The Headlines That Shouldn't Be

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.