An open letter to Deepika's fans
...and many such "fan clubs" that manage and run social media accounts for their favorite celeb idols, a virtual temple of sort, a sacred place for online worship, where real humans come to sing gospels and bhajans dedicated to celluloid gods and goddesses - who by the way - are self-admittedly troubled and deeply flawed. Uff - it takes an army guys. The effort is genuine, concrete and tangible - do they get paid? Or just some love extended from the screen to the cinema seats ... lets not go there.
The amount of apotheosis that happens on these digital platforms imbued with such devotion, probably did not happen in all of Ramayana or Gita combined. At least Lord Sri Ram's bhakts are open to soft enquiries on why he banished Sita ji for no fault of hers. But Deepika's fans will not even allow a decent rebuttal. Seriously, I dare you to confront Deepika's "south" fan club on Twitter about her addiction ( there is one club for each country/cardinal direction). The terror infusing fundamentalists might just serve your head on a plate. What a bunch of tools! So much for tolerance.. LOL.
In all this ruckus that's unfolding over the news, there is one and only matter which was raised, that I fully agree with:
If dope test is mandatory for sportsmen and sportswomen , then drug and alcohol tests should be made mandatory for people in showbiz. No contest there. And before the watchdogs of left right centre and diagonally winged party backers jump on me - yes politicians should not be exempt from it either. Happy?
I underwent drug and alcohol test before I was given my employment offer as a part of my company's no tolerance policy. Employees in logistics and transport businesses need to submit alcohol tests every 3-6 MONTHS. There is simply no reason why big brands that advertise directly to consumers shouldn't subject their brand ambassadors to drug and alcohol tests. Many established corporates are already doing this.
Dear Fans, your trademark egotistical smug as fuck defence that has kicked in, in all its glory as expected, needs to stop. Hurling abuses at someone who questions your idol says more about your ability to be ratiocinative. Your abominable display of anguish is misplaced. Be angry - you have every right, you were let down. But also question your own emotional investments - was it worth it? Don't be stupid and throw expletives at those asking the right questions. All of these questions especially around hero-worshipping are valid. Be supportive, don't turn yourselves into fundamentalist monsters, and please - know the difference between the two.
Let me talk about an actor who I deeply admired - one whose loss felt personal - Philip Seymour Hoffman.
When I watched Philip's acting in the feature 'Doubt', for the first time I felt Meryl Streep went fairly unnoticed. Need I say more? He was an actor par excellence. But I will never normalise his heroine addiction. My admiration for him is not conditional upon that because Phillip Seymour Hoffman's heroine addiction can't be overcompensated by his brilliant acting - this argument is stupid. He died by heroine overdose. All you lame and immature "fans" - get this into your heads ASAP. DRUG ABUSE CAN KILL. PHILIP IS DEAD. Same applies to millions of young or old celebs, age notwithstanding, that have lost their lives to substance abuse. Do not normalise substance abuse based on talent and status. It is not OK. it is stupid. Period.
Drug and Alcohol tests are a common mandate issued across numerous corporates. No job seeker is exempt from it. There simply is NO reason for celebs to be exempt from it.
And as for you dear fans - who stand in solidarity - in sickness or in health. Your unwavering spirit is praiseworthy so long as you have enough discretion to give tough love when needed, what's wrong is quite simply wrong, to accept that drug abuse is has nothing to do with talent or humanitarian deeds. Maybe do more with your lives than building virtual temples and synagogues for someone who I highly doubt, even knows of your existence, let alone your first name.
The amount of apotheosis that happens on these digital platforms imbued with such devotion, probably did not happen in all of Ramayana or Gita combined. At least Lord Sri Ram's bhakts are open to soft enquiries on why he banished Sita ji for no fault of hers. But Deepika's fans will not even allow a decent rebuttal. Seriously, I dare you to confront Deepika's "south" fan club on Twitter about her addiction ( there is one club for each country/cardinal direction). The terror infusing fundamentalists might just serve your head on a plate. What a bunch of tools! So much for tolerance.. LOL.
In all this ruckus that's unfolding over the news, there is one and only matter which was raised, that I fully agree with:
If dope test is mandatory for sportsmen and sportswomen , then drug and alcohol tests should be made mandatory for people in showbiz. No contest there. And before the watchdogs of left right centre and diagonally winged party backers jump on me - yes politicians should not be exempt from it either. Happy?
I underwent drug and alcohol test before I was given my employment offer as a part of my company's no tolerance policy. Employees in logistics and transport businesses need to submit alcohol tests every 3-6 MONTHS. There is simply no reason why big brands that advertise directly to consumers shouldn't subject their brand ambassadors to drug and alcohol tests. Many established corporates are already doing this.
Dear Fans, your trademark egotistical smug as fuck defence that has kicked in, in all its glory as expected, needs to stop. Hurling abuses at someone who questions your idol says more about your ability to be ratiocinative. Your abominable display of anguish is misplaced. Be angry - you have every right, you were let down. But also question your own emotional investments - was it worth it? Don't be stupid and throw expletives at those asking the right questions. All of these questions especially around hero-worshipping are valid. Be supportive, don't turn yourselves into fundamentalist monsters, and please - know the difference between the two.
Let me talk about an actor who I deeply admired - one whose loss felt personal - Philip Seymour Hoffman.
When I watched Philip's acting in the feature 'Doubt', for the first time I felt Meryl Streep went fairly unnoticed. Need I say more? He was an actor par excellence. But I will never normalise his heroine addiction. My admiration for him is not conditional upon that because Phillip Seymour Hoffman's heroine addiction can't be overcompensated by his brilliant acting - this argument is stupid. He died by heroine overdose. All you lame and immature "fans" - get this into your heads ASAP. DRUG ABUSE CAN KILL. PHILIP IS DEAD. Same applies to millions of young or old celebs, age notwithstanding, that have lost their lives to substance abuse. Do not normalise substance abuse based on talent and status. It is not OK. it is stupid. Period.
Drug and Alcohol tests are a common mandate issued across numerous corporates. No job seeker is exempt from it. There simply is NO reason for celebs to be exempt from it.
And as for you dear fans - who stand in solidarity - in sickness or in health. Your unwavering spirit is praiseworthy so long as you have enough discretion to give tough love when needed, what's wrong is quite simply wrong, to accept that drug abuse is has nothing to do with talent or humanitarian deeds. Maybe do more with your lives than building virtual temples and synagogues for someone who I highly doubt, even knows of your existence, let alone your first name.
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