Ryan Herring English 1103 Ms.

Caruso 21 October 2012 Reactions to Celebrity Deaths and How They Have Changed The impact that celebrities have on the lives of the public is astonishing. Fixating on every detail and storyline, the public has adapted what is seemingly an addiction to the life of a celebrity. Observing this, when the passing of a superstar occurs, especially prematurely, the reactions of the public are intriguing and ever-changing. Throughout the history of Pop-culture many noted celebrity deaths have brought great controversy, grief, and limelight to the world. How people cope, handle, and react to these deaths has changed drastically over time with the increased media and internet exposure. Reflecting back to the deaths of famous individuals like Elvis Presley and John F. Kennedy, where T.V. and internet werent as prevalent in the lives of the public, we can see how reactions have changed from then up until recent celebrity deaths such as Michael Jackson and Heath Ledger. Reactions can also vary depending on the way that a celebrity deceased. Apparent suicides, like that of Kurt Cobains captivate the publics attention and cause them to wonder why and how someone would commit such a morbid act. Also, these premature passings often result in profit made through the sale of their products after their time of death. As patrons and consumers, Americans are privileged to the luxury of prime access into the lives of celebrities. From movies to the stage, and everywhere else media coverage goes, the

Comment [BC1]: Refer to the MLA handout on Moodle for the correct MLA format.

Comment [BC2]: Use another word, since Im fairly sure this cant be used as a verb.

public has an eye on nearly everything a celebrity says or does. Given this level of attention, the public allows these people, even if it is subconsciously, to become a part of their lives and make a significant impact. Referring to the death of animal specialist Steve Irwin, one journalist described this relationship with the statement We invite them into our living rooms and we get used to them "being there" at a particular time each week (McHugh). This is ever true when people listen to their favorite artist or watch their favorite movie starring their favorite actor. Noting these observations, a generality or assumption can be made about the reaction to a death in one of the figures. Extreme grief and reaction over the death of celebrities has been evident over the course of time when looking at many examples. Some early examples include the deaths of Elvis Presley, John F. Kennedy, and Mohandas Gandhi. Elvis Presleys influence on rock n roll as a genre had a huge impact on pop-culture during the 1950s. His popular music was played all over the radio and many people became fans of the rock icon and idolized him. Gandhi and John F. Kennedy were politicians in the 1960s. Being great speakers and role models helped shape their popular image with the public. Having the effect these famous people did, there were waves of attention brought to the forefront when they died. Elvis Presleys drug overdose was one of the first to plague musicians with the stereotype of being drug addicts. News of his death was spread through the use of newspaper and radio waves. In the months and years following Elvis death, there were rumors spread of sightings of the rock star. These rumors and folk stories are a way that the public has filled the void in their lives left by his death. One article states I like to imagine Elvis living in disguise in some tropical paradise, just another random old dude in polyester slacks, shuffling down the sidewalk in Honolulu with a cane in his hand and a happy smile on his face(Erika). While this seems comical, it has been a common reaction for die-hard fans, and seems to be in attempt to
Comment [BC3]: This seems to be out of place, since this is a paragraph about Elvis, not Gandhi or JFK.

not let go and accept death in celebrities. In regards to deaths of politicians Gandhi and Kennedy, their deaths were met by huge reaction. The influence that these two politicians had on their respective communities was positive. Gandhi, a peacemaker from India, had an outlook on life that identified with many people. He was a light shed over a dark time, where violence seemed to be the only answer in his homeland. His policy of nonaggression and pacifism was one that he was revered for. In the wake of his passing, many ceremonies were held honoring his death. John F. Kennedy was a good-looking and kind-hearted man. His young age made him appealing to potential voters in the election. Immediately following the start of his candidacy, the people of the United States took a fondness to him. He was an excellent public speaker and quickly won over the hearts of the people. One reason Kennedy was so well-regarded is because of his use of the television. President Kennedy helped to significantly enlarge the role of television as a news medium (John F. Kennedy and the Press). Before this, word had traveled by way of newspaper. However, even when considering this progression, the way news was distributed in that time compared to modern times, it is apparent how much faster it can travel. The result of this advancement in technology is a much bigger impact on society when a celebrity passes away. The Internet allows us to indulge in a new vice, recreational grief, a somewhat ghoulish sport in which the body and reputation of a dead celebrity become the sacrament of a tribal ritual intended to reinforce solidarity(Harris). This quote stresses how internet is abused by those who grieve, drastically, over celebrities who have died. The internet is an example of how the overall reactions of the public have changed over time. With the invention of the internet comes the blog. These blogs give people, who have zero relation to the famous deceased person, a way to post a eulogy or some sort of remembrance about a celebrity. In the days, weeks, and even months following the death of famous singer and dancer Michael Jackson, many of his fans from

Comment [BC4]: Begin a new paragraph here, since youre now talking about Gandhi and JFK.

Comment [BC5]: You show how television influenced his career, but not how it influenced the peoples mourning after the assassination. Work to elaborate on this point to bring it full-circle. Im still not sure where Gandhi fits in, though, since you havent said much about him. Comment [BC6]: Work on an introduction for this paragraph. You talk about 60s technology in the previous paragraph, then jump here to the internet. Quick time warps create whiplash. Comment [BC7]: Work on incorporating quotes without referring to them as quotes. Comment [BC8]: Informal wording because of zero.

all around the world logged onto the World Wide Web and posted words of commemoration about him, his life, and the legacy he left behind. June 25th was a day that the whole world cried (Michael). This line from a fan posted eulogy speaks volumes about how the public can be affected by the death of a celebrity. This fan had never met Michael Jackson before and felt so strongly enough to post this deeply thought out account of their feelings. In a similar example, this movie enthusiast, though not admittedly a huge fan of actor Heath Ledger had this to say about the tragedy of his death during the recording of the movie The Dark Knight: I found out after a frustratingly long day, and the news that we had lost someone so young and with so much potential caught me completely off guard, even though I can't claim to be a huge fan. Nonetheless, I've been eagerly anticipating The Dark Knight just like everyone else (Sanford). This directly provides evidence that the public is influenced by the death of a celebrity. Even in this case, where the spectator isnt a fan of the deceased actor, their attention is seized due to his death and he states that he intends to watch the movie anyways. This relationship between famous celebrity deaths and the products they deliver has great significance in the overall impact on the public. Often times, people who are grieving over a celebrity, still have available the part of them that they loved; music, movies, and impactful actions. This has been exemplified by the album and merchandise sales of many musicians who have passed on. Recalling the previously stated sudden death of Michael Jackson, it is astounding how much his album sales have increased since his death. Since his death, Jackson has sold approximately 9 million albums in the United States (How Michael Jackson Made $1 Billion since His Death). Also, following Heath Ledgers death the release of The Dark Knight resulted in astonishing numbers. During The Dark Knights opening weekend in 2008, it earned $191,001,389 (The Dark Knight Film

Released in 2008). These and many other celebrities have grossed large sums of money after their deaths. Kurt Cobain, who was the lead singer of the band Nirvana before the tragedy of his suicide also made a wealthy profit. His death, unlike some of the others mentioned, was very interesting to the public because of the suicide aspect and it caused many people to read into his lyrics. Kurt Cobain was the lead singer of a 90s grunge rock band; a genre that already had a history of being an angst-filled and depressed style of music. His songs were filled with confusing and melancholy lyrics that one could easily attempt to relate to his death. For instance, in the song Come as you are, the lyrics read And I swear that I dont have a gun (Nirvana). Over the years, Cobain was known as a loner and an outsider, but when he committed suicide in his Seattle home in 1994, no one could have honestly predicted it. His suicide caused massive waves of attention in the media and may be one of the biggest examples of influence that a celebrities death can have on the public. Through viewing the examples of many celebrities whose lives have been lost, it is apparent how considerably they have impacted and changed the lives of the public. It is clear how the internet and other sources of media have transformed how the public can react and readily see the deaths of celebrities and the devastation instigated by them. Also, it is visible the trend between a celebrities death and the sale of their merchandise and products. This leads to the determination that the public are openly intrigued by this facet of human life being cut so short. This also illustrates how much of a consumer society we live in, and that the reactions will remain extreme as long as the celebs produce what we want. The celebrity is someone the people can idolize and look up to. Their mysterious personal lives, interesting characters, and fascinating work will always be an interest to the public, especially in the case of untimely death.
Comment [BC9]: Please always include your name in the filename. Comment [BC10]: Ryan, You are correct in saying that your writing is verbose, and your reader can easily follow your ideas. However, you mentioned your flow, which is definitely what I have seen youll need to work on. As you work on the structure of your paper, determine the subject matter that you are working with in each paragraph, then include the information that is encompassed within that idea. You have many paragraphs in which you include three or four examples from different people, then begin another paragraph about one or two of those people. Work on giving your ideas where they fit, rather than where you happen to think of them. Im looking forward to seeing what youll revise for your portfolio! -Ms. C

Works Cited Anonymous. How Michael Jackson Made $1 Billion Since His Death. Billboard. Billboard, 21 June. 2010. Web. 2 Nov. 2012. Erika. Is Elvis Presley Still Alive? Freakyphenomena. Neongecko inc. 21 July. 2010. 22 Oct. 2012. Harris, Danniel. Celebrity Deaths. Yellow Springs: Antioch Review, Inc, Fall2011, Vol. 69 Issue 4, p884-892, 9p John F. Kennedy and the Press. Jfklibrary. n.p. n.d. web. Michael. My Eulogy For Michael Jackson. Michaeljackson. 2012 MJJ Music, n.d. 24 Oct. 2012. Nirvana. "Come as you are." Nevermind. Geffen, 1991. Audiocassette. The Dark Knight Film Released in 2008. Zap2it. Tribune Media Services inc, 2012. Web. 5 Nov. 2012. Tom Sanford. Cc2k. 2011 CC2k, 22 Jan, 2008. Web. 24 Oct. 2008.

Comment [BC11]: Use regular typeface and take out the spaces in between the lines. Make this double-spaced throughout.