I’m just asking for a friend….When people become idols, do they rise to a different level and then lose sight of the importance of human values? Is that a rule?
Well, I don’t think so…not a rule… I mean, the concept of an “idol” can be used in different contexts…
My biggest idol, for example, was my father – a not famous and very quiet German man who was incredibly intelligent and successful, yet averse to any kind of “fame,” no matter how small, even if it was simply recognition for his actions.
But actually I want to talk about this in the entertainment industry (Music, Movies, Arts..) still with idols in mind….that’s when the word “idolatry” or the verb “worship” comes up – sometimes I wonder if that might actually mean a kind of selective blindness where you only see the perfect idol and not the real person.
Or maybe …the issue is blurring the line between the real person and the character portrayed…or how we want to see them…or…uhh…
Okay, let’s not lose focus 😀
Anyway, has this ever happened to you? Has one of your idols ever done something that was so bad, in your opinion, that he or she has lost their “sparkle”?
When it happens to me, it’s like a momentary loss of empathy when a shitty – yet human – act of theirs comes to light. Clearly I’m still talking about common mistakes, not capital crimes… I even feel like a hypocrite when this happens to me, as if I completely lose my compassion and label the person as someone bad and unworthy of my regard….
It’s a strange feeling – it’s like I’m resentful of a friend for something they did that wasn’t directed at me, but it’s still not cool and puts them in that grey zone, you know…
As in my own illustration here, yep, I’m dramatic – I’ve already warned you in other posts, hahaha….
So don’t give up on me, go go, keep reading!
Now, to be more specific, I’ll give an example of disappointment for me: the adultery scandal involving Dave Grohl, frontman of the Foo Fighters, which took the internet by storm in September 2024…
Ouch…
image: The good 5 cent cigar
Okay, dude, I didn’t see that one coming. You’re a cool guy, down-to-earth, you make great music, you’re technically a “bro,” you help people in need, you’re smart, a good person… and then you pull a dick move like that on me… Of course, I see this as pure naivety on my part, since we’re all human and we all make mistakes, and I also don’t remember him at any point in his career preaching extreme decency or acting as a model human being…
Anyway, I was upset. At first, I put myself in the shoes of his wife and daughters… I unfortunately know what that feels like… so I stopped listening to his band’s music for a while…
I wasn’t devastated or anything, but it got me thinking, you know… thousands of people make the same mistake he did every day; some do it out of sheer selfishness, others out of emotional weakness – the reasons vary…whatever… What I’m wondering is, to what extent are we humans responsible for our actions? And I mean especially for someone who puts themselves in the position of being an idol and, as a result, has their actions out in the open…
Phew, it’s so hard to talk about this, especially since we all have to deal with our own demons…
I think the most important thing about all this is actually the day after….I’m not here to judge Grohl’s actions or anyone’s – far from it!! But look, I admit I was happy to see that he’s apparently trying to make amends or at least ease the consequences of his mistakes for his family and himself and also trying to reconnect with his true self.
Check out this interview he gave on March 20, 2026, to The Guardian:
In all this mess of egos, this gives hope that at least he’ll serve as an example; most people just use their fans’ amnesia to hit the “fuck it” button and move on with their lives.
Soooo then, these days I heard the song “Asking for a Friend” from the Foo Fighters’ new album… and the lyrics talk a little about being in this parallel universe of fame where truths and lies are so intertwined that it leaves some people genuinely unsure of what’s right and wrong, and it confuses that inner voice of ours – the voice of the heart, of conscience – you know?
Well….I think the lesson I take from this – if there is one – whether we’re talking about celebrities or not, idols in the media or just at home, is that we must hold onto hope and believe in humanity, with all its glories and flaws. Nice huh? 😀
Here’s the “Asking for a friend” official video – it’s still just the audio version because the full album, titled “Your Favorite Toy,” will be released on April 24th:
And our time is up – thanks for the therapy,
See you at the next session 🤣
xoxo
Patty