J. D. Salinger, John Hughes, Greta Garbo, and Thomas Pynchon. Writer, director, actress, and another writer — but what do they have in common? Simply put, they all are, or were, seekers of intensive privacy even though they live(d) public lives. They all sought to create Art and then chose to retreat back into their own private world to enjoy their lives without the intrusion of cameras or interviewers.


Where are the modern-day J. D. Salingers who imprison themselves within the carceral of the mind and are perfectly happy with the result?  They are happy living alone and without any lonesome publicity from a craven citizenry.

In an age of people like Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag — who came from absolutely nothing talented — and just became famous for being in a string of “reality” television shows that were all about as real as the average film about alien invasion.  The brief glimpses of clips I have seen of the shows involving them have been as far from any reality I have known as possible — where are the struggles with life, or the feelings of genuine emotion to be found? Certainly not on those false television programs.

Today, the average artist does not shun the paparazzi — indeed, some seek to be found by the tireless camera wielding thugs, explaining the rise and explosion of “reality” television programs such as “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” or, even worse, “The Girls Next Door.”

I long for the days — though they seem not to be coming back any time soon — of celebrities who scheduled interviews with magazines in exchange for having their privacy respected.  Instead, we will contend with more and more talentless celebrities and celebrities that want nothing more than for you to have access to every second of every day of their life — whether you are interested or not.

2 Comments

  1. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    These are interesting questions. It seems those who want privacy are mocked for being hermits and reclusives while those who crave the spotlight are celebrated. I suppose it all comes down to money. You can’t sell newspapers and website access and make money off a celebrity who doesn’t want to be found — and so you demonize them and make them strange in public as their private punishment.

  2. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    Gordon Davidescu says:

    Quite right, David. The vultures are having their meat stolen — so mock the supplier! 🙂

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