Last week I read an October 2009 interview with Jay-Z in XXL Magazine, and the reporter asked him what did he think was more important, fortune or fame. That question has been running through my mind ever since. I've found that when a lot of celebrities reach a certain level of fame, they realize it's not all its cracked up to be.
Some celebs spend a month's salary on one day's lunch alone.
Paparazzi is following celebs around on trips and getting their camera flashes broken by celebs like Kanye West who just aren't having it. Britney Spears was stalked by paparazzi when they tried to take photos of her in an ambulance. Michael Jackson voiced his displeasure with paparazzi doing things as scandalous as putting cameras under toilets and him having to run from paparazzi all the time. Nine photographers were arrested and charged with manslaughter for the death of Princess Diana because of invasion of privacy and allegedly helping to lead to her Mercedes car crash, although according to Washington Post, the charges were thrown out in 2002. Beyonce and Jay-Z went on a vacation last month in Croatia and were followed around every step of the way until bodyguards pushed the paparazzi away.
Of course the money is surely nice. Some of the artists mentioned above are raking in millions of dollars. According to Forbes, Beyonce raked in $80 million in 2008 even after leaving megagroup Destiny's Child. Jay-Z, who made $82 million in 2008, now has $35 million in 2009, after a $150 million deal with Live Nation, according to a June report with Forbes. Forbes also reported that talk show hosts are making lavish money too: Oprah Winfrey made $275 million last year, Ellen DeGeneres made $35 million and Tyra Banks made $30 million. Other millionaire rappers like Lil' John, 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Outkast, The Game and so forth brought in significant profits.
But with the money comes the fame usually, and that includes lack of privacy, people knowing how much you make, hands out from those who feel like you owe them something and being asked damn near offensive questions like "Who are you screwing?" from someone you don't even know like that (ex. Mos Def's 2002 interview with Jeffery Wright). I don't even think I could fix my mouth to say something so vulgar as a journalist and never have, even after interviewing celebs like Ne-Yo, Heather Headley, Steve Harvey, Ludacris, Brandon Adams, MC Lyte and Trey Songz.
Pondering on Jay-Z's answer in XXL Magazine, I weighed the pros and cons of being rich versus being famous, and I still can't answer the question of whether I'd take the fame or the fortune. Even looking at my own ledger, and trust me when I say I could sure use the millions but would be content with a few thousand, the only thing I can say is I don't want either.
Credit cards make you think you have money you really don't.
I wonder how many people would rather be comfortable instead of rich. I think I fall into that category instead.
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