Child stars and problems

[verte76]

This came up in the Michael Jackson thread. I mentioned that I think there are parallels between the lives of Jacko and Judy Garland. Both were exploited as child stars, and both had absolutely miserable adult lives. I don't think Judy was nearly as out of touch with reality as Jacko is, but she had drinking and drug problems and had four failed marriages. Anyone want to discuss this more?

 

[trevster2k]

I agree totally. The same thing happens to gifted athetes who are treated differently from the time they are aware of their talents. Their lifestyles are abnormal. They don't know who their real friends are, they can't behave like normal kids, tutored on set instead of being in a regular school environment, and then being kicked to the curb and expected to fit into society like everyone else. All the social and coping skills we learn growing up in an average regular environment are missing from their lives and as a result, they have difficult adult lives.

There are many exceptions to this but I think that there is a definite connection. Some pro athletes have the same godlike problem with their behaviour too. I think it comes down to being told how special you are and living a privileged life and suddenly being placed in a normal environment without the past privileges.

 

[the iron horse]

Can you imagine being a seven year old and all the people around you treat you like a god?

Your every wish granted.

You are never denied anything.

 

[trevster2k]

I wonder how Dakota Fanning will turn out.

 

[Liesje]

Gymnastics means more to me than almost anything. This is a reoccuring problem in my sport, since most girls "peak" between 14-18. Right now we're nervous about the next up-and-coming American star, Nastia Liukin. She's pretty much been amazing since she could walk and the kid just started competing as a Senior Elite this season ("senior" refers to age 15+) but there's already so much pressure on her. She fell off bars at her first major international meet. She's already done an Adidas TV commercial ("Impossible is Nothing", aired during the Athens games).

This doesn't have much to do w/ Jacko or Judy Garland, but it's pretty sad how many girls have so much potential, TOO much potential early on and burn out not being able to handle the pressure at such a young age and then say quite hurtful things like "I wish I'd never tried" or "I'd NEVER let my child do this sport." I don't know if anyone even follows gymnastics but maybe you'd remember the name Vanessa Atler. She was amazing as a junior and won the junior nationals. She started off really well as a senior, but had this issue with handling pressure and didn't make the Olympics. Now she's pretty messed up and was never really able to move on. It's sad b/c I watch my tapes of her when she was 15 and 16 and she was so good and looked so happy, and now you hear her say she regrets ever starting gymnastics.

 

[TiaraGurl]

I wonder how Dakota Fanning will turn out.

Her parents are not managing her career which I think is where some of the problems start. Time will tell though. She seems to have her head on straight. Maybe she will take a few years off to be a regular kid, go to college etc.

 

[trevster2k]

Good point, Natalie Portman seems to have turned out alright so far.

 

[Liesje]

Her parents are not managing her career which I think is where some of the problems start.

I agree. She's so adorable (I have a cute cousin who looks JUST like her), I hope she turns out OK!

 

[melon]

You know, we only ever hear about the awful child stars. The well-behaved ones just go into permanent obscurity.

Melon

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Too many people are living through their kids and putting undue pressure on them because of that, and not just people whose kids are stars.

I think some parents aren't happy unless their kids are superachievers, some of them wear that like some sort of badge of honor. But how happy are the kids?

There has to be a happy medium and the kids have to be allowed to be kids and have some sort of normal life.

One child star I can think of whose parents seem to have achieved that is Haley Joel Osment.

So many of the parents are too involved and too money hungry, and can't let go of control of their kids' lives. What about Joe Simpson? Jessica and Ashlee are what, 24 and 19? Not to mention how strange some of his comments about Jessica are

 

[Macfistowannabe]

I grew up loving Macaulay Culkin, especially in Home Alone. He had some other good films, too. I don't know the whole story about how child stars are corrupted, it seems many come from broken homes. I think it's pretty sad how Macaulay Culkin got himself in trouble with drugs, and has been a nobody since the late 1990s. Oddly enough, it seems that the Olsen twins are a good example of fairly well-behaved child stars, but they have maintained their fame for quite a while.