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Life Matters  
   
 

Cult of the Celebrity

 

 

I begin writing this column this week, a bit anxious and dismayed. Although there may be a significant number of issues that raise the concern of residents of this city, mine focuses more on our priorities. As a society, and a somewhat informed public, it is sad to note the topics of interest that seem to be grabbing the general attention are far from being worthy of time, let alone front page news.

Today, I would like to discuss the sudden infatuation and fad that has begun surrounding the celebrity. It seems that  the rise of the magazine culture has also given rise to the love of celebrities and celebrity gossip that comes along with them. When we get to hear the daily actions and intimate secrets of a person, we begin to feel that they are a part of us, we may even take it so far as to assume we know that person.

This was never much of an issue in Ethiopia, as many actors that went through the theatre and television, as many popular musical artists as we have had, their status was never taken to the extremes, to the point where their lives would be considered one’s own. This could partly be attributed to the fact that the two main religions, Orthodox Christianity and Islam, for the most part, condemned that sort of thing anyway.

These days, this does not appear to be the case. It seems as though the public is more infatuated with the celebrities in the country rather than with their own daily lives. Though this could be deemed the same form of celebrity infatuation that is seen in most every other part of the world, I suppose it bothers me a bit that it has seeped into such a proud and seemingly impenetrable people, a nation that has never been colonised.

There is no better example than the sensationalism over the recent arrest, and consequent denial of bail, of Tedros Kassahun (Teddy Afro) that has gripped the media and the general public; he has become the topic of conversation among both fans and non-fans alike. The Prosecution alleges that Teddy was driving his BMW at 1:30am in Kebelle 14 of Arada District, when he hit a pedestrian, who was crossing from the right to the left side of the street. Dereje Yibeltal was killed as a result of Teddy not giving him the right of way, this according to the prosecution. The defence, on behalf of Teddy on the other hand, claims that he did not kill anyone and that the dent on the BMW came from a wall he hit because he was driving while drowsy.

However you may want to interpret the allegations and defence stances of the case, it behoves me to think that this is what the media feels to be the most interesting thing to feed to the public, or even more worryingly, that the reading and listening public is so eager to hear it so much. Although the subject may be interesting to mention in passing, like the kind of conversation you use to fill up awkward moments, I am appalled that it is receiving the sort of media coverage that it has been.

Let us, really quickly, take time for a reality check. We are living with a double-digit inflation; life has become so expensive, that many are not able to provide for their families anymore. The political landscape in which Ethiopia currently exists is actually non-existent, outside of a semi-flexible tyranny. Electricity is something that we have to pray for these days, as if it is some miracle from God as opposed to a service that we are paying for. Water is just about as scarce, especially in urban areas, with lakes and rivers disappearing at an alarming rate. Food shortages, as well as their steadily increasing prices have made three meals a day a dream, once again.

With all these issues, not to mention unemployment, gas prices, lack of infrastructure housing, and deforestation; where are our priorities if the front page of every single newspaper in town has a pop star and his arrest as the leading piece? What exactly is the message being sent and received? Have we, as an-information starved public been given the information that we would rather read more and more about one pop celebrity rather than about the more serious endeavours of our nation and people? Or is it that the media thinks that this is what is in the forefront of our brains and therefore that is the thing that is going to grab our attention and push us to buy the paper and for it to sell like hotcakes? Whatever the game that is being played here, I am certainly not pleased with it.

Entire features and analysis is being done on this young man. This is by no means an attempt to take anything away from his achievements at all, on the contrary he should, like all others, be given his due. That is, after all, what the arts and leisure sections and magazines are for. But when serious print media goes so far as to give a traffic case (granted one that turned into a criminal one) this much coverage, especially when the person involved is an entertainer (for crying out loud look up the root of the word Azmari, when you get the chance) when we are living in times of dire straits is inexcusable to me.

Let me blow the archaic horn as I am prone to do, once again, and remind everyone that this is not something that our fathers and their fathers before them would have done. They would not have lined up at the High Courts if Tilahun Gessesse was arrested for something, they may have said something like “deros” but not fanaticized over it, as is the case now. I wish we will all come to our senses, hopefully sooner than later.

 

BY Lulit Amdemariam

 
 
 
   
 
 
 

 

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