A remark from an odd source–
OK, so it’s a cartoon.
However…throughout the 18th, 19th & at least 2 decades of the 20th Centuries, Americans in general held this view of Actors, Actresses & “Show People”. Or worse.
And the entertainment industry is famous for drugs, very promiscous sex, marriage-of-the-week situations, & much odder things.
Angelina Jolie alone…!
So, is there some truth to this view?
There is both some truth and some mass psychology that play into this. Only certain kinds of people get to be Hollywood stars. They need to have some obsessive qualities, they need to be able to do intense work while appearing to make it look easy day after day, and they have to really want to forgo what most would consider a “normal” life with a normal working life and family to be in the public spotlight all of the time. The population of people that truly want that is already odd and the reality of it can make those that get it more than a little nutty.
The second part is that there are a number of people that make it to that level but the media focuses on only the most outlandish. Count the number of stories about Tom Cruise versus say Tom Hanks for example or Jennifer Anistan versus Natalie Portman. The decent ones get passing coverage and the nutty ones get constant press. That leads to the illusion that most stars are crazy, self-centered and dysfunctional.
There may be some truth to that but it doesn’t always apply. People that constantly seek attention and the spotlight don’t tend to do well in relationships like marriages especially when the spouse is doing the exact same thing.
While it’s true that things go at a faster pace and an exaggerated style in showbiz, it’s not always that way. Yes, often people get married 6 months or less after meeting each other, but the only reason that doesn’t happen more often in “average life” is that…well, Hollywood people don’t have to worry as much about how much a wedding (and a divorce) costs. When you have that much money, you don’t have to put as much thought into stuff. Sad, but true.
But as Shagnasty says, there are plenty of people in Hollywood who are stable, down-to-earth types. You hear about them when they do interviews to promote their latest project, and then they disppear off the map. William H. Macy is a good example, as are Will Farrell and Tom Hanks. They get no media coverage as far as their private life goes, because they basically live by the same moral code as the rest of us.
Hmmm…any other with input?
I think showbiz and politics are both industries that tend to self-select for the most ego-driven, obsessive, and narcissistic. Not that it’s always the case, but it certainly helps you succeed in either arena.