American author Henry David Thoreau once said:
“The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.”
This is particularly true if you are a public figure. Personal lives of celebrities are not only discussed at large by everyone, but people think they have a right to give their opinions and unsolicited advice. Even worse is when these personalities get criticized for decisions that tend to affect no one but themselves, such as that of choosing a partner.
Same happened when model Jenna Bentley was spotted with boyfriend Ben Brown who seems to be almost twice her age.
One reason for public outrage may be that Jenna is no ordinary celebrity. She has featured in magazines like Playboy, HotLix and Nuketspeed; all of which feature porn images. Therefore, she held a special place in the hearts of most American men whose hopes were shattered-not only to see their favorite star in a relationship, but also with a man who was clearly much older.
Even though the reason for Jenna Bentley`s fame has mostly been bikini modeling and other revealing content, she has also appeared in various television programs including Law and Order and CSI. She has also been quite active on social media.
When she was spotted at the beach with boyfriend Ben Brown,she was around 25 years old, whereas he was at least 55. This gave rise to gossip that Jenna is merely after his wealth as he was reported to be a wealthy businessman. Some even went ahead to label her as a ‘gold digger’. However, only few were of the opinion that their relationship may be based on true love which knows no boundaries.
Based on the information we have, we think that whether she is attracted towards him because of his wealth, looks or personality, it is none of our or anybody else’s business. It is her personal life and she has the liberty to make whatever choices she wants until and unless she does not violate any laws.
Should the personal lives of celebrities be open for discussion?
Imagine if your professional life was entangled with your personal life to the extent you had no privacy. If the outings you planned with your spouse, children or friends over the weekend were discussed at the office the following Monday. If pictures from your intimate gatherings were circulated and commented on. How would you feel about that?
Now put yourselves in the shoes of celebrities and public figures like Ben Brown, Jenna Bentley and others. Modelling and acting is a part of their job. We have the right to comment on their talent and the quality of their work or projects, but certainly not on what they do in their private lives. Unfortunately, most people do not understand that they are as much human and part of the society as others. They have the right to visit public places like beaches, restaurants and malls and it is perfectly normal. However, every time they are spotted somewhere, a crowd follows them, informs reporters of every move they make, who they are accompanied with, pictures are clicked (often without consent) and a perfectly normal activity of theirs becomes sensational news. Moreover, they are criticized for their choice of partners, clothes, etc. Sometimes even looks and physical features of their children are discussed with respect to the artificial standards of beauty.
Some people are of the opinion that these well-known personalities are only famous because people like and follow them. An artist won`t become a celebrity unless recognized by the public. They receive a hefty amount in monetary compensation just to provide entertainment to the masses. Therefore, the public has the right to access any interesting news about them- whether it is related to their personal or professional lives. It is what they refer to as ‘the consequences of fame’.
In our opinion, there exists a fine line between sharing news and intruding. Whereas it should be acceptable to circulate and discuss any piece of information the celebrities themselves share and acknowledge about their personal lives – on platforms such as social media, press releases and interviews, it is quite unethical to follow them around monitoring every move they make or actively ‘search’ for any hints to generate gossip. Even if the celebrity has acknowledged a certain piece of information, it is not appropriate to shame them for their choices based on looks and age of their partners, their financial worth or the company they choose.
As for Jenna Bentley and Ben Brown, who are now married, we wish them the best of luck for their future lives and would suggest them to ignore the haters and continue enjoying their lives.