Public Humiliation

What more humiliation can a person get? Apparently, more then what a person could think of. Christian Aguilera and Charlie Sheen seem to be getting bombed by the Mass Media regarding their addiction problems and TV trips and falls. Cristina’s and Charlie’s reputation and fame have been getting stumped on by the media in the last month. Cristina’s fame has been fading away slowly but now is targeted by the media for singing a wrong phrase while singing the national anthem for the Super bowl on February 6, 2011. She sang the wrong phrase of the national anthem at the wrong time of the song. It is important for a person will sing the National Anthem, to know by heart the whole song. Any person, under pressure can make a mistake especially in front of a big audience but the media has expanded the controversy and humiliated Christina for a mistake anyone could have made. On top of that, she fell walking back stage after performing at the Grammies on February 13, 2011. It has happened to many artists and actors while being live in front of a huge audience, either because of the kind of shoes they are wearing or simply because they simply trip on something. She has been criticized in the past for gaining so much weight over the past year. Last but not least, on February 28, 2011, she was caught under the influence in her boyfriend’s car, while her boyfriend was driving under the influence as well. She was unable to take herself home, so she was taken into custody by the police until she was able to go home. Any famous celebrity or any average person drinks or gets drunk. It is not wrong to have some fun. At least, she was responsible enough to not drive drunk.

Charlie Sheen, divorced many three times with 4 children is a drug abuser. These drug addictions have drove him to commit unlawful decisions in which he believes he is just being himself, having fun like everybody should without being judged or criticized. His latest show and role have been cancelled due to his addiction and irresponsibility to show up for filming. The hit show Two and a Half men, makes about 2 million per episode which the last four episodes have been cancelled which should have made about a quarter of a million dollars. Charlie pays $110,000 a month for child support and has to deal with the media attacking him about what he thinks; it’s just having fun and being himself. He had a 3 day long party which was stopped when a neighbor called 911. Police gave Sheen two options, either go to jail, or go to the Hospital, in which Charlie picked the Hospital. Now, he is on rehab and is still being attacked by the media for his drug abuse and wild conduct.

The earthquake in Haiti was known all over the world thanks to Mass Media. Haiti is a very poor country, with very low resources due to its lack of money and government help. This earthquake shocked one of the poorest countries in the world and if it wasn't for the media, many countries wouldn't have known that Haiti had gotten struck by an earthquake. Many media sources traveled to Haiti to inform the world about the devastation this country was facing. Many wealthy people found out not too long after the earthquake struck thanks to the media and decided to make donations to Charity's and fund raising's, which helped out the suffering poor people who lost everything January 12, 2010. Presidents from all over the world touched their heart and came together to donate well needed money to Haiti. Media informed the whole world and many celebrities, such as Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Madonna, etc, donated millions of dollars to Haiti. News channels like Univision and others, opened phone lines for viewers to donate money to the Red Cross or texting numbers for cell phone carriers to text and donate the amount of $10 to the Red Cross to help the Haitian community get back on their feet.

   Mass Media impacted this catastrophe in many positive and negative ways. A very negative way that some media insinuated Haiti, and its catastrophe was that they made Haiti look even worse than it was. Something that the Media showed that wasn’t necessary to show, was when some Doctors from Puerto Rico took pictures holding beer bottles while they were at the refugee camps assisting the injured. Mass Media shouldn't have broadcasted this on TV because even though it was wrong, these doctors volunteered their own time to go help people in need. These doctors were there because they wanted to help the country. The media posted pictures and the doctors must have gotten in serious trouble for something that shouldn’t have been so negative. Maybe the doctors needed something to take their stress or tiredness out and a few beers helped to relieve them from all the work. Some media channels such as Fox, have a republican set of mind. There has been a lot of controversy regarding where the money that has been donated has gone. Media channels still show the Haitian community struggling and wondering where at the "millions" of dollars have been spent because they see little change. They show people fighting over water, food and shelter, which makes people(media viewers)feel bad and donate more money to the needed. After a person donates the money, they don’t know where their money ends up, which makes people wonder if media is taking advantage of people or if the government is using this money for other debts or issues they need to solve.