Living in California it has been impossible to escape the news coverage of Schwarzeneggar's separation and baby momma. I have been a fan of Arnold for a long time. As a bodybuilder and movie star, he was great. He's in my favorite movies: Terminator, Predator, Conan the Barbarian. You have to respect his ability to live the "American Dream" and attain fame and fortune as an Austrian immigrant. He embodied the Man's man which you rarely see today. As a big fan, I'm able to separate what I loved about him, from the realities of his political career and personal life.
Yet another of Lance Armstrong's former teammates has come out to say he used performance enhancing drugs. I think it's a matter of time before someone finds the "dirty needle" that brings him down. But, I do respect the inspiration he has been to anyone battling cancer. The Tour de France performances he gave were amazing.
Obviously, you could add Tiger Woods to this list.
I guess what I'm saying is that nobody's perfect. I've long since come to realize that people are people. You can't place anyone on too high of a pedistal. I think it's the hubris I bestow on these figures that takes such a hit when a personal scandal affects them. Maybe the media is desperate for a hero figure. They love to build people up and love even more to see them fall.
I still enjoy the inspiration famous figures have given me, regardless of their faults. The best part of any scandal is that it helps to reinforce the everyday heros in my life. My family and friends are filled with people that inspire me and have not let me down. Famous actors & athletes may get all the press, but I have a group of unheard of personal "celebrities" that truly get my respect. I guess that's why I don't get too worked up about celebrities. They are great to watch perform and can be quite inspriing. But at the end of the day, I have no attachment to them. I save my respect and attachment to friends and family; so if one of them lets me down, that's a scandal and crisis...
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