Problems Of The Rich And Famous That We Have No Pity For
Stars ... they're just like us, right? Or is that just what the rich and powerful want us to think? As host Robin Leach used to famously say on his show "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous," "Champagne wishes and caviar dreams ..." Leach had the right idea using nouns like wishes and dreams; considering the type of lifestyle he was referring to, only a handful of people really could achieve.
There are plenty of incredibly wealthy celebrities and public figures who came from nothing and worked 24/7 their entire lives to attain all the wealth they have today. Take, for example, one of the richest men in the world, Warren Buffett. The corporate magnate came from very little and started working and investing at a young age eventually becoming one of the world's most successful investors. Buffett is also considered by many to be a philanthropist for all his heavy donations to charities. After giving $37 billion to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the investor revealed to BBC News, "I am not an enthusiast of dynastic wealth, particularly when the alternative is six billion people having that much poorer hands in life than we have, having a chance to benefit from the money."
Perhaps some celebrities should take a page out of Warren Buffett's playbook instead of turning to the internet to cry "victim" when things don't go their way. A positive and giving attitude really goes a long way!
Todd Chrisley and his wife Julie are going to jail
Todd and Julie Chrisley were seemingly a fun, over-the-top, boisterous Southern couple that just happen to turn into reality stars. All of that changed, though, on November 21, 2022, when the couple was sentenced to double-digit years in prison by a federal court. According to CNN, The "Chrisley Knows Best" couple was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans. The two were also found guilty of several tax crimes, as well, including attempting to defraud the IRS.
The Chrisleys were sentenced to a combined 19 years in prison. Their attorney told Fox News, "It was a difficult day for the Chrisley family. But Todd and Julie are people of faith, and that faith gives them strength as they appeal their convictions. Their trial was marred by serious and repeated errors, including the government lying to jurors about what taxes the couple paid. Based on these issues, we are optimistic about the road ahead."
During the proceedings earlier in 2022, Todd Chrisley's former business partner, Mark Braddock exposed a past romantic relationship between him and Chrisley. Adding to the scandal was that both were married to other people during the affair. Todd Chrisley, however, offered no comment about the courtroom admission.
Shia LeBeouf said famous people are enslaved
Shia LaBeouf is very much used to making headlines, both good and bad. LaBeouf made headlines when he proclaimed that he was retiring from life in the public eye. His announcement came just after it was revealed that LaBeouf plagiarized a comic titled, "Justin M. Damiano." Back in 2012, the actor borrowed bits and pieces for his short film, "HowardCantour.com." Debuting at the Cannes Film Festival, according to ET Online, the former child star released the film on the "HowardCantour.com" website in December of 2013. Similarities between the film and comic were quickly spotted and tossed into LaBeouf's face. Even though the former child star would go on to apologize, he still faced intense scrutiny from the public, as well as Hollywood.
During an interview with Variety in 2015, LaBeouf stated, "As a celebrity/star I am not an individual — I am a spectacular representation of a living human being, the opposite of an individual. The enemy of the individual, in myself as well as in others. The requirements to being a star/celebrity are namely, you must become an enslaved body. Just flesh — a commodity, and renounce all autonomous qualities in order to identify with the general law of obedience to the course of things. The star is a byproduct of the machine age, a relic of modernist ideals. It's outmoded."
After the release of the article, LaBeouf felt immediate feedback throughout social media. Actor Rob Lowe took to his Twitter to poke fun at LaBeouf's statement posting, "He's right. It's SO hard being famous. So very, very, VERY HARD. Goodbye everyone, I retire as well."
Amy Schumer says glam events are punishment
Funny girl Amy Schumer has reached the level of fame that has allowed her to host such high-profile events like the prestigious Academy Awards. According to Bustle, Schumer's rise to the top wasn't the easiest; she performed her first stand-up set in NYC back in 2004, then three years later she placed fourth on "Last Comic Standing." The budding comedian was very excited when asked to participate in Comedy Central's "Roast of Charlie Sheen," but she still hadn't gained the popularity she had hoped, even after all the show's exposure. It wasn't until she got her own sketch comedy show in 2012, "Inside Amy Schumer," that the public really started to discover the comedian's talent.
Today, Amy Schumer is one of the most recognizable entertainers in Hollywood. Critics question whether or not fame has gone to her head, though. After attending the Met Gala back in 2016, she told Howard Stern, that it felt like a "punishment." Schumer continued, "I left, not the second I could; I left earlier than I should have been allowed. I got to meet Beyoncé, and she was like, 'Is this your first Met Gala?' and I was like, 'It's my last." She even would even go on to say, "We're dressed up like a bunch of f****** a**holes." Considering the average fan would kill for just the chance to attend the Met Gala, perhaps Schumer's comments were more than slightly tone-deaf.
Kendall Jenner doesn't know how to cut a cucumber
Those Kardashian women just love going viral! Kendall Jenner, the second-youngest daughter of Caitlyn and Kris Jenner, just continues to spark outrage and shock. One of these instances was asking her mother how to cut a cucumber during an episode of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians". Kendall's no stranger to criticism, either regarding her privileged lifestyle as critics frequently comment that she didn't even "earn" her modeling career; it was handed to her based just on her family name. For Jenner, however, nothing could be further from the truth! On an episode of The Today Show, the model went on record about all the allegations of name-dropping. "In reality, I worked hard for this. It wasn't like I just got it magically and it just happened." Her family's name and reputation probably didn't hurt, either!
Back to the cucumber episode ... Kendall looked like a deer in headlights while attempting to hold a knife just to cut the cucumber, causing Kris Jenner to call for the family's chef to step in. One user on Twitter had no sympathy for the model posting, "Wow, @KendallJenner watching Her try to cut up the cucumber was just sad!!! @KrisJenner [its] wrong & shows how unattached to real life she is. That privilege is a bad thing. What has she actually done for herself?!! When you're this privileged, it's a problem!!!"
Ellen compared her Hollywood mansion to a prison
Once America's favorite daytime talk show host, Ellen DeGeneres has had one of the most prolific falls from grace in Hollywood. Known for her awesome altruism and kindness toward her guests, the comedian seemingly gave generously to charities and made audience members' dreams come true right on her program. DeGeneres was the golden girl of daytime TV with her own signature catchphrase, "be kind to one another."
That all changed when employees of DeGeneres' program complained that the "Ellen" show was a "toxic work environment," pointing directly at the host as the root of the problems. The icing on the cake for "unlikable Ellen" occurred, however, during the peak of the COVID-19 lockdown. The comedian perhaps over-expressed herself in a since-deleted post she lamented on social media, comparing her mansion to a prison. Many people thought the post was highly inappropriate considering at the time, thousands of incarcerated people were dying of COVID-19. Meanwhile, the talk show host was comparing her $15 million mansion to being in jail.
According to Reuters, people were absolutely outraged by her insensitive claim. "I have actual friends and loved ones who are currently incarcerated. They are locked down in horrific conditions and terrified what is going to happen to them. Your 'joke' about being quarantined at home being like that is unfunny and disrespectful," tweeted a social justice advocate. Do better, Ellen!
Zanab Jeffrey from Love is Blind doesn't like internet hate
On the dramatic 3rd season of the Netflix hit reality show "Love is Blind," things took a terrible turn for one couple on the reunion show. Zanab Jaffrey and Cole Barnett met in the show's famous "pods" and chose to get engaged without ever seeing each other. When it came time to say "I do," Jaffrey blindsided Barnett by saying, "I don't." She claimed he had "disrespected me, insulted me, critiqued me, and single-handedly shattered my self-confidence." All of which Barnett denied. During the reunion, Jaffrey brought up yet another incident explaining that Barnett had "shamed her for eating two cuties [oranges]," but viewers wouldn't know the truth as the scene never aired.
Netflix, however, was able to get the footage from the cuties incident and release it on the internet, inflaming even more outrage! Many people speculated that Jaffrey was overreacting and didn't need to humiliate Barnett as harshly as she did. One Instagram user even posted, "Plot twist: Zanab is the real villain in #loveisblind season 3 seeing the cuties clip, Cole did nothing wrong. Zanab, out of her insecurity, made it a bigger issue than it was and blamed Cole entirely. He did not deserve that humiliation at the reunion." Zanab Jaffrey expressed frustration over all the internet hate generated in a since-edited Instagram post. Girl, if you sign up for a reality show — you're signing up for the internet trolls as well.
Billie Eilish claims fame is trash
Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas became musical sensations at a very young age, winning seven Grammy awards and another 17 nominations while Eilish was still just a teenager. With radio hits like "Everything I Wanted" and "Bad Guy," Eilish is best known for her sultry voice and intense lyrics. The singer grabbed even more of the public's attention when she began wearing neon green highlights in her hair. Needless to say, plenty of young musicians pine to be in her shoes, which makes it incredibly surprising to hear Eilish speak so negatively about the world and her success during an interview with 3Voor12 Extra TV channel.
"The world sucks, fame is trash," Eilish told 3voor12 Extra. "Famous people suck." The singer blames fame for the reason she missed out on being a normal kid, "I lost all my teenage years because this started when I was 13. I didn't get to be 13, 14, 15, 16, or 17 like a normal teenager. This is my life you know? And it's dope because I guess it's what I always wanted."
Hmmm ... she "guesses" this is what she always wanted? We are willing to bet that there are millions of struggling musicians out there willing to trade places with Billie and Finneas Eilish in seconds!
Jail time for R. Kelly
The party is packed up and over for disgraced R&B singer R. Kelly. After he was sentenced to 30 years in prison for federal racketeering and sex trafficking charges in June of 2022. The "Ignition" singer was convicted on nine counts: eight counts of violating sex trafficking laws and one count of racketeering. According to CNN, the New York District Attorney's office accused R. Kelly of using a "network of people at his disposal to target girls, boys and young women for his own sexual gratification." Netflix documentary, "Surviving R. Kelly," released in 2019, goes into plenty of detail regarding the singer's horrifying antics. Hearing his many victims describe how he abused them both mentally and physically is painful to accept. The fact that R. Kelly got away with it for so long is what's truly heartbreaking about the whole matter.
Additionally, the former entertainer met the late hip-hop artist, Aaliyah, when she was just 12 years old. At that time, R. Kelly was 24 years her senior. The singer married Aaliyah just three years later when the budding pop star was just 15 years old. Kelly's previous tour manager, Demetrius Smith, revealed to the court how he made the wedding between Aaliyah and R. Kelly possible. He bribed a government official to get a fake ID card so Aaliyah would appear of age. "It shouldn't have happened. It was wrong," he said per National World.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Kayne West loses his billionaire status
He messed around and found out! Kanye West has been "canceled" by the public. Because of his outrageous behaviors and equally outlandish remarks, Ye's found himself kicked off multiple social media platforms. After a series of antisemitic tweets, fans and corporations alike began to distance themselves from the artist. As if that wasn't bad enough, the former Mr. Kardashian bragged on an episode of "Drink Champs" that he "can say antisemitic things, and Adidas can't drop me."
As it turns out, the joke is on Ye: After much consideration, the sneaker manufacturer decided it felt differently. Initially, the partnership put the rapper in the coveted "billionaire's club," but that hard-earned status wasn't long for this world. After West's racist comments surfaced, Adidas terminated their relationship, saying in a statement: "Adidas does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech. Ye's recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful, and dangerous, and they violate the company's values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness."