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Zoe Malliaros

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The Headlines That Shouldn't Be

Posted: 09/30/2012 12:05 am

Turn on the radio, log onto Twitter or Facebook, or head to your Internet homepage, and you're bound to hear or see headlines pertaining to a leaked celebrity sex tape. When approached by reporters and paparazzi, the "victimized" celebrity is oftentimes (most of the time) gleaming and ready to answer just about any question related to the scandal that should bring them shame, but instead brings them more fame. I hope I'm not the only one that thinks so, but this is disgusting. How could somebody be so proud of private footage that should remain private? The tabloids love it, the newspapers are printing stories all about it, and now, even popular news sites are all over stories like this. Nowadays, sex tapes are serving as status-boosters among celebrities instead of being a shameful burden they must carry for the rest of their lives and careers.

Let's take, for example, Kim Kardashian. I know, I know. You're probably sitting here rolling your eyes and thinking, "I hear that name enough." The once-unknown celebrity skyrocketed to fame after her sex tape with famous rapper, Ray J., was hacked into and leaked online. Some may defend Kardashian and say that she was famous for being the daughter of Robert Kardashian, friend and defense attorney of O.J. Simpson, prior to the tape being leaked. So what if people knew her father? It's undeniable that Kardashian rose to fame because of this despicable scandal. Now she has countless million-dollar endorsements, clothing lines, fragrances and boutiques across the country. All because of a sex tape. And when this scandal is brought up directly to her or to one of her family members, they act like it was some kind of tragic accident -- an important life lesson that she's built her foundation on. Kim Kardashian made a choice, and that tape was far from a mistake or accident. But here's the catch: Why is this kind of news delivered so casually? Shouldn't it be shocking that a famous person would record such an intimate act and release it "accidentally" for all the world to see? I just can't seem to grasp why a scandal like this should be taken so lightly. It's sad that Americans have become accustomed to grotesque and pornographic headlines much like the ones Kim Kardashian's name appeared and still do appear in.

Another celebrity who has recently been in the limelight for admitting to having two sex tapes surfacing is Mr. Kanye West, who is also coincidentally Kim Kardashian's beau. How about that for a couple. Anyhow, Kanye West confidently admitted just last week to having two sex tapes floating around. The tapes are old and don't involve Ms. Kardashian, says West, but I wouldn't have been surprised if they did -- what a publicity stunt that could've been. The horror of this story is the fact that he openly and confidently admitted to these tapes. We all know that he's an arrogant guy, but seriously, where is the shame!? It's as if he's accepting an award, and so proud of his achievements. The lack of apology and shame in celebrities with sex tapes is shocking to me. Maybe it's because I was raised with morals and values, but it seems like common sense to be ashamed of something that explicit and dirty. There are no morals in this story, but the point is that Kanye West takes pride in his smut, much like his girlfriend Kim Kardashian, which is simply outrageous to me.

The surfacing of sex tapes among people in Hollywood has become so common that some tapes are leaked as a marketing strategy to advance or establish fame. It's sad that the media has let this become such a widespread issue, and has accepted it as just another headline to print. As a result, many Americans and average Joes reading tabloids think nothing of sex tapes and view them as just another day in the life of a celebrity. If not already, people will start to follow in the footsteps of these shameless celebrities and run into many problems, starting and ending with a lack of self-respect. The exploitation of sex for a publicity stunt may seem casual and ordinary because of people like Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, but don't be fooled -- it is anything but glamorous and rewarding.

 
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Parade Keegan
I Can Hear You
08:25 AM on 10/05/2012
Released sex tapes aren't shocking and their release targets a specific demographic successfully IMO.
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06:38 PM on 10/01/2012
Are you saying there is something wrong with a married couple sexting or recording their sexual escapades for personal use and without shame? How about loving couples? Everyone having a camera with which to record is a fairly new phenomenon and that practice is quite common as much as you want to make it something only "those" celebs do with your accusatory finger and wrinkled nose. People like ogling celebs. People also like sex. People have cameras. Is it a mathematical stretch to you that more people today would therefore record their encounters and that sometimes those will end up in the wrong hands while a small subset will purposely use it for notoriety? Being a prude should not absolve you from rational thought. Nothing dirty about sex ma'am but even if you are repulsed by it, not everyone who does not abide to your guilt laden opinion is an immoral person.

Also, while it was Kanye's attorney who admitted the existence of two tapes you made it sound as if he was prancing around with glee about it. You also deceivingly omitted the fact that the reason why the tapes are not in distribution is because they have shot across the bow of anyone who would dare release them. Get your facts straight. Your article unfortunately sounds too much like trolling for readers and I am not unhappy that it failed.
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HUFFPOST BLOGGER
Brittany Binowski
Bringing sincerity back since 1988
12:47 PM on 10/01/2012
Yes -- sex tapes and scandals were not received kindly among the people I grew up around. Things like this were to be avoided, kept quiet or learned from.

Celebs live in a far, far different world than the rest of us down here do. Sometimes I have to wonder, where are their values and self-respect?
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iLdoRight
Encouraging The Rightest Rightness
10:00 AM on 10/01/2012
Some say, "All is fair in love and war", but is that REALLY true? I believe people who are trying to think in fair and morally upright ways realize that what ALL could include is not necessarily FAIR. There is a war going on for the hearts and minds of the youth and for the money they can get control of. To the youth I would say, protect yourself, be the master of your own direction, find out what is worth doing with your life and try not to get sidetracked into situations that will cause you to not succeed in being a person you like and respect.
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jf12
Esta vez saldré como las otras y me escaparé.
03:48 PM on 09/30/2012
Good sentiments but wrong facts. The Kardashian family was running on fumes and marketed her sex tape to make millions.
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iLdoRight
Encouraging The Rightest Rightness
03:10 PM on 09/30/2012
The decaying moral values of our capitalism in action.