To clarify, I am simultaneously referencing at least two (and possibly three) different things with this title: The Unbearable Lightness of Being and Being John Malkovich (also, possibly the Cliffs of Insanity from The Princess Bride).
Now, I'm virtually certain that anyone who happens to stumble upon this blog and has any knowledge of professional basketball and/or pop culture has at least a passing familiarity with the juggernaut of psychosis known as Ron Artest. This is a man who requested a leave of absence (from a professional sports team!) in order to promote his own record label, which, incidentally, bears the truly awful moniker "Tru Warrier." Misspellings do not guarantee coolness, kids. This is also a man who maintains that a kid he knew in Queens is the best baller on the planet, and that "Five Dollar Footlong" and "Free Credit Report Dot Com" are potential hit singles.
But, what's most important at the moment from my perspective is the fact that Ron Artest is about to embark on a new project: a reality show that "will document the ups and downs of Artest's life, allowing him to 'make amends for past transgressions,' according to E1 Entertainment." I'm not sure where this phenomenon originated, but it seems to me that we, as a culture, have never been more interested in famous people apologizing for their actions. Off the top of my head, these are the most pertinent examples: a.) An actor on Grey's Anatomy (I don't know who, because I've never seen the show) checks himself into rehab for making a homophobic remark (I don't think addiction works that way); b.) Tiger Woods evidently gives Nike the go-ahead to produce a commercial in which he is apparently berated by his deceased father for cheating on his wife; c.) Kanye West apologizes for interrupting a schlocky country singer's award acceptance speech (sure, it was rude, but was Taylor Swift about to say anything life-changing?); d.) perhaps most disturbingly, the E! channel actually has a list of the top celebrity apologies.
Artest, it's true, has one major black mark to make amends for, the infamous Palace Brawl. But his (supposed) attempt to do so smacks of insincerity, just like virtually every other instance in recent memory. For whatever reason, a public, heavily-publicized apology remains a popular occurrence, despite the fact that no one ever seems to be satisfied with them. It seems that everyone can recognize the vapidity of such events, but no one seems to let that deter them from seeking more. I can think of a couple of factors that might go into this, but I am still curious as to the real root of the matter. These are the reasons I can think of:
1.) Celebrity apologies feed our militant democratic inclinations. According to a probably legendary story, one Greek tyrant asked another for advice on how to govern. The other man brought him to a field and knocked the heads off of any grain stalks that were much taller than average. I think we have a similar attitude in America: we resent superiority, whether meritorious or otherwise. Thus, seeing a figure of high standing dragged through the mud a little provides us with some cheap schadenfreude.
2.) We are a society obsessed with hypocrisy, anxious to find it in others and deny it in ourselves. Have you ever noticed how many music groups get accused of "selling out"? Or how eager people from all places in society are to denounce a corrupt religious figure or politician? In many ways, I think this is the other side of the "success in life means being yourself" coin. We attach a religious significance to being genuine and following individualistic urges, and we therefore hate artificiality in all forms. Watching people offer insincere apologies offers us the chance to feel morally superior, even when we're not.
3.) It appeals to us in the same way that an accident does. It's horribly uncomfortable, but it's not happening to us, and that makes it valid entertainment. It's a semi-painful form of voyeuristic pleasure, but the knowledge that we're not in any way related to the person expressing contrition, except by the wires and glass of our televisions, makes the pain more bearable and the whole scenario a bit more unreal.
All this being said, I'm probably going to watch at least one episode of Ron-Ron's show. It seems like the American thing to do.
Friday, April 9, 2010
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