I know I asked this question over Twitter last night, but it actually does bug me a bit, so I figured I’d mention it here for good measure:
Why is it that Michael Phelps lost endorsements and has to go on national TV this weekend in order to defend himself for smoking weed at a party but Chris Brown’s album sales have stayed the same and he’s the one who voluntarily dropped out of the Kids’ Choice Awards, even though he beat the crap out of a woman? I think that he was only put on suspension for one of his endorsement deals. I didn’t see Phelps forcing anyone else to smoke up nor did I see him shooting needles into his veins or snorting coke off anyone’s ass. I did, however, see the photo of a bruised and battered woman. But I guess she asked for it, right? So he’s off the hook?
…Right?
Oooohhh, I’m getting in Vagina Monologues mode again. I was out of commission all day yesterday because I was sick and had no energy to get out of bed. I have a ton of stuff to do today since I’m going back to New York tomorrow to see Lauren Graham Lorelei Gilmore in “Guys and Dolls” on Broadway with my sisters.
Interesting note.
I think it’s because Phelps was an American icon, Chris Brown was just another shitty pop singer who doesn’t write songs or play an instrument.
Personally, I think Chris Brown should get fist fucked with a baseball bat for what he did. More importantly, Rhianna should also take a turn with the baseball bat if she’s dumb enough to go back to him.
That’s the more important issue I think.
Well you’re talking album sales vs. endorsement deals. Obviously what he did was bad but apparently the public don’t care and still enjoy whatever music it is he sings. Now if he was, let’s say a Wheaties hero, they might have pulled those boxes from the shelves. Maybe not if he were the spokesman for Honey Smacks. Oh…that was a bad joke.
Anyway, beating women is so much more wrong than smoking weed, and I do hope he gets what’s coming to him. It seems that hip hop listeners don’t care as much about their singers or their morals. R. Kelly is into teenagers and I’m not sure if that affected his album sales.
That’s the way it always works, not only with famous people. I read all the time about how men beat their girlfriends and get a slap on the wrist. It is absolutely ridiculous. Something should really be done about it.
It´s because the world is fucked up.
there’s so much negative attention given to athletes these days…and music stars have multi-billion dollar PR machines. Still sucks.
The excuse you’ll here from people is “his music has nothing to do with his personal life.” OK…his music sucks anyway
There is never an excuse for a man to hit a woman. Ever. I don’t give a damn what she did…
I think his record sales have not changed because usually when the album first drops is when they make the most sales and have it totaled up. With the availablity of downloading most of it from the web, his sales number probabaly won’t change if they are old. Not defending CB by any means but just my thoughts on his sale numbers. If he beat her the way they say he did, if the pics are truly of her (cause you know how people love to make money and have their 5 mins of fame with photoshopped images), if all of that transpired then he deserves to be charged and sentenced appropriately. The public “decides” who to stand behind and who to condemn whenever celebrities are faced with the various everyday issues that non celebrities are faced with. They are no more diffent that us regulars besides they have more money and status but they f@#$ up just like anyone else. It all depends on how long and how much is put in the news for us to focus on. After awhile all they hype dies down, they go back to their moneymaking and we move on to the next “tragic story”. Just my thoughts – don’t beat me with a wet noodle!!!! Love ya Coll!!!!
Ya girl
Bee
Upstate NY
I think what Robin said really is the bottom line difference. It’s not an apples to apples comparison. Phelps’ “service” is swimming, where as CB’s has an actual physical product his music. What you have to compare are endorsement deals. CB has endorsements with Wrigley’s Gum and California Milk etc etc (Got Milk ads). The current outrage / controversy is that Viacom didn’t remove CB from their Kids Choice Ballots themselves (but then again I’m sure they love the publicity hoping to spike the ratings, there is so such thing as bad publicity). Also People believed that as an Olympian Phelps had to represent America, that is his image. CB’s image only represents himself. Not that I condone CB’s actions or America’s actions, I mean common I think Phelps should get BETTER sponsorships just target a different demographic (I’m mean who is REALLY eating at subway at 2am). What Chris Brown did is unbelievable and he deserves everything that he gets coming to him.
BTW yes Chris Brown did lose his endorsements, where as I don’t think Phelps lost all of his.
Aww, isn’t this sweet? They’re singing together again. Blech.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/03/12/chris.brown.rihanna.duet/index.html
Well, I think the biggest difference is that the poor weed didn’t do anything wrong. Mike Phelps tore it out of the ground, lit it on fire and then inhaled it, and for what? His own momentary satisfaction? That’s just fucking cruel.
Meanwhile, I’m fairly certain I’ve read the Rhianna burned Chris’ dinner. And that shit just ain’t right. My man needs to curb that behavior now or else he’ll be getting burned steaks the rest of his life.
So, really, the difference isn’t a material thing vs. endorsements. It’s cruel and unusual vegetable treatment vs. a bitch that had it coming to her. And that’s why Phelps is getting the shaft here. And deservedly so.
I just happened to see this article where they surveyed teens about the incident. 46% said Rihanna was responsible for what happened!! 52% think the media are treating Chris Brown unfairly.
Sadly I think a lot of younger people have this point of view. I was speaking to a friend (who just turned 21) and telling her how bad the police statement was, and she told me it was ‘exaggerated’ and most of it probably made up (ie Rihanna made up what she told the police). She said it probably wasn’t that bad if she has gone back to him.
If this is the view of many of his fans who fall into this younger age bracket, then I’m not surprised there hasn’t been a huge backlash from the fans.
America should copy the slogan we had for a domestic abuse campaign: Violence against women. Australia says NO.
Article: http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/031209_Rihanna_was_responsible