Recent Celebrity Justice Obsessions

My personal confession and journalistic Aha! moment

This morning, I realized specifically what I like and want to do with my writing endeavors going forward. But first I have a confession to make.

Last summer, a YouTube video addressing Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner caught my attention — because I once had a dream (the sleeping kind) in which Jennifer Garner was my BFF IRL. [I wish!] So, I clicked on it.

And for the next few weeks, I was drawn into some celebrity drama between Ben Affleck & Jennifer Lopez.

My husband couldn't understand why I'd watch such drivel, but I persisted — oftentimes covertly to avoid his condemnation.

(I have a personal tie to the craft of acting and a soft spot for actors, in general — because I know they're real people, too.)

Anyway, while I didn't really care about the whole J Lo aspect, I did care about Jennifer Garner (who seems like such a sweetheart!) and therefore, cared about who I believe she cared about: her ex-husband, the father of her children.

And there was something about the YouTuber reporting on them, Andy Signore, that appealed to me. So, I continued to tune in to his channel, Popcorned Planet.

Personally, I'm not interested in gossip, and I realize a lot of the pop culture media focuses on that, but this channel seemed to be more interested in uncovering the truth in pop culture. And that's what drew me in about it.

Very soon I came to realize Andy Signore had a particular connection with Johnny Depp, and that led me to watching the Johnny Depp v Amber Heard trial from 2022.

(Another thing about me is that I have a strong sense & desire for justice -- my high school guidance counselor told me I should have been a lawyer.)

While I have little to no faith in the American justice system, I was interested in hearing the evidence brought forth in this defamation case, so I tuned in to it. Very intriguing. (And I recommend watching the case before drawing any conclusions about that particular matter. — It was very revealing.)

Then came the Sean P. Diddy charges.

While I followed some of the news on that, I chose to distance myself from the pre-trial drama because -- well, I don't want to hear it. I don't even think I want to hear the evidence at trial -- it's all too disturbing to me.

And now, there's a bunch of news coming out about Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni that has caught my attention. I don't know how much of it I will continue to follow, but I've seen enough thus far (reading through much of the legal complaint filings) to satisfy my curiosity at the moment.

Why do I find satisfaction in being in the know about these celebrities?

I asked myself this question this morning, and I came to the conclusion that it's because it makes me feel connected to society.

But I'm not just interested in "celebrities" in general. I'm particularly interested in those who are being falsely accused.

And I’m not just interested in connecting with society in general. I find myself drawn to others who are also interested in them for the same reasons I am -- to uncover the truth of the matter.

Let me be clear, I believe in minding our own business.

But when I see injustices being done, such as the smearing of a man's reputation, I can't just look the other way -- especially when their lives are being destroyed.

Then, last night, not having anything else interesting to watch on TV (I did NOT want to watch all the inaugural stuff taking over the airwaves), I was led to a documentary called Square One: Michael Jackson.

It is "an investigation into the 1993 case in which Michael Jackson was accused of sexually molesting a 13-year-old boy."

From what I understand there was another documentary called Leaving Neverland that came out shortly beforehand. However, this Square One documentary was way more telling and included actual FBI documents and case witness testimonies.

I highly recommend watching it. I found it heartbreaking and yet refreshing.

And now, my Aha! moment...

This morning, I came to realize I feel more connected to people like Andy Signore (& James Corbett) than I do to other various truth speakers, because I see people like them as journalists or reporters whereas others act more like preachers, and that's what I would rather be: a journalist/reporter (— and a storyteller).

While I do think I also have the ability to teach some of what I've come to understand, I don't have any desire to preach it anymore.

I've been there, done that, and I don't like how it makes me feel -- or how it makes other people feel. So, I want to steer clear of doing that going forward.

So, there you have it.

It may not be such a huge revelation to you, but it was to me. And now, I have a better idea how to go about my writing endeavors going forward. :)

Thank you for lending me your attention, time & energy to learn a bit more about me.

And please, if you've followed (or are following) any of the above-mentioned cases and/or if you watch the Square One: Michael Jackson documentary, feel free to reach out to me and share your thoughts/feelings on them with me. I’d love to hear from you!

Until the next time we meet again onscreen, take care of yourself. And may you enjoy the wonderful gift of life you've been given!

Sincerely,
Carrie (not Kelly)