Out Like Flynn
I read an interesting article on Errol Flynn in The Australian last weekend. You can find it here. The article explores how Flynn’s exceptinal acting skills and rebellious attitude contributed to his allure and success. It says…
“By his mid-40s his personal life had become a disaster. Married three times, he was financially crippled by alimony payments and descended into alcohol and heroin addictions. He suffered poor health due to a heart condition and was hooked on seducing young women. In 1942 he was charged with three counts of statutory rape after having sex with two underage teenage girls in a Hollywood hotel.”
Yet, today he is remembered as a Hollywood legend, albeit a slightly flawed one. I wonder what would have happened if he was a celebrity today?
Given the increased media scrutiny, lucrative business of paparazzi and the publics ability to capture and spread content instantly, would Errol Flynn still have been seen as a “larger than life character” or an alcoholic, drug addicted, chauvinistic, brawling rapist? I doubt he would have remained a public darling for as long as he did.
Or would he have hid in his private mansion on a remote Pacific Island and only come out for movie premiere’s when he had his rent-a-wife and cookie cutter personality on display?
I’m not sure about you but I liked it better when we didn’t know everything about our celebrities and they could still present some personality. When footballers could be men, when our musicians could be rockstars and when our actors could be stars. They got away with a lot more without the threat of it getting into the public eye and having their contracts torn up, fans outraged and parent groups lobbying.
I’m all for celebrities being put under the microscope if they do something which hurts another person, that is not on. I just hope sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll does not get forced out of our celebrities due to modern scrutiny. I don’t want to look back in fifty years and explain to my grandchildren that we did not have any “characters”.
No related posts.
Nice post.
I think 'modern scrutiny' is overrated.
Kobe Bryant. Allegedly raped a 19 year old girl in a Colorado hotel. He's married. Settled out of court. He's the darling of the 2009 Finals.
Charlie Sheen. Despite the drugs, prostitutes and divorces, he's still got his own prime time sitcom.
Robert Downey Jnr. Chris Brown. Alex Rodriguez. Tim Allen. Kate Moss. Doherty. Keith Richards. Russell Brand. Winehouse. Gordon Ramsey. The 12 AFL players that have breached the league's drugs policy.
I think if you're good enough at something, you get a free pass from society to a certain degree. Just stay away from dog fighting and kids and you can pretty much do what you like.
Australia does seem to hold it's celebrities on a tighter leesh though. This whole Andrew Symonds debarcle has really got me bummed out.
The general public (us) seem to have 2 contradictory impulses. We want mystic & glamour yet we also want to see behind that mystery. We are like kids who sneak downstairs on Christmas morning to unwrap our presents and then cry because we've ruined the surprise for ourselves.
I worry less about celebrities in general because there is the inevitable cycle you go thru: initial interest, massive hype, scandal, condemnation, rehabilitation. Provided you say sorry on Oprah, everything is OK. Flynn would probably have appeared on Oprah a lot – until he gets himself banned for pinching her arse.
The problem is that the same standards are now being applied to politicians. I do not care who a politician has screwed – I just want them to be vaguely competent (& only slightly corrupt if you please).
@haze Great examples! There's plenty that have been let off the hook and others stupidly punished for things that would have been applauded 50 years ago. eg. Broncos player Joel Clinton fined $50K for taking a woman to his room? Crazy!
@Matt great Christmas analogy. Flynn would have already been sending Oprah filthy text messages by now. As for politicians, what's worse than this? Seeing their wives in the gym.
Seeing their wives in the gym.
I think you've crossed a line there…
Leave your response!
Another Advertising Wanker
Nathan Bush
Interactive Strategist, BCM
Brisbane, Australia
Subscribe
archive
Recent Comments
Wanker tweets...
Most Read
Most Commented
Top Comments & Smart Folk