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• Monday, January 29, 2007 08:46 PM

  Public sin public redemption.

  Speaking as a non American I have always been fascinated by the US culture's treatment of public celebrity sinners. I've come to the conclusion it may have a lot to do with the influence of the puritans who founded some of your early colonies. Here in Australia where most of our early settlement was by convicts we have quite a different attitude to public lapses. Here we just snigger at their stupidity for getting caught.

  It seems in the US no matter how gross and obvious a mess I've made of my life, how bad I've acted and how low I've sunk as long as I go and sit on Oprah's couch and talk about how I was abused as a child or fell into drug abuse because of the pressures of my celebrity life I will be redeemed. I imagine we'll be seeing Mel sitting with Oprah or Barbara before long spilling all. "My hating jews grew from the fact that my father was away from home a lot when I was a kid, Oprah I realise now this is wrong, wrong I tell you!" Not only will Mel be redeemed he will get a new role as a spokesperson against antisemitism.

  God I'd love to hear somebody come out and say when Barbara askes them why they took drugs? "Oh Barbara I took them because they made me feel good and I had a lot of fun unfortunatley I went too far because I could afford too."

  The whole checking into rehab seems to be in some way saying that being an idiot/slag/racist/homophobe is somehow the same as being addicted to alcohol or other drugs and just as uncontrollable without professional treatment.

  I'm not saying people shouldn't get a second chance but when its done with a view to save someones bankability as a celebrity please!?

  David Edler

  —David Edler
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