Kevin Marshall's America
If Marilyn Monroe had survived substance abuse and self-destruction, she’d be 85 today.
On July 2nd, actress and tabloid target Lindsay Lohan will turn 25.
To compare the two seems ridiculous. Monroe is a cultural icon both revered and pitied, while Lohan is a cautionary tale both scorned and reviled. Marilyn changed the face of beauty in Hollywood forever with various star turns, while Lohan’s potential went unfulfilled.
Yet if you look at their career trajectories and shortcomings, there are more than a few parallels. Although Monroe’s resume is worlds better, Lohan did appear in a couple films that were critical darlings, and for a time it seemed she was destined to become one as well.
So what makes one an icon and the other a pariah? I put the question out there on Twitter and got what I think is the best response from a friend of mine, Sean:
Context is everything. Marilyn Monroe in the 21st Century would probably find herself in the same situation and standing as Lohan, complete with the negative press and snarky derision from those of us watching from the sidelines. It hardly seems fair, but there it is.
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3 Responses to Marilyn & Lindsay
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STALK ME
Good points!
“Marilyn” was sexually abused as a child, which explains a lot. I suppose you could say Lindsay was exploited as a child star, which could have led to her downward spiral. Media attention is not a young star’s friend.
I don’t particularly care for the acting talents of either though. I would say Marilyn put a lot more effort into her career, in terms of her appearance, than Lindsay, but I don’t know much about Lindsay.
Despite what Dr. Phil says, perception IS reality.
And JFK didn’t have a Twitter account that could have been hacked. If he had, the press at the time would have buried it.
It’s a new world, not always for the better.