Look at this ironic photo of Chris Brown with a puppy. We all saw the article by Sasha Pasulka that cluttered our newsfeeds before the Grammys, “I’m not OK with Chris Brown Performing at the Grammys and I’m Not Sure Why You Are.” It brought up questions about why we would help facilitate a thriving music career for a woman beater. But it is even more than that. This idea that Chris Brown can take just two years off after assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna and then be rewarded with not one- but two- performances at the Grammys is extremely twisted.
I see the Grammys angle. In the entertainment world, it is important to stay fresh and exciting. These controversial stories increased awareness about the Grammys right before the show. A scandal makes the public interested: interested in what the reaction is going to be during the show, and interested in how Brown himself is going to handle it.
It’s sad, but it’s true. America loves a good scandal. This is why we’re so entranced by reality shows about bachelors and bachelorettes fighting each other for one person, people stuck living in a house together and the scrapples they get in, etc. It’s good for business, but is it worth it? Is it worth it to send a message to little boys that they’ll be forgiven and can still have a promising career if they get caught beating their girlfriends? Is it worth it to send a message to little girls that it doesn’t matter? To victims of domestic abuse that we are a culture that celebrates woman beaters?
The big question is when does it become unethical to essentially sell scandal for money. It’s true that it worked for them. This year, the most people tuned into the show since 1984. It was also the highest rated show in about 30 years. Now, there were other factors in this case: the audience was interested in seeing Adele perform after her surgery and how they would handle the recent passing of Whitney Houston, but regardless, the intent was the same.
I’m not usually one to bash the entertainment industry for exploiting someone’s pain for their own benefit, but, seriously? I think the world could do without Chris Brown for a little while longer—even with his fantastic dance moves.
Photo Credit: http://www.picgifs.com/celebrities/chris-brown/