By AARON HOLMES – Features Writer
America’s celebrities are getting younger and younger. But who’s speaking up for the privacy of these child stars?
Throughout the years, American culture has made a tradition of idolizing pop stars. We devour every shred of information we can forcefully suck from these star’s personal lives via television shows and tabloid magazines. In the past 50 years, though, a specific brand of celebrities has become progressively more and more popular: child stars.
Who could forget the time that the teenage Leonardo DiCaprio hosted the Oscars? Who doesn’t lovingly recall the happy-go-lucky cast of “Saved By The Bell?” Some of America’s most famous people got their start as a child, and young stars such as Michael Jackson and Britney Spears were just the beginning.
Under close inspection, it would seem that child stars are getting more and more famous the younger they are. While twenty years ago it would be considered a miracle for a sixteen-year-old to produce a top selling album, events like this seem commonplace today. This month Willow Smith, the 11-year-old daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pickett Smith released a chart-topping single, Fireball.
Some would argue that the cause of these youngsters’ fame is the product of exploitation by their famous parents. This theory appears to be true: Will Smith’s other child, Jayden, starred in the block-buster film “Karate Kid” (2011) before he could even drive.
But is the children’s fame a result of famous parents, or do they actually posses talent? Is it even possible for a child so young to accomplish anything so famous without the influence of an equally famous adult?
The most recent news in infant-pop culture was the birth of Blue Ivy Carter, the daughter of rapper Jay-Z and singer Beyoncé. The baby, who enjoyed more spotlight prenatally than most do in their lifetime was literally born a superstar. A few days after Blue’s birth, her father released a song entitled Glory that featured Blue’s infantile wails in the background. Before she could even chew food, Blue Ivy was on the Billboard top 40 list.
So, what is it that fuels the American consumption of pre-pubescent prodigies? Furthermore, what does it say about our society that we expect so much out of a mere infant?
Perhaps we should take a break from this pre-teen idol-worship and let these kids grow up without the ever-present watch of the paparazzi. If we don’t, they may never know the one luxury their parents could never buy for them— a life outside the spotlight.
