Rolling Stone saves the day…

The Focus – December 4th, 2007 by Sarah

Thought I would take this opportunity to give a big round of applause to all the celebs out there who are using their fame for a decent cause. Reading this month’s issue of Rolling Stone reinstated my faith in (some) of the tabloid fodder out there, and it’s about time.

For a while there, it appeared that regularly being in the public eye meant taking advantage of opportunities to flash one’s crotch, take a trip to rehab or spend a bizarre amount of time in gaol. Thankfully, artists such as Missy Higgins and Michael Stipe, actors and activists like George Clooney and Meryl Streep and trendy moguls such as Bill Gates are all taking a stand against various causes in their own special ways, which I find really inspiring. What I’m also getting a real kick out of is the fact that the media is starting to realise that hey, maybe their entire readership/viewing audience is in fact NOT interested in how Lindsay Lohan managed to make a complete fool out of herself today, or in how many tarty outfits Paris Hilton can wear in the duration of one awards show. Maybe, just maybe, the glorification of individuals whose lives are essentially train wrecks is coming to an end, and it couldn’t come soon enough.

Admittedly, I’m not above checking out the gossip rags every now and again. I’m only human after all. And hey, sometimes it’s a bit of a boost to see that someone else, in spite of all his or her wealth and beauty and street cred, is actually a lot more messed up than I am. But we’re living in such interesting, crucial times right now. While Posh’s new hair-style is a lovely distraction, sometimes it’s important to stare reality and what’s truly important in the world right in the face without fear, and without disruption.

So, in summary, thank you Rolling Stone, for consistently rising above the trash and providing the world with a quality publication. It’s great to see people with the ways and the means doing something good for the world, and the fact that your mag believes these actions should be recognised is damn awesome.