A rise in success can have downside 3. Accused wife abuser Don McLean:
Ask Amy Schumer, Madonna, Don McLean
“Every single step of this last year has been a completely new experience and one that is totally outside of my comfort zone. I keep asking myself: ‘How will my life be different?’ I have no idea. In this industry, where things change so quickly, I’ve found that having no expectations is the happiest way to go.”
That’s Brie Larson telling The Hollywood Reporter how it feels to be suddenly famous — after 20 years. The actor has been working since she was a child of six, but thanks to the drama Room, she now has a Golden Globe, an Oscar nomination for best actress and dozens of other award nominations. And a big public profile. Outside her comfort zone? What could be uncomfortable, we hear you asking, about all that success?
Larson knows enough to be wary of the exigencies of fame. What’s coming her way will have a distinct upside and a pronounced downside. And as per that downside, here’s all the fun that goes with being famous as recently experienced by some familiar celebs:
1. Amy Schumer, joke stealer:
Hard working comic Amy Schumer, who achieved liftoff last summer with the success of her movie Trainwreck, is doing her best to weather a public storm over joke stealing.
Schumer was accused of lifting laughs from comics Wendy Liebman, Kathleen Madigan, Tammy Pescatelli and even the late Patrice O’Neal. There’s been a flurry of back and forth on social media and video footage was posted online to illustrate. Comics live in a parallel universe where this sort of accusation is taken very, very seriously.
Schumer has vigorously defended herself. She stated earlier this week on a radio show, “I’ve been accused of stealing jokes. I wanted to come and talk to you about it and clear my name because I would never, ever do that and never have. And I’m literally going to take a polygraph test and put it on my show this season …”
One of the things that may have prompted the accusations, suggested Schumer: “I think people get upset by success.”
Indeed they do — someone else’s, success in particular.
2. Bad mom Madonna:
As if divorce and single parenthood weren’t tough enough, Madonna is also being pilloried as a bad mom in the weird public custody battle with ex-husband Guy Ritchie over their son, Rocco.
The teenager has been living in London with his father and despite being ordered back to New York to spend the Christmas holidays with his mother, he stayed with his dad.
As they tussle over their son and where he will live, Madge has been accused of being too stern a parent.
She has also been criticized for so much more — keeping fans waiting when a recent show was two hours late, accused of performing while tipsy (in Louisville) and slagged for using social media to wear her heart on her sleeve over the custody situation. Madonna has posted this sort of thing:
“It’s possible to be an entertainer and a good mother!!! Too bad we don’t live in a society where many encourage strong independent single working moms!”
Now she’s in the news for recently having called Guy Ritchie ac — on stage in some custody-related rant.
Jolly fun living in the spotlight!
American Pie singer Don McLean was arrested Jan. 18 for domestic violence. Now that the incident is over, the singer gets to underline it by asking his fans for understanding.
McLean claims his lengthy relationship with wife Patrisha is breaking down.
“This last year and especially now have been hard emotional times for my wife, my children and me. What is occurring is the very painful breakdown of an almost 30-year relationship,” he posted Jan. 21.
“Our hearts are broken and we must carry on. There are no winners or losers but I am not a villain.”
Some would argue the villain point. Rolling Stone reports McLean’s wife says this arrest is long overdue and the singer has been abusive over three decades. She has described his scary rages of the past and says she was afraid for her life when she called 911 this week.
Wherever the truth lies, McLean gets to have it all play out in public.
He has made a statement that includes this wish:
“I ask God to give us the strength to find new happiness and I hope people will realize that this will all be resolved but I hope I will not be judged in this frantic media environment.”
Umm, bad news on the doorstep, sir. But — hope away.