Fame’s Albatross

Have you ever
noticed
the price
that is paid
by celebrities?
The fact that
fame
devours
their anonymity
to the extent that
we not only get to enjoy
their
brilliance
and artistic integrity on
the screen,
and in the public eye,
but that their
private lives
become a
continuation
of the performance.
Their romances,
their heartbreak,
their lazy make-up days,
their intimate conversations
with their loved ones.

I recall
riding the
skytrain
one night
when a random man
took a random
picture
of a random woman.
She freaked out!
She called security.
They stopped the train
and the cops came.
Apparently,
we have the right
not
to be in other
peoples’ pictures.
So what about

the
rich & famous?
Chopped liver?
I hate to point out the obvious
but it seems
excruciatingly unfair
that popularity
gives you a
one way ticket
to the Paparazzi Parade.

Can’t we just
celebrate
their gifts
and be grateful
that they are willing
to undergo
the pains
and challenges
of creating
great art?
Or making

unforgettable
contributions
to our world?
Must we really

know the flavour
of their
toothpaste?

Sally