Great question: My friend Marsha and I went round and round with this one. She feels that celebrities with bi-polar disorder have a responsibility to be role models. Even thought I completely see her side, I think it’s wishful thinking.
It’s true that that celebrity endorsements work much better than the stories of ‘real people’ when it comes to getting the word out about bipolar disorder. In one simple statement that she has bipolar two and is getting treatment, Catherine Zeta Jones made it ok for even more people to say they have the illness. But does this means she has to talk about it in the press each time she is in public? In fact, do you think she has a responsibility to talk about it at all?
The Price of Being a Celebtrity with Bipolar Disorder!
Interestingly, celebrity bipolar disorder disclosure comes with a big price, and it’s not stigma. Already being very productive, rich and famous erases much of the stigma anyway- especially when you can live in a PR bubble.
Instead, the price is that the whole world wants the celebrity to become an expert, advocate, guru, magazine cover draw and spokesperson!
It will be interesting to see how Catherine Zeta Jones handles this. By being honest (her psychiatric treatment was outed on the cover of the lovely National Enquirer!) and stopping the gossip directly, she has now walked into the realm of being one of ‘US.’
And people are going to want a big piece of that! I think she will just move on and say no thank you to the spokesperson role. My friend hopes she will come around and see how she can help millions of people around the world tell the truth without fear of stigma!
What do you think?
Julie
She is just as real a person as any and as much entitled to her privacy. It was not her choice to have it known, as far as I understand it.
She does not have a responsibility to anyone regarding her bipolar, in my opninon. Why would being a celebrity change the freedom she has?
If someone “famous” speaks out because (s)he wants to, good for him/her. But there certainly isn’t any obligation either way as far as I am concerned.
What I really think will be interesting to see is; How the media will actually handle it. How and What they will ask her about it if they have an Interview, Will they even ask about it further?. (and how intelligent will those Questions be?)
If this happens respectfully, to see her reaction and response to those questions would be beneficially, as long as we don’t over-analyse it to death!
I certainly don’t think anyone should have to talk about it constantly, there is WAY more to any person than a Disorder. But at the same time I think her statements and message so far has been very positive and helpful, so I hope she does continue to say a little bit more about it just to take it that one step further for people to pay attention and learn!
Time will tell.
I thought about this too when the news broke. Initially I was happy that WE had a potential articulate, well respected spoke person to make the world understand what its like to live with this condition. Then after thinking some more I thought that the best way for her to be an abassador for the condition is by doing what’s she doing and showing the world that those with bipolar do have something to contribute to society. Although the press have been sympathetic so far I would hate for those with the condition to be portrayed as victims to be pitied by others. Remember we are ALL bipolar abassadors and should concentrate on educating those around us by being the best we can be.
By the way Julie, great blog. Keep up the good work
Angela (London, England)
It helped me have more courage to “out” my own version of depression (not bipolar) when I saw that she was suffering from it. It impacted me alot, also, when Ashley Judd was in treatment for depression. These are two actresses whom I’ve admired before I knew this depression about them.
It gave me more understanding that we’re really not alone, being stricken with depression is not as bad as I’ve made it seem and it’s not something to be ashamed of, embarassed about and kept secret.
I meant to add that I am Dutch (yup, straight forward, right in your face kinda type) and that “famous” Dutch people are mostly soccer players? I think? See, here their influence isn’t as great as in the States.
I also meant to add what Angela so eloquenty did: we are all ambassadors. Don’t I know it… there is no one else who is going to educate, inform, teach those around me about Bipolar apart from me. ANd sometimes it sorta back fires too. Painful and sad.
So, everyone out there: keep on keeping on!! Lets encourage one another 🙂
I would love the privacy of famous people’s personal issues to be respected. She deserves her privacy, and it seems so far she has gotten it to a degree. If ‘the people need to know’ shows up straight in her face, though, how she responds will educate and inform. I personally hope the people don’t need to know from HER, but just need to know about the disorder.