me thats my folks are all the role models i need and am lucky to be blessed with them.Ps a few years ago i bought my old man a  complete callaway golf set but i still dont feel like we even