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"How can we know the
dancer from the dance?" W. B. Yeats, "Among School Children"
Should a celebrity's private
life have any bearing on our judgment of the work for which he/she is celebrated?
Richard Wagner is one example of a public figure whose life has been discussed
with nearly as much passion as his work. This phenomenon is not limited to
artists, of course. Politicians--most notably Bill Clinton, in recent
days--have encountered the same treatment. Pick your favorite celebrity,
or choose one of the following figures: - Bill Clinton
- Mike Tyson
- Robert Downey, Jr.
- Joan Crawford
Search for a few websites dedicated
to each of them, and consider the following questions: - To what extent do the sites
deal with their private lives, as opposed to their lives on the public stage--doing what they're paid to do? Do you find the coverage of their
private lives appropriate? Why or why not? Does it in any way affect their
lives on the public stage?
- What differences are there
between the ways Internet sites cover these figures and the way they are
represented in print, on TV, etc.? Discuss the differences, and the possible
reasons for them.
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