Every day, there seems to be a new headline centered around the former music producer, Sean “Diddy” Combs. Along with all the headlines, there seem to be even more mostly negative posts on social media. Unfortunately, his “fall from grace” is not uncommon in the celebrity world. A “fall from grace” is not necessarily a fall in popularity, but a shift to negative opinions of how a person is perceived after they do something that ruins their reputation.
OJ SIMPSON:
Most people in the world have probably heard of OJ Simpson, either because of the publicity of his murder trial or because of how skilled of a football player he was. Simpson was the 1973 MVP of the entire NFL and held many high-ranking stats; on top of that, he was selected to be in the NFL’s 100th anniversary all-time team. However, on June 12, 1994, something would happen that would forever taint Simpson’s legacy. Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were stabbed to death outside Brown’s home in Los Angeles, and Simpson was the primary suspect. He was then part of a police chase that was televised live and watched by 95 million people, and placed under arrest at his own home in Brentwood, California. A criminal trial occurred and found Simpson innocent on the counts of murder. Shortly after, the victims’ families sued for wrongful death against Simpson in a civil trial and the jury awarded 33.5 million dollars in damages.
SEAN COMBS:
Sean “Diddy” Combs, has recently been a common topic in the news for the horrid things he is being accused of; but how exactly did he gain popularity and where did his fall from grace begin? Combs began his career as a talent director until 1993, when he started his very own record label, “Bad Boy Records.” He discovered numerous artists in the late 1900s and early 2000s like Machine Gun Kelly, French Montana, and Craig Mack. In 1997, he dropped his first solo studio album called “No Way Out” and carefully crafted his intimidating personality in the world of R&B and Hip-Hop. During the past couple of decades, however, Diddy is known for his numerous charges of racketeering and sex trafficking with suspicions of arson, abuse, and kidnapping.
TIGER WOODS:
Tiger Woods in his prime was one of, if not the best, golfer to ever step foot on a course; in fact, he was the number one ranked golfer in the world for 623 consecutive weeks. Yet, he faced a serious amount of backlash from the media and fans around the world for his actions. During his career, Woods went through a lot of trauma, such as a car crash and numerous surgeries on both his ankle and his back. Still, what made him lose his fame and popularity was when news of his infidelity came to light. Woods was reportedly having affairs with multiple women at the same time and was in a long-term relationship with another woman while being married. Because of this, his wife divorced him and ended up settling for 100 million dollars.
It is hard to understand why celebrities would throw away their fame and prestige in exchange for crime, scandal, and ruin. There are many factors that can play into the so-called “fall from grace,” whether it is changing public perception, media scrutiny, or personal behavior. When celebrities are given more and more of a platform as their stardom and fame increases, it can also amplify their existing issues and create a feeling of invincibility, when in reality, celebrities are just people who happen to be given a platform.
