Attention politicians and famous people: The world is watching you. I was just reading Bob Confer’s column on former Congressman Chris Lee and I agree with Bob. Not only did Chris Lee have potential for helping out New York state, but so did Eliot Spitzer. Both of these promising politicians were lost to stupid decisions. Not only are their careers ruined, but the good work they could have done for millions of people is also gone.
Now look at the case of Tiger Woods. Is it anyone else’s business but Tiger and Elin’s what Tiger does in his private life? No, it really isn’t. But when Elin took a sand wedge to the side of Tiger’s head on Thanksgiving a couple of years ago, Tiger’s career was pretty much altered for good. Tiger’s reputation is shot, his ability to command huge sponsorships is in tatters and his golf game is falling apart. Can he get it back? Maybe. But it will take time.
The indiscretions of leaders and celebrities are not funny. No, not at all. With that in mind, I present this little primer on the pitfalls that celebrities and politicians fall into and how they can be prevented.
First of all, the Internet is everywhere and it is getting bigger. That is how a psycho astronaut wearing diapers and driving a few hundred miles to lay claim to her man winds up on the national news attacking her nemesis in an airport. There are cameras everywhere, and they are all attached to the Internet. So, no, you aren’t going to get away with it in public. Whatever “it” is, we will see you doing it.
Next, e-mails do not magically disappear after they are read. That e-mail outlining your sexual prowess that you sent to the stranger you met on Craigslist last week will still be around a week, month and a year later. What is it with politicians and famous people who send incriminating e-mails from accounts registered to them? Seriously, treat an e-mail like you would a regular letter. Once you write it and put it in the mailbox, it becomes ammunition against you. You can’t hide behind a fake e-mail name and you can’t retract an e-mail.
OK, this one has always baffled me. I need the politicians and famous people to listen very carefully on this one. Stop leaving messages on answering machines and voice mail! What is the matter with you people? How many times does Mel Gibson have to be featured in a drunken and anti-Semitic rant on “Entertainment Tonight” before people stop leaving damaging messages on voicemail and answering machines?
I love it when celebrities and politicians ask the police, “Do you know who I am?” when they get arrested. Yes, you idiot, the police do know who you are. So shut up. One sure way to get your picture plastered all over the news and on the Internet is to pull the “Do you know who I am?” card on the police. Why do you think it took so long for Pee Wee Herman’s career to be ruined? It was because he tried to remain anonymous. Obviously, it didn’t work. But if you try to play the celebrity or politician card when you get pulled over for DWI, then that just sets you up for a feature spot on the front of DMZ.com.
Stop taking embarrassing pictures of yourselves! How does someone decide to get into politics or show business, two very high-profile professions, and not realize that their image will become recognizable? How did Michael Phelps not think that he would get in trouble for a picture of himself smoking a bong? Why did Chris Lee even think it was anything remotely close to a good idea to attach his real name to his predatory shirtless picture?
These days, it is almost impossible to hide indiscretions from the media. As soon as some senator reaches his foot under the stall in the men’s room, it is going to be on the national news. That seemingly nice guy that a politician is trying to buy drugs from is probably an undercover cop with surveillance cameras all around him. You cannot hide anymore.
The solution? If you don’t feel that you can handle being a role model, then don’t be one. If you would rather troll for tail on Craigslist, then don’t get married and don’t become a prominent politician. Save us all the headache of believing in you only to watch you fall. It is getting exhausting keeping up with the human element behind the Internet.
George N. Root III is a Lockport resident. His column appears every Wednesday. He can be reached at georgeroot@verizon.net
George Root
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George N. Root III is a Lockport resident. His column appears every Wednesday. Contact him at georgeroot@verizon.net.
ROOT: The watchful eye of the Internet
- George Root
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ROOT: We should drop out of Electoral College
I find it hard to believe that, in this day and age of the Internet and message texting on every phone, that we are still sticking to the Electoral College and the misguided notion that the people in Congress work for us.
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ROOT: The wheels have started turning
As the bike messenger careened down the middle of the sidewalk, he started to run down women, children and little yip dogs on long leashes. Oh, it was awful. At that moment, DenDekker knew what he had to do. He would force every bicycle bought in New York state to be registered for an initial fee of $25 and then a fee of $5 a year after that.
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ROOT: The watchful eye of the Internet
Attention politicians and famous people: The world is watching you.
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ROOT: The Clint Eastwood Factor
I post a Clint Eastwood quote on my Facebook page every day. Everyone asks me why.
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ROOT: Fine, I’ll give my 2 cents
Maybe the high school needs $6 million more to make it just right. Maybe that $6 million should be spent on athletics. Maybe not.
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ROOT: Tale of the Monkey’s Paw
I made a New Year’s resolution to keep my desk clean. So far, the desk is actually organized and I have the necessary materials to get the rest of it under control. But my office is a mess
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ROOT: Thank you, Tom Golisano?
Will they sell? Won’t they sell? The Buffalo Sabres have been on the market since B. Thomas Golisano first realized that the team was worth more than he paid for it.
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Surely you can't be serious
was all set to write my first of four Christmas column this week, and then it happened. When it happened, I was instantly transported back to the first time I saw the movie “Airplane!”
It was released in 1980, and I was visiting a friend in Seattle. My friend said, “Hey, let’s go see this new airplane movie they have out.” I asked what it was called and he said, “Airplane!” So, I went. I never laughed so hard in my life. Some of the jokes went over my head at first. It wasn’t until I was 10 years older that I understood many of the more adult jokes in the movie. -
The roof! The roof!
They say the best way to get through a project is to picture the results. As I sit here looking at my family room, I can see the new paint on the walls and the new hardwood floor installed. I can see the reflections of the flames from the fireplace kissing the hardwood and making it look awesome. I can see new furniture in the fireplace room and imagine a winter of relaxing comfort.
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ROOT: Home improvement motivation
Most of the things the wife and I want to do to our home require a lot of work. Ripping up rugs, removing old wallpaper, putting up a coat of paint or taking down the lousy crown molding job I did 10 years ago cost little or no money, but they require a lot of effort and, well, there is a football game on television.
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