As the Academy Awards and its long red carpet rolls onto our TV screen this weekend, I already feel bombarded with "news" (if you consider which designer's clothes actors will be wearing to be news) and speculation about who will win by everyone and their celebrity-obsessed brother. I love to watch the Oscars, but sometimes this focus on celebrity drives me crazy. Both the Academy Awards, and it's funkier sister of event television, the Grammy Awards, are preceded by hours of red carpet coverage, interviews and gossip that have little to do with the music, movies or stories behind them
I know I'm going to sound like a fuddy duddy, but when actors exhibit outrageous behavior and inappropriate outfits, I start to wonder what I'll tell my kids about them when they watch these shows. They are too little to stay up late and, besides, they have yet to see a whole movie.
At ages one and three, I know that the day they start to recognize actors and celebrities appearing will come too soon. Will Munchkin aspire to be like them? Will Monkey start talking like them? Will they look up to the hard-partier of their generation? The environmentalist? The rocker? Or will they keep their attention trained on the philanthropist?
Kids become obsessed so quickly with Dora or Thomas today, a myriad of princesses and superheros tomorrow and who knows who it will be in 10 years? Will I be able to at least guide them towards the model turned businesswoman instead of the actor turned burned-out addict? Will I be able to convince them that their grandparents, aunts, uncles--blood-related or otherwise--are better role models? (I know better than to harbor hopes they'll see their parents as role models.)
The other day I was standing at a crosswalk with Monkey and a few people crossed the street against the red light. Monkey wasn't holding my hand, but he stayed with me. I though to myself, "This is the foundation I must lay." By which I mean that by the time Monkey is old enough to choose his role models, he should have learned--from me, from his father--what is the right thing to do. Then I can be confident that, with or without me, he can watch actors, celebrities or his friends cross the street on a red light or light up a cigarette, and still stay on the right side of the decision.
I know I still have time before I have to worry about the kids values being shaped by awards shows and their attendees, so for now, the only Oscar they're going to know about is the grouchy one in their books.
I know I'm going to sound like a fuddy duddy, but when actors exhibit outrageous behavior and inappropriate outfits, I start to wonder what I'll tell my kids about them when they watch these shows. They are too little to stay up late and, besides, they have yet to see a whole movie.
At ages one and three, I know that the day they start to recognize actors and celebrities appearing will come too soon. Will Munchkin aspire to be like them? Will Monkey start talking like them? Will they look up to the hard-partier of their generation? The environmentalist? The rocker? Or will they keep their attention trained on the philanthropist?
Kids become obsessed so quickly with Dora or Thomas today, a myriad of princesses and superheros tomorrow and who knows who it will be in 10 years? Will I be able to at least guide them towards the model turned businesswoman instead of the actor turned burned-out addict? Will I be able to convince them that their grandparents, aunts, uncles--blood-related or otherwise--are better role models? (I know better than to harbor hopes they'll see their parents as role models.)
The other day I was standing at a crosswalk with Monkey and a few people crossed the street against the red light. Monkey wasn't holding my hand, but he stayed with me. I though to myself, "This is the foundation I must lay." By which I mean that by the time Monkey is old enough to choose his role models, he should have learned--from me, from his father--what is the right thing to do. Then I can be confident that, with or without me, he can watch actors, celebrities or his friends cross the street on a red light or light up a cigarette, and still stay on the right side of the decision.
I know I still have time before I have to worry about the kids values being shaped by awards shows and their attendees, so for now, the only Oscar they're going to know about is the grouchy one in their books.
How old were you when you started watching awards shows? When do you think your kids will start watching them? What are your thoughts on what you'll tell them about lifestyles some celebrities lead?
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