By Edie Bellingham
The Fate of Fame
Why do all ‘the Greats’ have the earliest demise?
I never once gave a second thought to this question; pop stars often live behind a glamourous facade, and, even in the 21st century, it’s still hard to see through clearly. Maybe these stars just burned so bright, they had to fade out? However, it wasn’t until I recently watched “Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody” (2022), directed by Kasi Lemmons, and “Elvis” (2022), directed by Baz Luhrmann, did I start to think of the commonality among a lot of these idols. A premature death, at the hands of substance and/or alcohol abuse, driven by poor mental health. When I investigated further, I found, according to Ranker…
River Phoenix: death by drug intoxication and overdose.
Heath Ledger: death by accidental toxic combination of prescription drugs.
Janis Joplin: death by heroin overdose.
Elvis Presley: death by combined drug intoxication leading to heart failure.
Whitney Houston: an attributing factor of cocaine use, leading to accidental drowning.
The list goes on: Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Marilyn Monroe. Their deaths were all due to drugs, drinks, or a combination of both. According to Fox 5, CNN also investigated this predicament by conducting an analysis of the Rolling Stone’s ranking of the 100 Greatest Artists of Rock & Roll to find the average age of these artists’ deaths. (“Does the Quest for Fame Lead to an Early Demise?”)
And the findings? 49 years of age, with a death majorly related to liquor and/or drug abuse.
These were deaths that could have been prevented if we took more time into looking into the prospect of bad mental health, and not simply dismiss it as too taboo of a topic.
Putting aside the amazing directorial features, scores, and acting performances found in both of these movies, it was extremely heartbreaking to watch these youthful and lively singers slowly deteriorate over the years, knowing that it was based on the real-life events of both Houston and Presley. The exhaustion just caught up to them and they ultimately succumbed to addiction and its effects on their health.
Psychologists over the years have looked into this self-destructive prophecy that occurs when an artist is at the peak of their fame, and have uncovered that quite a few of them had dysfunctional childhood experiences, rife with misfortune or trauma, and thus their seeking of stardom was a way to move on from their previous life. But oftentimes these harrowing pasts never quite go away; the faced pressure can pave the way for mental disorders, and perilous actions as a way to cope. A form of escapism, if you will.
The high mortality rate of superstars also correlates with the general public’s lack of awareness and compassion towards these artists’ plights, their stresses, their broken hearts, and their lives. Whether it is from toxic family dynamics, failed relationships, or the ever-watching eye of the people and the immense pressure they place on them to perform, their troubles are prevalent, and yet we fail to lend a helping hand.
The fact of the matter is that we don’t dare to look behind the mask that executives and producers place on them to make the lives they lead look perfect because we don’t like to think that the rich and famous, too, suffer from the same problems we do. Money and stardom can lead to a grand and phenomenal lifestyle, yes, but they also can lead to a myriad of other problems, one of which is substance abuse due to its greater accessibility.
Harold Owens, the senior vice president of the Musicians Assistance Program Fund, is very familiar with the journey towards healing and sobriety, and now currently counsels others who face addiction. Whether it be the wealthiest, most talented being, or an ordinary person much like you and me, Owens implies that the struggle is all the same: “You can’t reach an addict when {they’re} not ready.” (Lewis) Although they may be able to afford the greatest treatment facilities, the pressure that comes with the fame — the need to continually perform your greatest — can lead to withdrawal from the necessary mediums to heal for the sake of maintaining face and fostering their career. In other words, they consistently prioritize their brand over their health. After all, those with ‘everything’ has all the more to lose.
But as mental health rates have continually only been on the decline, it is important for us to learn from these addiction-related deaths to help better future generations. To help reduce the stigma that comes with poor mental health, how it is not discriminative and can affect anyone, the factors that can lead to it, and the services available to those in need.
Gone, But Not Forgotten
After my watching of “Elvis” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”, I found myself questioning the whole point of this ‘all-consuming fame’, comprising world tours and sold-out stadiums if it poses the risks of severe exhaustion and death knocking on your doorway. Why do we, as a society, collectively believe that material wealth and our name on the top charts are worth the potential influx in mental illness?
The answer is simple: because, in the end, we all just want to be remembered. To have a legacy that we could pass on.
And although these Greats died much earlier than expected, they and their collective contributions will most certainly not be forgotten.
Heroes come and go, but legends are forever.
— Kobe Bryant