When Fame Goes Too Far

Picture the scene: thousands of enthusiastic fans, chanting and waiving their arms, hollering, singing, and cheering as a group while their hero, YOU, walks out on stage and does whatever it is you do so well. Then, silence. Every eye is upon you. Every being in the packed venue waits at rapt attention while you pan the room, taking in the adulation.

Some would want the above and some would not, but lets face it, don't we all have a certain longing to be recognized as the best, or almost the best, at something? Isn't there some aspect of our lives, some feature of our dreams that wouldn't shine with some well-earned recognition? I think most, if not all, would answer with an honest yes -- as long as it didn't go too far.

What's too far?

If you and your significant other have a child and the wages that one picture of your newborn garners would elevate a McDonald's cashier up and out of President Obama's $250,000 tax break window, you're fame has gone too far.

If the only things on the planet too expensive for you to purchase come with a numbered seat at the United Nations General Assembly, a Capitol building, and a constitution your fame has gone too far.

If you give up a successful, award-winning career as a motion picture actor in exchange for jumping around on a stage, sputtering unintelligible phrases, and picking fights with drunk concert-goers, your fame has gone too far.

Joaquin Phoenix, dude, please, whatever it is you took, whatever it is you swallowed, no matter what the source was or how much you trusted the person who gave it to you, please, put down the pills, put down the needle, put down the bottle, put down whatever and GET HELP SOON!