Running to The Media to Gain Sympathy

Amanda (Smtv image)

There is this tendency of public figures that approaches different media houses to ‘tell their different side of the story’ which they claim is the truth.

These days there are two versions of the truth that do more harm than intended. It lives people more confused as to what is really happening.

It has become part of celebville’s culture for artist even the upcoming ones to run to newspapers and reputable magazines to pour their hearts out. The things said is usually petty stuff that could have been easily settled out of public viewing.

I guess most believe no publicity is bad publicity as long as the masses are talking about them. No one cares about having a pure brand and attract followers by being their true-selves. Seeming they rather slide their own names into mud to gain popularity.

I think it is public knowledge that they usually source their own stories. I mean how possible can it be that a ‘friend’  who insists on being anonymous sells their buddy to the press and coincidentally be the one knowing the nitty-gritty stuff that should be known only by the celeb in question?

Relevancy is the daily struggle of talentless celebrity wannabies.  Their stage names are all over gossip columns and blogs.

What they fail to do is owning up to the stuff said about them but choose to leave their supporters in the dark. The “don’t believe everything you read is not enough” because these are the same mediums they use to promote themselves. Their supporters shouldn’t be expected to only take publications seriously only when they report the good and ignore the rest when it’s not good for their brand.

Telling anyone that cares to listen on how so and so deceived them and how record companies are milking them dry and them being better than their competition or old flames is so DA-ish. It puts them in a bad light. It comes across as someone that doesn’t trust their talent and drums up unnecessary noise to draw attention to them.

Months ago tabloids were having a field day with Amanda du Point’s allegations on Bona

Amanda with Jub

magazine. Apparently she was sexually harassed by her then partner who is a famous rapper. Mongers put two and two together and JubJub’s name came out. They based their assumption on details that Amanda provided. Amanda had to do a follow up interview and assure everyone that JubJub is not the rapper that raped her.

When I read the story my heart went out to her but wondered why hasn’t she filed a case of sexual harassment and put the loser behind bars where they belong. Telling the readers what unfortunately transpired wasn’t gonna get the supposed abuser punished.  The whole thing just created a buzz around her and the suspected abuser whose name is unknown by the public.

It then occurred to me that maybe that’s how she wants to deal with it and not traumatize herself again by opening a court case. Where she will be expected to give a detailed account of what happened and relieve every moment of her deal.

But the growing number of people in the public eye who would do anything, I mean anything to stay relevant it becomes difficult to decipher the truth. We find ourselves questioning their motives of suddenly ‘bearing their souls’ and making known their truths before releasing or launching a new thing.

Is Anele Mdoda A Bully?

This is a question I asked myself after I witnessed a Twar between the much celebrated Anele Mdoda and some random guy. Anele’s defence mechanism is on another level. The woman spits fire! You don’t want to be on her bad side. And to be honest I don’t blame her. The world is nasty to thick Black girls. The criticism she gets is unacceptable!

People feel entitled to saying whatever they like and how they like because she is a celebrity and she shouldn’t retaliate but hold the forte. Abantu bakhwele bezehlela nje kuye!

We are too quick in spotting a public figure that appears to be rude and that thinks the world revolves around them and its common knowledge that they should watch what they say and how they phrase it.

I have come to notice that most celebrities and Twelebs are actually bullies. You cannot dispute or share a different opinion than theirs. Their word goes! For that we should put the blame on their blind followers for agreeing with everything they say.

The source of hatred that some people have for folks in the public eye doesn’t necessarily stem from jealousy but pure immaturity and silliness.  And wanting to gain a following by challenging or breaking down the spirit of a well known person.

                                                              

I watched the other time people making fun of the gap between Anele’s front teeth. I couldn’t believe their audacity and foolishness. The joy some people get by subjecting her to such mockery is rather insane.

My stance in all this madness doesn’t change. You can joke about someone’s none existence dress sense but not their stature.  We can’t change the way God the father created us and suggesting someone to go under the knife to please you yimpambano yodwa  ngesiXhosa esivakalayo.

I partly blame public figures for the misconception we have about them and the media world at large. We think they are perfect beings with perfect lives. They don’t experience problems, us ordinary beings encounter daily. They swim in a pool of money. Therefore they should be fit to handle gracefully whatever we throw on their side because we made them. Not their talent, hard work, tears and determination to succeed. Without us there could never be them.

I hate being the one having to highlight this but that’s the reality out there as crude as it is, I believe that’s how people see it.

There is absolutely no cool element in making fun of other people’s realities. There are some things you just can’t be too proud of like your physique or where you were born. You did not chose or work your butt off for it. It was just given to you. It’s understandable that we are human beings, we get carried away sometimes but finding pleasure in someone’s misery or pain is just distasteful and childish.

Another woman who wasn’t exempt from this kind of behaviour is DA’s Lindiwe Mazibuko. Her case was a shocker for me. You’d expect a lot from parliamentarians and acting like primary school kids isn’t one of them.

In primary school it was considered the coolest thing under the sun to make fun of other’s appearance. It could have been excusable then because we were young and stupid and didn’t know any better but not anymore. Inevitably we have grownup and now know what could hurt a person or lift their spirits up.

Lindiwe took the whole situation well and luckily for her the general public sided with her. That’s how it should be!  We shouldn’t shut up when people make fun of our brothers and sisters (mentioning that reminded me of Sizwe Dlomo’s infamous “I’m not your brother “ Tweets lol).

Back to the gorgeous Anele Mdoda: Some Twitter maniacs know that you can’t make fun of her unless you can take her strong comebacks or touché but it doesn’t have to come to that. I can bet my last sent that if you engage her in a respectable manner, her ‘claws’ wouldn’t come out.

I know, I know social networks are the last place to teach or expect people to behave in an acceptable, polite, adult manner because their mom and dad ain’t there! The only people they respect if they do.

It is uncalled for to drag people’s relatives on something they were never part of in the beginning to settle some scores but that should teach bullies a lesson right???

Anele’s ordeal reminds me of America’s Gabby Sidibe. Who gets judged for her weight and skin colour. A number of people see it appropriate to ridicule her. Good heavens ndingathetha kuse ngalomba kodwa abantu must GROW UP!

People think we stop being human cause we become known. F*** around and come up short with me. My mom didn't raise a punching bag -  @Anele

Stars Who Rocked Cornrows Back in The day

Thabiso

Thabiso Kevin Mokethi has rocked cornrows the longest. You wouldn’t be blamed to think he hates inkqayi or shaving his hair like other men. I started noticing him with cornrows on Thabang Thabong. Yeah that kiddies’ show, you and I watched. I think he has locks now on KaChing.


Loyiso Bala who liked trends (think the lip ring he had) wore cornrows
in the early two thousands. You could even see him on TKZee’s Fiasco video rocking them.

Donald

2011 isn’t really back in the day but it would be unfair not to include the shades and muscle revealing top
liking Donald Moatshe who used to wear them well.

Trevor Noah

 If truth be told no one rocked cornrows well like Trevor Noah though the twitpic, he tweeted late last year would disagree (what’s in a photo wethu). I used to run back home from school to catch his Run The Adventure show and of course his cute face.





 Stars That Rock Dread locks 

Lerato

Journalists or the “inky type” as Khaya Mkangisa calls us refuse to be called celebs but I’m here for you my people. Plus if the work you do mean you should be celebrated why not?! True Love magazine editor LeratoTshabalala has something good going there. And I love your gap woman! (Weird but true, I ain’t a gap hater so allow).


 Brickz mabrikhado indoda yaseZion in this case, has a good stylist. Though eyi-

Brickz

outie yaseKasi his hair is always clean (I don’t know where I’m going with this…). Lonto I don’t know why the keep on postponing the rape case.

Yvonne

Mama Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Judith Sepuma and Nambitha Mpulwana know how to maintain their locks, they are long, clean and always styled neatly. I love you my African queens, oopsie Yvonne Chaka Chaka is a princess. Maar let me upgrade you.

Is Pearl Thusi, Pumeza Dlwathi Long Lost Sister?

Pumeza

It’s not only their big Afros that these two light skinned ladies have alike. Everything about them is similar. If you were to eavesdrop on them telling their upbringing stories and how they both lost their moms at an early age, you would swear they are siblings.

Pearl Thusi

 There is so much these two have in common hence I have dubbed them Sister
Sister after the successful comedy series of the Mowry twins. They both have modelling background and are currently TV presenters and actresses. With Pumeza presenting Cula Sibone and Pearl, a number of shows which includes Live Amp and Tropicka Island of Tressure to name a few.

The only noticeable difference is the fact that the other has branched into radio while the other is a recording artist. Knowing the state of our entertainment industry that could change any day. Pearl could release a full album any day and Pumeza add radio in her résumé. It’s that uncertain!

 Even their love life is similar. They both got pregnant as teenagers and got engaged at their own respective times. Pumeza is currently engaged to musician, Shota (ndiyi-Casanova vocal singer) and father of her second child. Pearl has had her short stint of wedding bells when she got engaged to her baby daddy, sport presenter Walter Mokoena (felt like typing Walter with emphasise because y’all know how he used to pronounce his name). Another thing they both have Xhosa and White ancestors though Pearl is Zulu.