It happens every day...
Every thirty days or so, we’re treated to reports of another celebrity couple going splitsville. Some of these unions (Kardashian/Humphries) have “train wreck” written all over them and we take prop bets on how long the coupling will last.
On the other end of the spectrum, there are dissolutions that surprise even the most cynical of star gazers.
Such was the case with the recent announcement that mega-super-model Heidi Klum and her star husband, pop singer Seal, had decided to separate and seek the end to their marriage. As is always the case when a prominent couple calls it quits-- reactions were all over the map. And wide-ranging reactions are fully expected, but I am a bit troubled by a few.
Related: Can Celebrities Actually Have Enduring, Healthy Relationships?
Keeping it in perspective...
Look, I’m a notorious pop culture junkie. You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone more tuned in to the goings on in celebrity news than me. I love it.
But I keep it in perspective. We all should. Folks chimed in on the Your Straight Male Friend Facebook group in the aftermath of the Seal/Heidi break up announcement. A sampling of some of the comments:
“Seal and Heidi breaking up is a direct affront to my diehard romantic nature which believes there is true love for all…” - Stephen
“Those two were on my list of couples who keep me hoping & believing that true love between couples does in fact exist.” – Samantha
“It made me feel more disillusioned. If they can’t make it, who can?” – Brenda
The world will go on...
Folks it’s not that serious. I get why people would feel sympathy or empathy for them or any other couple on the outs, but the end of their relationship, from my perspective, signals but one thing: The end of their relationship.
That’s it. Nothing more. Nothing less. Aside from the pure news value of these stories, and the fact that they afford us amazing water-cooler chatter and content for radio, tv, and tabloid magazines, I’m completely unaffected emotionally by celebrity break ups.
Their relationships carry no more weight than anyone else’s, so I never conclude that a “successful” pair means anything more than an “unsuccessful” one. Yeah, I know it’s typical of us to think, “If they can’t make it, who can?”
Related: The Real Reasons We Cheat
Why is it that no one ever says, “Oh wow, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell have been together for 30 years! There’s hope!” or “It’s so beautiful that Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis were together for 60 years!” or “Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward were married 50 years... ’til death do us part is REAL!” Nope, always the focus is on what didn’t work as opposed to what is working.
THEY are not YOU...
It’s disappointing and maybe even a little sad when our favorite star couples break up, but I can promise you this, if your relationship or marriage hits an iceberg and goes all Titanic, it won’t be because Ashton and Demi stopped being twitter pals.
But of course you know that. I think. I hope.
All too often, we forget that celebs are still just people. Albeit, richer, better-looking, often more accomplished than us, but they still catch colds like the rest of us. So their relationship status is, I hate to sound harsh, worthless to you and me. If anything is to be learned from high-profile break ups it’s this: PRE-NUP.
Okay, so maybe I’m a little cynical too.
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Hailing from the San Francisco Bay Area, veteran media professional and author of "Your Straight Male Friend..Every Woman Should Have One", Marcus Osborne has honed his talent and keen ability to convey to women, the inner workings of the male mind via regular forays into the "friendzone."Check out more from Marcus at StraightMaleFriend.com Twitter: @SMFMarcus
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