Yes, the death of British songstress Amy Winehouse at age 27 is very tragic, and her addictions no doubt had a part in her demise.
But superstar Lady Gaga brought up an interesting point on "The View" a few days ago. She felt the unrelenting press played a part in Winehouse's destruction. It is true that when we think of Winehouse we think of drugs and alcohol. Through the vicious tabloid reporting, she was known for substance abuse maybe even more than her singing. And that is a real tragedy, because she was a true artist.
I believe there is a double standard when it comes to addiction and the sexes, particularly in the entertainment industry. Take TV actor Charlie Sheen as an example. When a man abuses substances he is rewarded with a national tour and countless TV interviews.
Then there is Lindsay Lohan, a young starlet who has been in and out of rehab for the past few years. She is vilified by the press and public for her excess partying, while Sheen is considered a playboy with "tiger blood."
This prejudice against women celebrity addicts goes way back. Look at singer, dancer, actress and icon Judy Garland, who struggled with an amphetamine addiction that was forced upon her by MGM and her mother from the time she was a teenager. They believed it would give her more energy to get through the long movie making schedule they imposed on her. Then they gave her barbiturates to help her sleep.
This addiction, coupled with alcohol, ruined Ms. Garland's health and led to an early death at the age of 47 in 1969. Although many consider her the entertainer of the century for her superb artistry in many films, recordings and TV shows, what others remember her for is her tragic personal life.
Whitney Houston, singer, actress and owner of the best-selling single by a female artist in music history ("I Will Always Love You") in 1994, had a fall from grace with her drug addiction and rocky marriage to Bobby Brown. Her unhealthy lifestyle change shocked many of her fans.
Maybe it is because both Houston and Garland had such squeaky clean "good girl" images in their careers that the revelations of their struggles with addiction stunned the public. Maybe it is because women are expected as nurturers and mothers to know how to take care of their own health.
Whatever it is, this standard does not apply to the male sex. While recently-departed, beloved actress Elizabeth Taylor had the sense to seek help at the Betty Ford Clinic for an addiction to pain killers and alcohol, her husband, actor Richard Burton did not and was celebrated as a hard drinking Welshman. This line of thinking was also extended to actor Richard Harris, a well-known Irish actor and frequent pub visitor, who to his credit did come clean later in life.
Singer Dean Martin made a career out of drinking and making fun of it. In fact, the whole Rat Pack of the 1960s (Frank Sinatra, Peter Lawford, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop and Martin) glorified the "good life" of partying.
I'm not saying we should start condoning the women stars and justify their substance abuses. I think we should treat addiction for the disease that it is, no matter who gets caught up in it, man or woman, superstar or not. We have to remember that although they are celebrities, they are also human beings, prone to the same mistakes and foibles as the rest of us. In fact, it could be argued that stardom breeds addiction with the fast life, glamour, fame and divorce from reality that it creates.
The media often only reports what they think the public wants to hear. We should not be overly judgmental of women drug abusers and not turn a blind eye to the unacceptable behavior of addicted male celebrities. We need to show understanding and compassion for those that fall into the trap of substance abuse. And we should praise those that seek help and become sober and resurrect their careers, such as Robert Downey Jr., Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Harris and yes, Whitney Houston, who is still in the process of recovery.
Awareness that addiction is a disease and not a character flaw needs to be taught to a gullible public that too often revels in the downfall of those they have unjustly placed on a pedestal.
What is sad is the number of stars that did not get the help and support they needed and passed way too soon: Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and John Belushi.
One thing that is certain is that we should not allow the tragic circumstances of these superstar addicted personalities' lives to diminish the talent and legacy of artistry they left behind, from Judy to Elvis, to Michael, to Amy. We should be thankful for their outstanding musical contributions and hope that their suffering was not in vain. Long may their spirits live.
Marcia Sirota: The Death of Amy Winehouse and the Failure of Rehab
Addiction double standard - The Frederick News-Post Online
He Needs Intervention, She's A Punchline: Amy Winehouse and the ...
You simply don't get the same level of coverage when it comes to male actors, nor do you get such an obssessive focus on their personal relationships.
Anniston seems to cop the worst of it. The generally accepted media narrative is that she's somebody to be pittied because (a) she can't keep a man (b) is desperate for a baby; or (c) can't get over having her husband stolen by another woman.
And when did any male actors hair command the same sort of attention as hers? I simply can't think of any.
Also, when George Clooney declares that he never wants to marry and have kids, he's considered the model playboy/stud bachelor. Its glamourous. But when Cameron Diaz says the same thing, its assumed she's saying that because she can't keep a man and is secretly really desperate.
A lot of it simply goes under the radar, but its definitely there.
Amy was very rarely portrayed by the general media in a positive light.
Addicted people need a place to go to get clean without losing everything they've worked for or created. The laws are not supportive enough. Instead the laws reflect vindictive finger pointing judgemental ignorance which more represents the general media and it's audience.
It's the shameless self indulgent narcissism that people rail against and the media uses that to garner an audience for anyone who makes a spectacle of themselves on drugs/alcohol.
Our media is a vehicle thats changed from Chevy sideboard panel stationwagons and trucks bought by discerning public too thousands of artcars for an audience that has no moral fiber, taste or class.
Certainly, calling our attention to it as you have here, helps.
The examples given of men with substance abuse problems (the Rat Pack?) don't work as examples because Dean Martin's drinking didn't prevent him from getting his job done (unlike Judy Garland).
The Sheen argument doesn't work because Charlie is very much with us and pro-actively seeking a public persona. If his recent escapades had ended tragically, there would be endless discussion of addiction, the dangers of drugs, etc. Lohan spends most of her time clubbing with friends and hiding behind giant sunglasses. If she had interesting and entertaining things to say, she'd be right up there with Sheen on the "must book" list of celebrities for talk shows.
And yes, when Whitney Houston became a mother, she should have taken care of herself and addressed her addictions and other problems. She owed it to her children to be there for them. So did their father. I'm not saying it would have been easy. But it was something she should have done.
Stick to Lohan and Sheen, contemporary eff ups extraordinaire.
But I think the hard-partying image is significantly different now. In both ways. Women can party and fool around without as much public scorn, while male stars who party too much and don't show up on set ready to work aren't given nearly the same kind of leash as the old lads in London.
I don't think Sheen is seen as a hero as much as a punchline. There may be frat boys who dig the Tiger Blood schtick, but I think most grown-ups look at him like a joke.
The other difference between Sheen and Lohan is that Lohan keeps winding up in court for DUIs, probation violations, etc. Sheen's been all over the tabloids in the last year, but he hasn't been in front of a judge as often as Lindsey. He definitely has an arrest record, but he's not back in court every other month pleading to get out of house arrest so he can play a porn star in a movie.
Personally, I think they're both kind of pathetic in their own way. My daughter loves the Parent Trap that Lindsey made when she was this little adorable kid. It's heartbreaking to see where that child star is now.
BUT AN AGENDA - YES............................
...and I'd bet more women follow celebrity "news" than men...
Addiction is an equal opportunity employer and I thank you for shedding needed light on how Amy was hounded in her final 2 years.
I've never thought of Winehouse the way the writer says "we think". I've always thought of her as a beautiful singer and a very gifted songwriter..
I completely agree with the poster above about how she was hounded. She was also made fun of on every late night talk show. Civility has disappeared.
R.I.P., Amy.