A couple weeks ago in Dublin I walked by this statue. One of many around Dublin. The statue, it’s context, all very important but what I noticed were two things: people hurrying by and birds crapping on his head.
Pretty much summed up our culture’s affection for celebrity. Mostly, I think, we like to build them up, put them on a pedastal and then see them crapped on. It made me wonder if the original guys – you know it was guys, women would never think of putting up a statue – and most statues are men or very idealized bare breasted women…anyway, the original guys put one up for just this purpose. “See your majesty,” they’d have said, “see how we adore you. This will stand here for all time, for all people to see how amazing you are…” or something like that. And as they walked away with a smirk they thought, long before Triumph the insult dog, “…all the better for the BIRDS TO POOP ON…”
Is that the seret purpose of celebrity in our culture? Is that why we don’t feel disgusted by the ridiculous amounts of money they make? Deep down we know, it’s just a matter of time and *splat* and all that money will be worth it.
