Fame can be a double-edged sword. We live in a time where celebrity and notoriety are as intertwined as Lindsay Lohan and the criminal justice system. On the one hand, most of the world knows who you are. Then again, most of the world has access to your name, face and actions. College kids who aspire to be the next Dwyane Wade or Wiz Khalifa, keep that in mind as you check out these tales that highlight both the advantages and burdens of celebrity:
How To Save A Life
Philadelphia 76ers point guard Lou Williams will probably never forget Christmas Eve 2011. Williams was driving in the Manayunk neighborhood of Philadelphia that night when a man with a gun stopped him. Luckily for Lou Williams, he is Lou Williams.
“A guy tried to rob me but decided not to because of whatever I do in the community,” said Williams on Philly.com. “He’s a Lou Williams fan so he didn’t rob me.”
This is where being a recognizable face can literally be a lifesaver. Williams found himself in a dangerous situation and was lucky the gunman respected his contributions to the city. He and his attacker were able to come to an understanding that made both parties happy.
“There’s crime everywhere,” Williams explained. “I was debating whether to pull off or help the guy. The gun was already out. He did all the talking and we came up with a solution before I could really say much. I treated him to McDonald’s.”
Fame and philanthropy saved Lou Williams’ life. Good luck finding a better example of the upside of celebrity than this.
Girl With The Drake Tattoo
This can be viewed as either a drawback or a perk of fame, but there will always be an obsessed fan who goes a little overboard in their adulation. Exhibit A: a California woman who got the name “Drake” tattooed in giant block letters on her forehead. The Canadian rapper was flattered but confused.
“I want to meet her and understand what happened,” he told LA radio host Mando Fresko. “That’s cool though, I feel you 100%, that to me is absolutely incredible.”
I’m not so sure Drake should be encouraging this kind of behavior, but that’s his prerogative. Instead, he berated tattoo artist Kevin Campbell for agreeing to humor this woman.
“The guy who tatted is a f*cking as*hole though, I will tell you that," Drake said. "I don't f*ck with that guy. F*ck you to that tat artist by the way. And you should lose your job and should never do tattoos again and I don't f*ck with you. And if I ever see you, I'm a f*ck you up."
Drake may have a point here, but dropping that many F-bombs dilutes the legitimacy of his message. I still find it hard to take a Canadian Jew with a stilted flow seriously as a rapper, let alone a thug. Neither could Campbell apparently.
“The funny thing is, I didn’t know who Drake was,” Campbell told Vice Magazine. “I figured it was her hood or some sh*t, not some goofnugget R&B dude.”
Fame giveth, and fame taketh away.
Photo at http://popcrush.com/drake-tattoo-forehead-artist-speaks-out/
