The other day some friends and I were talking about people falling from grace. In particular, we were talking about the fall of Lance Armstrong – some of the people felt that the truth is the most important thing, and we should only draw our inspiration from “untainted” accomplishments; while others felt that the myth of Lance Armstrong was more important than the reality, and would have rather just not have learned the truth. In other words, to paraphrase The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence, “When the legend became fact, we should have stuck with the legend.”
*Side note: I realize nothing conclusive has been proven, merely that Armstrong ceased fighting the charges. His titles, though, have been stripped and there’s certainly a presumption of guilt.
Pleeeeease be as great as you appear to be.
This brought out other people – like this Elmo puppeteer guy – as well as people we just really, really, really hope are good people. People we never want to see tarnished, or if they are in fact jerks, we just don’t want to know. People like Conan O’Brian, Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Keanu Reeves. People who’ve accomplished amazing things, or are just generally known as incredibly good, kind-hearted people.
So who’s on your list? For the Weekly Question of the Week: Who out there – celebrity or scientist, writer or philanthropist – do you just really, really hope never has some image-destroying scandal? Or even, if they are in fact awful, you’d just rather not know?
The Byronic Man 
December 16, 2012 at 3:16 am
Hugh Jackman. Possibly THE perfect man. I am not interested in hearing about his shortcomings. Ever.
December 16, 2012 at 4:08 pm
Oh, you didn’t hear? He’s… he’s… Australian.
December 16, 2012 at 7:13 pm
Ha ha, so am I. Awkward.
December 16, 2012 at 8:40 pm
He’s got one of those voices that it always takes a moment to get used to his real voice/accent – like Hugh Laurie. For a moment it just sounds all wrong, then gradually it fits.
December 16, 2012 at 9:45 pm
That’s funny because to us Aussies it sounds like he’s picked up an American accent (for shame!) but to you guys he obviously still has an Australian accent. He must have some kind of in between thing, Americalian? Australican?
December 17, 2012 at 11:53 am
Enough to kill him in my eyes. Thanks for that. Now you’re going to tell me that Santa is a farce.
December 16, 2012 at 3:39 am
Rudolph, Carl Sagan, Ghandi, Elizabeth Berg and Officer Wilson.
December 16, 2012 at 3:48 am
And my husband.
December 16, 2012 at 1:10 pm
Phew. That was a close one.
December 16, 2012 at 4:12 pm
Gandhi was a jerk/borderline pedophile…(Indians will swear up and down it’s not the truth but you speak to an impartial historian and they will eventually admit that it’s the truth.)
I hope Tom Hanks is as awesome as they say, and Bill Murray as kooky.
December 17, 2012 at 11:54 am
Enough to kill him in my eyes. Thanks for that. Now you’re going to tell me that Santa is a farce.
December 17, 2012 at 11:55 am
Stupid, stupid computer. Didn’t mean to write that here.
I will just close my laptop now in shame.
December 16, 2012 at 3:55 am
Hopefully Anderson Cooper and Robert DeNiro would never disappoint!!
December 16, 2012 at 3:56 am
I don’t know. There’s not much that makes me think of people as ‘awful’. I guess if Bruce Willis, I think he’s a really cool guy, was caught molesting children I would puke and seriously start doubting my judgment of people. If someone found him in the gutter doped up and destroyed, his image would be destroyed, but I wouldn’t feel any different of him.
Interesting question, sir.
December 16, 2012 at 4:12 pm
He bought coffee from me once when I worked at an uber-cool coffee place, and he was nice for that 60 seconds. Proof positive! Plus, he has the advantage of having a “bad boy” image as a starting point. The only thing I’ve heard is that he’s something of a whiner on the set.
December 16, 2012 at 4:21 am
Joss Whedon and Capt. Chesney Sullenberger (Hudson River crash pilot).
December 16, 2012 at 4:13 pm
Whedon might actually be “fall proof.” If he revealed that he likes to unwind by shooting homeless people, his fans would find a way to defend it.
December 16, 2012 at 4:26 am
First in my mind is Ellen Degeneres, Morgan Freeman & my hubby. It’s so strange that you brought this subject up today. I have been struggling with a situation where a good friend took a fall from grace . It has been 5 months and I just can not wrap my head around the situation. Being let down by the least expected is devastating. I hope no one else ever has to feel this disappointment.
December 16, 2012 at 4:14 pm
Isn’t it the worst? And not just among heroes, but – as you say – people we know.
And I agree about Degeneres. That’d be awful if she turned out to be horrible. Like Anne Heche was sane as a judge until Degeneres was done with her.
December 16, 2012 at 4:39 am
There is no one in particular for me. I hate to hear bad thing about anyone. The media is always digging to catch people in the act, so to speak. I hate that.
December 16, 2012 at 5:19 am
It all just makes me think about this: Just because they may fall from grace, are they any less worthy of our admiration? We’re all just human right? Mel Gibson is a wild man and has had his share of run-ins, but I think he’s a really good man. Just human, that’s all. When we give people the freedom to fail, we open up a whole new world of forgiveness so no one has to carry the heavy baggage of guilt.
December 16, 2012 at 8:48 am
I really like your take on this. And I agree. I was thinking of Mel Gibson and I thought, yeah—the man is human. I’m sure he feels terrible for everything. But there has to be a balance. High profile people who influence the world for good must realize with that comes great responsibility. However, those who have fallen can regain dignity in public apologies and asking forgiveness.
December 16, 2012 at 4:26 pm
It’s a good point – I would think of someone like Michael Richards (Kramer from Seinfeld) and his on-stage racial slip-up as an example. By all accounts he’s a totally decent guy who just completely blew it on stage and it got recorded.
December 16, 2012 at 5:43 am
I was just thinking about this yesterday! I think about this all the time. I’ve been told my expectations of other people are too high. (And that’s why I’m often disappointed.) Hmph.
I’m with you on Tina Fey and Tom Hanks. Also Jimmy Fallon. Ellen Degeneres (like Life with the Top Down already said). Sandra Bullock. …Rachael Ray.
December 16, 2012 at 4:22 pm
You know, I’ve never seen Jimmy Fallon. My entire knowledge of his career involves public reaction. Train wreck on SNL –> They gave giggly a talk show? –> He’s really nice –> He’s really funny
December 17, 2012 at 6:55 am
*gasp* I won’t tell him you said that! BTW, Martin Short hosted the Christmas SNL this past weekend, and he was fan-friggin-tastic. I think he might be my real father. Long story. (I actually have a draft blog post about it. …Obviously.)
December 16, 2012 at 5:53 am
The Byronic Man,
I’d say Rush Limbaugh. I’d hate to read one day that he did a good deed. As it would crush everything I believe the man to be……
Le Clown
December 16, 2012 at 9:00 am
Well, I’m going to crush this as I am from Rush’s home town. I know him and his whole family of lawyers. The nicest people you could ever meet. I even met his grandfather who lived to be 101. Worked up til the day he died. The Limbaugh’s, including Rush, are just plain nice. Even though they are high integrity lawyers they never have that air about them. His brother, David, does some television commentary time to time. Take a listen to him some time. Super nice.
Gotta tell the truth on this one. Just sayin’. 🙂
Sorry to burst it for ya!
December 16, 2012 at 9:03 am
SimplySage,
Rush might be a nice man in his community, as many men like him are… But it doesn’t take away the hate speech he promotes publicly… I do not want to hijack The Byronic Man’s thread, but being a swell neighbour while taking your Golden retriever out for a walk doesn’t absolve you from calling women sluts.
Le Clown
December 16, 2012 at 9:23 am
Yes, I don’t want to hijack this either but many public figures are guilty. I immediately thought of Bill Maher, who in the name of comedy said similar, even worse, (in my opinion) things about certain public women. Rap music is full of profanity-laced commentary on women, very degrading. I don’t hear any apologies from these venues. (Rush did apologize.) I also can’t seem to find the feminists calling these out.
But the bottom line here is do we want to trade free speech and establish rules of engagment for it? We coexist with the good and the bad. And we don’t judge a person for one lapse of judgement. If a person feels bad and apologizes we forgive and move on.
December 16, 2012 at 9:26 am
Simply Sage,
I agree with you about Bill Maher, I don’t think being left or right makes you a better person when your speech is one of hatred. Hate is hate. Yes, Rush has apologized, but that was not his sole hate speech… Nor sole disgraceful comment. And I wouldn’t use the old “two wrongs make a right” adage to justify his acts, either…
Le Clown
December 16, 2012 at 9:45 am
I’m not justifying him at all. He’s human just like the rest of us. I’m just a bit tense about even the term “hate speech” as I’m afraid it’s a gradual step toward “controlled’ speech”. It’s gotten to the point where we’ve lost the meaning of that quote “I may not agree with what you say but I will defend your right to say it.” Can we not disagree respectfully and honor our right to say what we want? We all have differing opinions and are not going to agree. Can we not respect that? I don’t in any way like what Bill Maher or many of the rap songs say but in shutting them down I shut down my own right to freely express. Right here, right now I have the freedom to express criticism.
I fear the day when any differing opinions are labeled “hate speech” for it will eventually shut all of us down. Can you imagine a controlled Facebook or Twitter? In the muck and mire of it all true innovation and ideas come from the arena of free speech. Let’s coexist, shall we?
December 16, 2012 at 9:46 am
Simply Sage,
Of course. By no means was it an affront to your comment, and I do apologize if this is the way that it came across. Of course we can peacefully coexist. Truce?
Le Clown
December 16, 2012 at 9:52 am
Of course, and absolutely, my friend.
December 16, 2012 at 10:05 am
Well, I must say I’m honored for the follow from you. Just browsed through your place a bit and looks like satire is your art form? I look forward to browsing more.
Now, let’s let those on Byronic Man have their say, shall we?
Peace,
Alexandria
December 16, 2012 at 10:10 am
Simply Sage,
Absolutely, friend.
Le Clown
December 16, 2012 at 10:07 am
It never ceases to surprise me, just how sensitive and ungracious our society has become. So he called an admittedly promiscuous girl a slut. I’ve done much worse, and still have not negated the fact that I’m an honest man, good neighbor, and committed husband ant father.
I’m going to let it go at that. I, too, want to be respectful of this blog.
December 16, 2012 at 10:10 am
Dinkerson,
You’re invited on A Clown on Fire if you’d like to continue this.
Le Clown
December 16, 2012 at 10:13 am
I’m going to respectfully decline. But thank you.
January 10, 2013 at 11:35 am
I live in Rush’s hometown and agree, the rest of the family is superb (don’t like David’s opinions but…).
December 16, 2012 at 4:16 pm
Who’s Rush Limbaugh? Isn’t he the guy who made the first inter-continental flight?
December 16, 2012 at 6:10 pm
No. But you’re close! Think the guys name was Limburger or Lindbergh … somethin’ like that. 😉
December 16, 2012 at 6:12 pm
That was supposed to be a wink. And with that I’ve just added another. The emoticons have fallen off their pedestal! I’m crushed!
December 16, 2012 at 8:38 pm
I know, but I really like the idea of people getting in to an argument about the quality of Lindbergh’s character. Just my little attempt to lighten the mood.
Humor as defense mechanism! It’s what’s gotten me through life!
December 16, 2012 at 8:49 pm
Totally agree with you but LeClown and I emerged friends. We took it over to my place and he decided he kinda likes it there. I just love to spar in debate. Bloodless, of course. But even in my advocacy for civil disagreement I’m bound to fall off the pedestal! It was all good today.
December 16, 2012 at 6:02 am
I’m hoping none of you ever find out what a reprehensible jack-ass I truly am. I suspect that some of you already know, but I’d love for the rest of you to hold me in moderately high esteem. Of course, making such a self-serving comment in this forum might not help my case. On the bright side, people who are savvy enough to read other peoples’ comments on blogs probably already have me figured out.
December 16, 2012 at 6:10 am
I’m disappointed to learn that about you. 🙂
December 16, 2012 at 6:23 am
Mel Gibson gave me the number of his public relations guy. If things go too far south, I’ll call him.
December 16, 2012 at 4:29 pm
You want Gibson’s previous PR guy – the one who kept his mental unhinged state and wild anti-semitism a Hollywood inside thing. Not the one he’s had since then.
That’s what happened to Tom Cruise. Fired his PR person and hired his – I think – sister. Suddenly he’s jumping on Oprah’s couch and telling people he can cure heroin addiction with his mind.
December 16, 2012 at 5:05 pm
Well…Tom did cure my addiction to Jack Reacher movies.
December 17, 2012 at 5:38 am
I can’t wait to see the box office numbers for that film. I read Killing Floor, and some other Lee Child book, awhile back. (Ok, I listened to the audiobook. Don’t judge me.) Anyway, I pictured Reacher as a Dolph Lundgren type (huge and blond). When I heard that Cruise is playing the role in the movie, I was shocked. I kept wondering how he’d do the head-butting thing.
December 17, 2012 at 7:03 am
I think 5’4″ Cruise playing Reacher could make a psychologist’s head explode. Hm, a little man playing a character whose defining trait is his massive size… hmmmm… I wonder if there’s something going on there… hmmmm…
December 17, 2012 at 12:37 pm
I’m sure that there’s some psychologist out there who’d love him for a patient. Think of the number of hours he could be billed for… possibly even for years. I mean, no one ever CURED Napoleon, right?
December 17, 2012 at 1:29 pm
Are you serious?? Cruise for Reacher? Is this a joke? I think I’ve read ALL the Reacher books (just finished Wanted Man yesterday) and there is no way Tom Cruise can do that role. No way. I’m speechless.
December 17, 2012 at 1:58 pm
Horrible casting as far as anyone who’s read (or listened to) the books is concerned. Don’t let that stop you, Hollywood!
It doesn’t matter which Lee Child/Jack Reacher book you’ve read, they’re pretty similar – but none of them feature an elfin pretty boy in the lead role.
December 17, 2012 at 3:16 pm
I think the sameness is what attracts me – you always know where you stand with Lee Child’s novels: “Reacher said nothing.”
December 17, 2012 at 3:22 pm
Agreed. Sadly, now I’ll see Tom Cruise’s little dimpled grin when Reacher says nothing.
Jack Reacher loses his edge when pictured in white cotton socks as he lip syncs Bob Seeger on a polished hardwood floor.
December 17, 2012 at 6:07 pm
From everything I’ve heard, it seems that the real Reacher Creatures (people who love the books) are going to hate the movie, even if Cruise does a good acting job. I’m interested in seeing how it’s received by people who’ve never read or heard of Lee Child. Will they sense something is off. Since I’m not a Cruise fan in the least nor a huge Child fan (though I think that he is a very good writer that I will likely read again), I don’t think I’ll see the movie, at least not for 10-11 dollars.
Besides, I think more people are going to see the Hobbit instead.
December 17, 2012 at 6:11 pm
Tom Cruise as a Hobbit?! That’s good casting!
December 16, 2012 at 6:09 am
You picked two of my top three: Keanu Reeves, Tom Hanks, and Morgan Freeman. If there should be a mix up in the paperwork and I should find my way to Heaven, I hope Morgan Freeman really is God.
December 16, 2012 at 4:29 pm
I want to hang out with Keanu Reeves for a while. By all accounts he’s almost impossibly great.
December 16, 2012 at 4:33 pm
I have twice posted the poll question: Keanu Reeves: Man of Substance or Just Another Pretty Face. Twice it has been decided that he is a man of substance. You can’t argue with empirical evidence like that.
December 16, 2012 at 6:11 am
Great question. Finally one I can answer Maya Angelou, Ellen Degeneres, Pauley Perrette, Mark Harmon, Allan Hawco … I actually have a long list and a lot of them are Canadians you probably wouldn’t know.
I have a different question … who would you like to see fall from grace but for some reason everything just slides off them and they always come up as saints? I have one answer for that – Oprah.
December 16, 2012 at 7:15 am
I love posts that make me think (and many of yours do). I have to say Anderson Cooper. I would be devastated to find out he had a dark side hiding behind that benevolent facade.
December 16, 2012 at 8:04 am
Well… Tom Hanks is on my list of the fallen great ones.
You know what I love, though, is that Steve McQeen appears to have been as awesome as he seemed. I love that.
December 16, 2012 at 4:30 pm
Steve McQueen is a good choice. I hope he was, too. Paul Newman as well, in the same ways.
December 16, 2012 at 8:16 am
Thank you for a good post. I’m a recently new blogger, & find your blog is helping me grow! Keep up the good work, for my sake, & your own!
December 16, 2012 at 8:53 am
Shari Lewis gets my vote. I’d hate to find out something untoward had been going on while her hand was up Lamb Chop’s…Oh forget it.
December 16, 2012 at 9:01 am
For me it’s my two 007 favorites—Sean Connery and Daniel Craig.
December 16, 2012 at 3:40 pm
How could I forget Sean Connery?
December 17, 2012 at 1:30 pm
The ONLY Bond, in my never-to-be-humble opinion.
December 16, 2012 at 9:04 am
I am with K8edid. My husband and me, and my family gets my vote. It’s true that I am a Wild Rider, but I’m not that wild…
December 16, 2012 at 9:14 am
I’ve said this about EVERYBODY I ever liked: I don’t want to know.
George Harrison was my favorite Beatle. I took up uke YEARS before its ‘resurgence’ because of him (he composed a lot on uke & was known when banging around with friends to choose uke above all other instruments). I never wanted to meet him. If he acted an arse, it would’ve messed with my vision of an idol (idol as in: who I wanted to be more like). I know that he was a human. I know that he stole girlfriends and probably did a lot worse…but I’d rather not know those things and surely never wanted first-hand knowledge of aholeness.
December 16, 2012 at 9:16 am
Mister Rogers.
December 16, 2012 at 9:58 am
Yes. Mr. Rogers. Mother Teresa. My kids’ kindergarten teacher.
December 16, 2012 at 11:02 am
Word.
December 16, 2012 at 9:16 am
Selena Gomez. She’s one of those Disney girls, and so far she seems to be keeping a good head on her shoulders. She’s pretty, funny, and she can sing. But judging by what happened to Miley Cyrus, and the dozens before her . . . . it’s sad. Mostly I want her to not fall because it’d be nice for my girls to have someone they could look up to – but at the same time I understand the incredible pressure they are under at too young an age.
December 16, 2012 at 9:21 am
I give everyone the benefit of the doubt when I read about them. News doesn’t always get it right, and they are human and there fore full of faults. Maybe not really big ones, but no one is perfect. Personally, I am always trying to be good, not always making it, but I try, as all these others probably try. Just because they are famous does not make them any less faulty.
December 16, 2012 at 11:47 am
I was pretty bummed when I found out Mel Gibson was a complete lunatic. Now that I’m older I appreciate the comedic value of his tirades.
We have a celebrities who come in from time to time at my restaurant, and it’s very interesting to see how they act towards the staff. Your character should be judged by how you treat those who can do nothing for you, amiright?
December 16, 2012 at 3:51 pm
You know, I don’t have a person to put in the hat as my “Pedestal Person”… I do, however, like where you’re going with this post… but sadly, I’ve fallen off of my pedestal too many times to know that it’s a really long fall…
December 16, 2012 at 5:18 pm
You know, I think to some point we have to understand, no one is perfect and to that effect everyone somehow or another will dissapoint, not only because of what they say or do but because of how the media inflates and spins whatever happens. I personally would not want to see or hear of Tim Tebow doing anything crazy. But it will probably happen, not because he is a douch bag or something, but just because he is human.
December 16, 2012 at 5:39 pm
I’d hate to see anyone fall from grace. About a year ago, a friend of mine commited suicide. We hadn’t seen each other for about 12 years since I’d moved to Florida. I was told that he was charged with a very serious crime. His death was devastating to his family and friends. A real loss.
December 16, 2012 at 10:06 pm
Agreed… if you watch seinfeld’s “driving cars and drinking coffee with comedians”, you see he’s genuinely repentant… and besides, most comedians (even black ones) forgave him the very next day…
“Damn, n**gas havin’ a bad set! Hang in their kramer!” — Dave Chappelle
December 16, 2012 at 10:15 pm
Will Smith… unless anyone counts Men in Black 2 and 3 as a slip up… or his song “miami”…
You know what? I retract that…
I’m just gonna go with… err… uncle joey from full house?
December 17, 2012 at 12:42 am
The Byronic Man.
December 17, 2012 at 4:21 am
I never really thought about it before reading your post, but the very idea of Tom Hanks being less than wonderful would really mess me up!
December 17, 2012 at 6:28 am
Barack Obama. This planet is so in need of a larger-than-life hero that he was given the Nobel Peace Prize just for getting elected.
December 17, 2012 at 9:31 am
Tom Hanks? Really? But… what about that poor, poor volleyball?!
December 17, 2012 at 10:55 am
Yeah, Wilson is cool. My son the movie afficionado is still upset that Wilson wasn’t nominated for best supporting actor.
December 17, 2012 at 10:59 am
I think it’s way I don’t read the gossip rags. I just don’t want to know. But sometimes I learn stuff anyway that I would rather not have known. Like Clint Eastwood and the empty chair, or Meg Ryan’s freaky new face. I just hope I never find out anything that knocks Anthony Hopkins off his pedestal. For one thing, his pedestal is so high he’d break his neck. No more movies.
December 17, 2012 at 11:36 am
This is going to sound crazy, but I hope we never learn anything bad about Kurt Russell. He was a Disney kid & appears to have lived a good life! I also liked Lance Armstrong & don’t believe he did anything wrong, but did a whole lot of good.
December 17, 2012 at 1:06 pm
I’m gonna go with Charlie Sheen…and God.
December 17, 2012 at 1:36 pm
There isn’t a person who has walked the earth, save the guy whose birthday is coming up on the 25th, who isn’t all-too likely to fall off that pedestal. Except for the truly horrific, like what happened last week, maybe we could all try to cut one another a little slack?
Having said that, I would be truly disappointed if Martha Stewart turned out to be less laid back than she seems to be.
December 17, 2012 at 1:52 pm
Well, I think you know who I’ll pick…
December 17, 2012 at 7:09 pm
I’m going to go with Lindsay Lohan and Kim Kardashian, because I’d love to not hear anything about their scandals.
December 18, 2012 at 8:32 am
If I found out that Stephen Colbert ate human brains I could maybe get over that, but anything else would suck the life out of me.
December 18, 2012 at 9:01 pm
As Lily said up there, George Harrison. I don’t even want to know. And Adam Yauch (still devastated, srsly).
December 18, 2012 at 10:49 pm
Amanda Palmer. And by extension although to a lesser degree, Neil Gaiman.
Also, I’m pretty sure I’d get over it if David Bowie or/and Tim Curry turned out to be massive jerks, but not for a long while.
December 19, 2012 at 5:41 pm
I’m hoping that the Bryonic Man doesn’t turn out to be a jerk. Because I personally would be shattered.