Ryan Herring English 1103 Ms.

Caruso 21 October 2012 Reactions to Celebrity Deaths and How They Have Changed The impact that celebrities have on the lives of the public is astonishing. For better or worse, the frame and weight of celebrities have an impact on the public. Fixating on every detail and storyline, the public has adapted what is seemingly an addiction to the life of a celebrity in an era of the 24 hour news cycle. Observing this, With this emerging, when the passing of a superstar occurs, especially prematurely, the reactions of the public are intriguing and everchanging. Throughout the history of Pop-culture many noted celebrity deaths have brought great controversy, grief, and limelight to the world. How people cope, handle, and react to these deaths has changed drastically considerably over time with the increased media and internet exposure. Reflecting back to the deaths of famous individuals like Elvis Presley and John F. Kennedy, where T.V. and internet werent as prevalent in the lives of the public, we can see how reactions have changed from then up until recent celebrity deaths such as Michael Jackson and Heath Ledger. Reactions can also vary depending on the way that a celebrity deceased passed away. Apparent suicides, like that of Kurt Cobains captivate the publics attention and cause them to wonder why and how someone would commit such a morbid act. Also, these premature passings deaths often result in profit made through the sale of their products after their time of death.

Comment [R1]: 5 Aspects of Revision: 1)syntax and how sentences are structured 2) diction and what words will work best (attempt to get rid of obvious repetition) 3)Simple mistakes- make paper clear and finalized 4) FLOW. Restructuring paragraphs and ideas. 5)Good introduction and conclusions throughout the paper

Comment [R2]: Syntax.

Comment [R3]: Syntax in order to better illustrate what Im trying to get across: how media impacts the reaction.

Comment [R4]: Diction. Drastically seemed over-dramatic and unnecessary.

As patrons and consumers, Americans are privileged to the luxury of prime access into the lives of celebrities. From movies to the stage, and everywhere else media coverage goes, the public has an eye on nearly everything a celebrity says or does. Given this level of attention, the public allows these people, even if it is subconsciously, to become a part of their lives and make a significant impact. Referring to the death of animal specialist Steve Irwin, one journalist described this relationship with the statement We invite them into our living rooms and we get used to them "being there" at a particular time each week (McHugh). This is ever true when people listen to their favorite artist or watch their favorite movie starring their favorite actor. Noting these observations, a generality or assumption can be made about the reaction to a death in one of the figures. Extreme grief and reaction over the death of celebrities has been evident over the course of time when looking at many examples. Some early examples that date back to the 1950s and 1960s include the deaths of Elvis Presley, John F. Kennedy, and Mohandas Gandhi. Elvis Presleys influence on rock n roll as a genre had a huge impact on pop-culture during the 1950s. His popular music was played all over the radio and many people became fans of the rock icon and idolized him. Gandhi and John F. Kennedy were politicians in the 1960s. Being great speakers and role models helped shape their popular image with the public. Having the effect these famous people did, there were waves of attention brought to the forefront when they died. Elvis Presleys drug overdose was one of the first to plague musicians with the stereotype of being drug addicts. News of his death was spread through the use of newspaper and radio waves. In the months and years following Elvis death, there were rumors spread of sightings of the rock star. These rumors and folk stories are a way that the public has filled the void in their lives left by his death. One article states I like to imagine Elvis living in disguise in
Comment [R6]: I took this part of my paper out because this paragraph is talking about Elvis Presley prominently. Formatted: Indent: First line: 0" Comment [R5]: I was going to make changes here, however I like the repetition that drives home my point. I have heard many varying opinions from people who have edited this paper. What do you think?

some tropical paradise, just another random old dude in polyester slacks, shuffling down the sidewalk in Honolulu with a cane in his hand and a happy smile on his face(Erika). While this seems comical, it has been a common reaction for die-hard fans, and seems to be in attempt to not let go and accept death in celebrities. In regards to deaths of politicians Gandhi and Kennedy, their deaths were met by huge reaction. The influence that these two politicians had on their respective communities was positive. Gandhi, a peacemaker from India, had an outlook on life that identified with many people. He was a light shed over a dark time, where violence seemed to be the only answer in his homeland. His policy of nonaggression and pacifism was one that he was revered for. In the wake of his passing, many ceremonies were held honoring his death. John F. Kennedy was a good-looking and kind-hearted man. His young age made him appealing to potential voters in the election. Immediately following the start of his candidacy, the people of the United States took a fondness to him. He was an excellent public speaker and quickly won over the hearts of the people. One reason Kennedy was so well-regarded is because of his use of the television. President Kennedy helped to significantly enlarge the role of television as a news medium (John F. Kennedy and the Press). Before this, word had traveled by way of newspaper. However, even when considering this progression, the way news was distributed in that time compared to modern times, it is apparent how much faster it can travel. This is apparent when viewing the days following Kennedys assassination. News that the President had been shot spread like wildfire throughout the nation through avenue of the media. Not only were newspapers instantly pressed, but since the implementation of the television as a news source, the news was able to be passed much more quickly. This advancement in technology allowed the public to closely relate to the situation since they were seeing it with
Comment [R8]: Began new paragraph to separate ideas about JFK and Ghandi. Comment [R7]: Began a new paragraph in order to separate my ideas about elvis and JFK.

their own eyes. This would change forever the way the public associated themselves with people of importance. The result of this advancement in technology is a much bigger impact on society when a celebrity passes away. With the progression of technology continuously advancing throughout the world, eventually we would stumble upon an invention so gargantuan that the idea was barely fallible; the internet. The internet is a free source of constant media, communication, and entertainment. It would provide a permanent way in which everyday people could keep track of the life or death of any celebrity. The Internet allows us to indulge in a new vice, recreational grief, a somewhat ghoulish sport in which the body and reputation of a dead celebrity become the sacrament of a tribal ritual intended to reinforce solidarity(Harris). This quote stresses how internet is abused by those who grieve, drastically, over celebrities who have died. The internet is an example of how the overall reactions of the public have changed over time. With the invention of the internet comes the blog. These blogs give people, who have zero no relation to the famous deceased person, a way to post a eulogy or some sort of remembrance about a celebrity. In the days, weeks, and even months following the death of famous singer and dancer Michael Jackson, many of his fans from all around the world logged onto the World Wide Web and posted words of commemoration about him, his life, and the legacy he left behind. June 25 th was a day that the whole world cried (Michael). This line from a fan posted eulogy speaks volumes about how the public can be affected by the death of a celebrity. This fan had never met Michael Jackson before and felt so strongly enough to post this deeply thought out account of their feelings. In a similar example, this movie enthusiast, though not admittedly a huge fan of actor Heath Ledger had this to say about the tragedy of his death during the recording of the movie The Dark Knight: I found out after a frustratingly long day, and the news that we had lost
Comment [R13]: New paragraph: working on the flow of the paper and organizing ideas. This paragraph talks about examples of how blogs affect reaction. Comment [R12]: Informal wording Comment [R11]: Not referring to as a quote gives the information more meaning and relation to the topic of my paper. Comment [R9]: This addition helps to shed light onto how media and the advancement of technology impacted the reaction to JFKs death. Comment [R10]: This introduction provides a more smooth transition into the use of internet.

someone so young and with so much potential caught me completely off guard, even though I can't claim to be a huge fan. Nonetheless, I've been eagerly anticipating The Dark Knight just like everyone else (Sanford). This directly provides evidence that the public is influenced by the death of a celebrity. Even in this case, where the spectator isnt a fan of the deceased actor, their attention is seized due to his death and he states that he intends to watch the movie anyways. This relationship between famous celebrity deaths and the products they deliver has great significance in the overall impact on the public. Often times, people who are grieving over a celebrity Increased merchandise sales have been an emerging trend after the death of a celebrity. This can be attributed to the availability to the public of, still have available the part of them the celebrity that they loved; music, movies, and impactful actions. This has been exemplified by the album and merchandise sales of many musicians who have passed on. Recalling the previously stated sudden death of Michael Jackson, it is astounding how much his album sales have increased since his death. Since his death, Jackson has sold approximately 9 million albums in the United States (How Michael Jackson Made $1 Billion since His Death). Also, following Heath Ledgers death the release of The Dark Knight resulted in astonishing numbers. During The Dark Knights opening weekend in 2008, it earned $191,001,389 (The Dark Knight Film Released in 2008). These and many other celebrities have grossed large sums of money after their deaths. Kurt Cobain, who was the lead singer of the band Nirvana before the tragedy of his suicide also made a wealthy profit. His death, unlike some of the others mentioned, was very interesting to the public because of the suicide aspect and it caused many people to read into his lyrics. Another key example of tragedy striking through the loss of a huge figure in pop culture was the death musician and songwriter, Kurt Cobain. Kurt Cobain was the lead singer of
Comment [R15]: This intro sentence enhances the flow of my paper; one of the areas I was working on. Comment [R14]: Just an awkward sentenceI really wanted to go through and get rid of these, in hopes that my paper would become more

a 90s grunge rock band; a genre that already had a history of being an angst-filled and depressed style of music. His songs were filled with confusing and melancholy lyrics that one could easily attempt to relate to his death. For instance, in the song Come as you are, the lyrics read And I swear that I dont have a gun (Nirvana). Over the years, Cobain was known as a loner and an outsider, but when he committed suicide in his Seattle home in 1994, no one could have honestly predicted it. His suicide caused massive waves of attention in the media and may be one of the biggest examples of influence that a celebrities death can have on the public. Through viewing observing the examples of many celebrities whose lives have been lost, it is apparent how considerably they have impacted and changed altered the lives of the public. It is clear how the internet and other sources of media have transformed how the public can react and readily see the deaths of celebrities and the devastation instigated by them. Also, it is visible the trend between a celebrities death and the sale of their merchandise and products. This leads to the determination that the public are openly intrigued by this facet of human life being cut so short. This also illustrates demonstrates how much of a consumer society we live in, and that the reactions will remain extreme as long as the celebs produce what we want. The celebrity is someone the people can idolize and look up to. Their mysterious personal lives, interesting characters, and fascinating work will always be an interest to the public, especially in the case of untimely death and the aid of continuously available media.h. Works Cited Anonymous. How Michael Jackson Made $1 Billion Since His Death. Billboard. Billboard, 21 June. 2010. Web. 2 Nov. 2012. Erika. Is Elvis Presley Still Alive? Freakyphenomena. Neongecko inc. 21 July. 2010. 22 Oct. 2012.
Comment [R16]: Tying back to technology and media effecting the public. Formatted: Font: Not Bold

Harris, Danniel. Celebrity Deaths. Yellow Springs: Antioch Review, Inc, Fall2011, Vol. 69 Issue 4, p884-892, 9p John F. Kennedy and the Press. Jfklibrary. n.p. n.d. web. Michael. My Eulogy For Michael Jackson. Michaeljackson. 2012 MJJ Music, n.d. 24 Oct. 2012. Nirvana. "Come as you are." Nevermind. Geffen, 1991. Audiocassette. The Dark Knight Film Released in 2008. Zap2it. Tribune Media Services inc, 2012. Web. 5 Nov. 2012. Tom Sanford. Cc2k. 2011 CC2k, 22 Jan, 2008. Web. 24 Oct. 2008.