What is a role model? That was the topic of discussion the Gorilla heard on the radio this morning. However, there was a lot of controversy regarding the issue. The DJ was taking calls from listeners. Some people said that kids should not look to celebrities or sports figures as their “role models” since so many are basically “lying, corrupt cheaters” (not the Gorilla’s words of course). So here- let’s lay it out there for everyone.
Let’s take, for example, someone like Britney Spears. This example pretty much speaks for itself, does it not? We certainly wouldn’t want to epitomize someone like her, who has had her share of public trauma and drama. Not a good example for our kids…agreed. But what about her little sis, Jamie Lynn then? Many of the younger crowd, who watched her on Nickelodeon turned to her as their role model. She was the younger, more innocent version of her older, now trashier sister; or so we thought. She is currently pregnant at 16, so now what? There goes that role model.
Moving on; if you were a big baseball fan, you probably loved all-time homerun champion, Mark McGwire. Kids hailed him as their “hero” and adults loved him equally. Unfortunately his admission of steroid use caused him shame and humiliation and his fall from grace lost him a place in the coveted baseball Hall of Fame. (Even the Gorilla felt sorry for him in a way.)
So who can we hail as our “hero” or our “role model” these days? Isn’t there anyone we can hold in high esteem and look up to? Tiger Woods perhaps? After all, he is one of the Gorilla’s favorites, and he seems to be a decent person. But like the Gorilla, each and every caller to the radio show had a suggestion and each and every person suggested solicited skepticism from the DJ, who seemed to find something wrong with everyone.
Then the Gorilla got to thinking about the question he asked at the beginning; what is a role model? Then he thought back to his childhood and the answer was easy; it wasn’t anyone “perfect.” We didn’t expect perfection back then. It was anyone who you, a kid, wanted to be like simply because they were totally awesome! They were people like Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente. (He was an all-star baseball player who died tragically going to help the Earthquake-ravaged Nicaragua). There were no performance enhancing drugs back then. Guys weren’t on steroids and frankly, not many people would have cared if they were. There was not the media circus there is now to fan the flames of negativity either. Hey, a kid certainly didn’t care if an NBA star slept with hundreds of girls and bragged about it. All he/she cared about was that they helped win the games. It was about taking the ball from one end of the court to the other and slam-dunking it!
There is something these days called TMI or “too much information” and it’s simply ridiculous. Do we all really need to hear that the guy/gal that we thought was a “heroic” individual smoked pot once, 10 years ago? Listen folks, the point here is that a “role model” doesn’t have to be perfect and hey, nobody is. They should be someone- anyone- that sets a generally good example and inspires us as individuals. It doesn’t even have to be someone famous; in fact, most real-life heroes and role models are teachers, coaches, and yes, even parents. These individuals, while they are certainly not the picture of perfection, are wonderful examples for our kids to look up to and that, my friends, is what a “role model” is all about! (Just don’t get carried away with all the logistics!)
March 31st, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Ah, the subject of role models in entertainment always brings up names like Britney Spears, Lindsey Lohan, and Paris Hilton… I have an 11 year old daughter. I am very much into studying the kids today. What about the likes of Miley Cyrus, Ashley Tisdale, and the Jonas Brothers? These kids actually ARE good role models, but the tabloid press works overtime to find sultry stuff on them, following them all over the place with cameras, and constantly asking them all manner of personal questions. My favorite is “High School Musical” star Ashley Tisdale. She is smart, talented, extremely hard working, and has a great business sense. She is managing her young career like the real pro that she is. She handles the nosey (pun intended) paparazzi very well. Last December she co-hosted an NBC Christmas special with Nick Lachey, and was accused by the press of lip-synching her songs. A month later, she had nose surgery for a (supposed) deviated septum, and was again attacked by the tabloids. But she turned this around to her advantage, striking comparisons with another famous pop star Ashlee who had been accused of the same things. The result was that she got a lot of press, and even the tabloids started to like the young pop star, so most of the press was either neutral or positive. Ashley is a great kid, and we need more like her, IMHO. If my little 11 year old wants to follow in Ashleys’ footsteps, she has my blessing.
Cheers