Hollywood DUIs: A Trend as Common as Fendi Bags
Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Lindsay Lohan, Ty Pennington, Shemar Moore, Mel Gibson, Ray Liotta, Tracy Morgan, Eve, Vivica A. Fox, and Lane Garrison from “Prison Break” whose drunk driving caused the death of a teenager. I know that this list of people with fairly recent DUIs is much longer but I think you get the point. A very disturbing trend is overtaking Hollywood as of late. Drunk driving seems to be a must have if you are on the young Hollywood hot list or some other star who makes loads of money. We the people need to start sending a message to the ever popular “stars”. So not cool and totally a trend we don’t want to see become more popular than you’ve already made it. If anyone out there is writing arguments that they are young and stupid, have bad family lives, or are under pressure then please don’t write them anywhere where I can read them. The bag of sympathy is empty here and I don’t want to hear about it.
It seems that all I read about is how Lindsay got arrested and Nicole’s court date was postponed and Paris wasn’t treated fairly. Excuse me? She was driving drunk. Unless of course the media was reporting incorrectly but apparently something was right about the story because she had to serve some jail time. Where are the articles about how disgusting it is that young impressionable minds of the common people are being fed the idea that it’s okay to drive under the influence because celebrities are doing it and getting a whole lot of attention for it. So far Lindsay, Nicole, and Paris are super blessed they haven’t killed anyone. Lane Garrison’s victim wasn’t so fortunate. How “cool” would it be for Lindsay to have plowed into a mini van killing two children? How “hot” would it have been for Paris to have run head on into a semi-truck taking her life and that of the driver? How “hip” would it have been for Nicole to side swipe a truck causing the passenger to be in a wheel chair the rest of their life? Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about. The attention and media frenzy makes me so angry. Quit reporting just the facts big news outlets! Somebody out there start to have a voice and talk about the consequences or lack there of for Hollywood’s elite.
Young Hollywood may feel that it’s just fine to have an arrest record and lose their license. After all they are rolling in the money to pay for their lawyers, their lifestyle, their treatment centers and their driver who can take them anywhere they want to go. For the rest of the non-celebrity DUI offenders they don’t have quite the same luxury. The common people end up with a huge black mark on their record (which should be there) and can’t drive for a year or more or forever (which should happen). Who is going to hire the common folk when they need a job? Who is going to drive them around when they need to go to the doctor, the store, or home for the holidays? Who is going to pay for their savvy lawyers? Certainly not any celebrity out there who has influenced this recent trend. I am quite certain that the common folk won’t have anyone taking hundreds of pictures of them and splashing them across the internet, magazines, and newspapers practically glorifying their crime. They may get a few minutes on “Cops” but that will be a rare case of media endorsement for the average law breaker.
The media needs to quit spewing out just the facts of the DUIs and take some responsibility as a voice and report about how bad this trend is. I am heartbroken for Miss Lohan when I see her mug shot and am saddened that only a short time out of rehab she’s been arrested for another alleged DUI and cocaine possession. We’ve all read about her family troubles and peer drama. I’m very sorry about the hurt she has felt in her life. But I am not sorry that she didn’t plow into my son or my husband or my mother or anyone else in this country. I’m not sorry she got caught and I’m not sorry that she is off the roads for at least now. The DUI popularity trend washing over these young celebrities is disturbing to say the least. Is it just me or does anyone else sense that some of them think they are invincible. Really now, isn’t that rooted in pride? Don’t let your pride wreak havoc in my life or any one else’s for that matter because you think you can do what you want. If anyone is out there who has any power at all, can you ring up young Hollywood for me and say knock it off for Pete’s sake! You, your friends, or someone’s loved one is going to end up dead if you keep up with the DUIs. Put down your alcohol or at least your cotton pickin’ car keys and pick up a Fendi bag. It lasts longer and as far as I know it hasn’t taken any lives lately.
© Copyright 2007 Blindigo Magazine | Article written by Niki Tschirgi
