It's Hard Not To Feel Bad For These Celebs
Celebrities have fame and wealth, but that doesn't insulate them from certain life experiences or make them able to shake a questionable reputation. Whether it's a run-in with the paparazzi that the media grabs onto and never forgets, or badly managed mental illness, life in the spotlight can be harsh no matter what level of talent a star has. Here is a list of celebrities you might want to hug, share a beer with, or hire them a life coach.
Jonah Hill
Aside from that outburst against a photographer where he used a homophobic slur—for which he apologized profusely—Jonah Hill takes a lot of flack for his earnestness during interviews. He's one of those actors that speaks passionately about "the craft of acting" in a way that makes it feel like you're listening to a guy still defending the five Dave Matthews shows he goes to every year. Then there's his weight. When he lost a ton, everyone thought he looked weird. When he gained it all back, everyone went, "What happened?" It's a no-win for this nice guy who we all agree is really funny, but who takes himself a little too seriously. Keep your head up, Jonah.
Jaden Smith
As of this writing, Jaden Smith is a young teenager who dresses weird, acts and raps poorly, and has a Twitter account full of ridiculous gibberish. None of those things would be particularly remarkable for a normal kid, but since he's the son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith, his public behavior is open season. Their admittedly odd parenting style, a blend of new age and Scientology-esque meta-awareness practices, encourages both of their children to explore non-traditional life paths. When Jaden has a handle on himself and is old enough to appreciate all of that for what it was, we're sure he'll be thinking, "Ugh, did I really make a song about myself called 'The Coolest?'"
Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson
When she was just a toddler growing up in rural Georgia, Honey Boo Boo's mother started shoving her into beauty pageants, which is enough to make you feel bad for her right there. Then TLC came along and made a celebrity out of her, eventually making her the star of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, where her home life was exploited in trashy, reality-TV glory. A lot of the show focused on the eating habits of the obviously overweight family, who seemed to revel in their unhealthy choices. The show was finally put out of its misery after a child molestation scandal, which had nothing to do with little Alana, but which will follow her around for the rest of her life. She deserves a hug, no matter how much ketchup it's going to leave on your shirt.
Amanda Bynes
Amanda Bynes had a very public meltdown resulting in multiple arrests including a DUI, a couple hit-and-runs, and marijuana possession before finally being admitted to a center for psychiatric help. During the meltdown, she took to Twitter, bizarrely railing against her detractors, which mostly involved accusing them of being ugly and jealous. It all got really weird. There were green wigs, topless photos, and court appearances that looked like SNL sketches. At first it seemed funny, but it quickly turned dark and disastrous. Thankfully, nobody got hurt, including Amanda, who seems to have finally gotten the help she needed.
Farrah Abraham
Farrah Abraham took a much different path than any of the other Teen Moms, having made her way into the world of accessories...and adult films. She's been caught in obvious lies, acts unpleasantly towards her parents, and has made some questionable parenting choices, like giving her daughter $600 dollars and saying it was from the Tooth Fairy. But before we get out the torches and pitchforks, keep in mind that this is a girl who got pregnant at 16. That was sophomore year for most of us. Then, the baby's father died before the kid was born. Making matters more difficult, the show that was probably pitched to her as a small docu-series about teen mothers actually exploded into a phenomenon that nobody expected. Becoming a TV star at sixteen is something not many people could handle, let alone experiencing a tragedy and becoming a parent at the same time. Let's cut her a little slack.
Keanu Reeves
Keanu Reeves scored a long-awaited hit with 2014's John Wick, but before that he was stuck in a long dry spell since the first Matrix film in 1999. Some people would say there was no excuse for The Day the Earth Stood Still or The Lake House. But what people probably don't know is that in between the first two Matrix movies, Keanu lost a child and his girlfriend, the child's mother, in separate, unrelated tragedies. The fact that the guy was able to drag himself out of bed, let alone show up to a set, is a miracle. So with that in mind, letters that time-travel through a magic mailbox? Sure, Keanu, we're with you, buddy. Also, kind of shines a new light on that Sad Keanu meme, huh? Jerks.
Gary Busey
In 1978, Gary Busey was nominated for an Academy Award. Ten years later, he got in a terrible motorcycle accident, resulting in permanent brain damage. Since then, he's basically made a career out of portraying eccentric supporting characters. Unfortunately, he's also made his way onto reality TV, with a couple Celebrity Apprentice appearances, a stint on Celebrity Rehab, and actually winning Celebrity Big Brother. But most of these gigs seem to be nothing but a sideshow exploiting an obviously troubled guy. At least Hollywood lets him pretend to be someone, instead of pointing at him and saying, "Wow, look how weird he is!" The good news is that Gary seems to know the game, seemingly ramping up his quirkiness to keep himself employable in both markets. But it's hard to not wonder what could have been.