Deviance, sociologically, is defined as an action or a behavior that violates social norms. Because social norms changes throughout different cultures, what is known as a deviant act to one, may not be so deviant to another. “Twerking” here in the United States is not really known as a deviant act, but the same act in a different country or culture could be violating everything that they believe in. When looking up deviance and childhood stars, people like Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Amanda Bynes, Lindsay Lohan, Macaulay Culkin, etc. repeatedly came up. Whether for breaking laws like driving while impaired, or for breaking norms like twerking on live television awards, these stars continue to make an appearance through media for the worst. This causes Jane Catherine O’Connor to believe that the term, “childhood star’” has become almost synonymous with deviance (O'Connor 1). But why?
Taking Back What They Stole From Me!
Could it be that working at a young age and growing up before you actually have to has had a negative effect on these stars? Growing up and being a child is supposed to be a stressed free time, not a time of work. Most teenagers need work permits before they are even allowed to work a job, so does it seem natural to take that freedom away from a five year old, perhaps? There are stars that have even said on their own that they never really got a chance to feel like a normal person because of the fact that they had to grow up so quickly. Amanda Bynes, a former child actress on Nickelodeon and on the big screen, began acting at the age of seven. The fact that she actually began to work way before most people could have put her at a setback mentally. Tia Mowry, a childhood star from the sitcom “Sister, Sister”, and now one of the stars on her own reality show, “Tia and Tamera” stated, “You’re a child who is working. You have a job. That job is a hard job. Everybody thinks being a child star is glamorous. But when you’re on a show, you are often carrying a whole show and you know that. You have to pull it off. You have to know your lines. People are making money off of you,” (Freydkin). Maybe these stars are now picking up where they left off and behaving in somewhat “childish” ways as an attempt to gain their freedom back. There are stages that a person should go through in life to get where they need to be mentally and being a child is one of those stages. Your childhood is about learning your boundaries and finding out who you are as a person (Olga). Being that the experience to find their selves as a child was snatched from these stars, maybe they are using now to reclaim that.
Don’t Blame It On Me.
Perhaps parents are the blame for the way these former childhood stars are behaving. Sometimes parents can push their dreams onto their children and that could be the reason most of these stars started to act or sing in the first place. Parents of young stars can be pressuring, but not strict. If parents were to be more concerned with what is in the best interest of the child and be more realistic about expectations, then the children would have more of a chance when it comes to developing normally (Horrell). Strict parental limits are most important when trying to prevent post-adolescent disasters. Some psychologists think that if parents are able to keep all aspects of their child’s life under control and strict supervision, then just maybe, those kids would turn out well (Freydkin). If a child grows up with no rules all throughout their childhood life, then why would anyone expect them to begin following rules when they are teenagers or adults? I am not saying that stars should be an exception to the law, because they are people just like we are, but when it comes to rules; they could have an attitude that displays that they are above it all.
Ahem! All Eyes On Me!
Stardom does not last forever. Eventually you become old news and just somebody who used to be famous or relevant in the media. How do you transition from “Lights, Camera, Action”, to no one paying attention to you, asking you for your autograph, or following you around invading your privacy every time that you decide to step out of the house? It has to be hard. So why not go do something in the media for more attention and to get that fan base back? Maybe it could be that most childhood stars act out for attention. It could be possible that Miley is twerking for attention, Justin is drinking to be cool and in the media, Britney shaved her head for some publicity, Amanda “went crazy” as an attempt to get some camera time. No one wants to be irrelevant in an industry that they practically once owned. Some stars even go as far as to pose half-naked and increase their star power just by acting and looking “supersexy” (Marsh).
It’s Psychological
Some of this deviance from childhood stars/actors could come from the fact that they are often overprotected and pampered at a young age (Horrell). This treatment could cause a star to grow up and think that they are above the world or above the law. They do not have to do anything on their own and they do not live in the "real world", so what are laws? Maybe because of this treatment they do not even consider their actions as deviance. That is not the only psychological problem, though. Justin Bieber, a pop musician, happened to be bullied before, and even now, he became the star who he is today. Other YouTube users continuously cyberbullied Justin and left rude remarks underneath most of his videos (Martin). Could this be why Justin Bieber feels like he has some kind of point to make? Maybe he is trying to do more than appear in the media, but also show those bullies that he is not that same little kid that they can push around and say mean things about anymore. But still, there happens to more things that can affect a childhood star on a psychological level. It is said that because of what goes on within the settings of show business, child stars/actors are easily exposed to things like drugs, alcohol, and even sex at such an early age. Because of all of this, these kids are at a higher risk for becoming emotionally unstable and actually becoming drug addicts, alcoholics, and sexual abusers (Horrell).
It Is Just My Prerogative!
“This is real, this is me!” may be what these stars are saying and thinking. It is not a fact that anybody is acting deviant for money, or fame, or because of how they were raised. It could even be that they are not acting! This could be the real them. In Britney Spears' remake of Bobby Brown’s ‘My Prerogative’, she says, “Everybody’s talking all this stuff about me. Why don’t they just let me live? I don’t need permission, make my own decisions. That’s my prerogative.” The song goes to ask she can’t live her life without all of the things that people say. Maybe the things she decides to do in her pastimes, is really her. Miley Cyrus, the former star of Disney Channels Hannah Montana stated in her documentary “The Movement,” “I’ve never felt more who I am that right now.” Who is to say that all of these actions are just for show? After all, these stars were made to portray a certain image as they were growing up. They were made to be role models; they were made to be innocent singers, pop stars, sweet characters on Disney Channel, and more. Even these once sweet little stars have to grow up sometime. They change like we change. I do not believe that any of us can be the same little kid that we once were at the age of ten, when we turn twenty-one.
I Wanna Be Like You!
Childhood stars happen to be normal people too. Yes, they grew up in the lime light and they may be rich or have a better lifestyle than the rest of us, but that does not mean that we should necessarily expect more from them. Just like these stars, there are normal teenagers and adults that break the law. There are normal teenagers that get arrested for driving under the influence. There are normal teenagers that get speeding tickets. There are also normal teenagers who go out and decide to twerk. Maybe you think it is different because you are not a role model. But it is not different, we are all people and what we decide to do in our private lives is not broadcasted for the world to see. Yes, these stars knew they were giving up their privacy when they signed their separate contracts, but that is not the point. Sometimes they want to feel normal, they want to be teenagers and/or recover that time frame that they had to give up in their life for acting/singing. Not too often are any of us normal teenagers in the news for being “deviant” and there is a time when all of us decide to break away. Even if the parents of these childhood stars did teach them life lessons when growing up and happened to be strict on them in the industry, there will be a time when you stray and way and do something that maybe you usually wouldn’t do.
Let The People Be The Judge!
When I conducted a survey to see how other people felt on this topic and why these stars become deviant, I got some very interesting responses. When asked an open ended question such as, “Why do you think most celebrities become deviant?” I received answers such as for fame/attention, for freedom, because of the pressure, for money, because the stars have no one in their lives to correct them, they were robbed of a childhood, for a change, and because they are finally showing their true selves. The most famous answers from the list above include: for fame and for money. I also asked, “From the list of the following statements, which do you agree with more? Childhood stars become deviant as an attempt to get rid of an old image, celebrity deviance is a result of free time and money, celebrity deviance is just an attempt to get noticed by the media.” 33% think that it is for an attempt to get rid of the old image, 44% think that is a result of free time and money, and 22% believe that it is all done for attention (Jones). Also, like it has already been stated, when I asked for a list of names that they would consider as a deviant childhood stars, I got the same names over again; Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Justin Bieber, etc.
There are many reasons possible that childhood stars decide to act out in numerous ways as they grow older. From the outside looking in, we may think that we have the answers as to why this is happening, but only the star knows why he or she is deciding to act in however they decide to act. It could indeed be the fact that they missed out on their childhood, or their parents, for attention, psychological, or their true self. It is all in how you decide to look at the situation. I think that all of it plays a part. Different people do things for different reasons. I personally think that the number one reason is because they missed out on their chance to be a child. Other factors may also come in to play, but I do believe that the loss of their childhood is the driving force.
Have you ever wondered why most childhood stars end up so, so deviant? Why are they always in the news? Do they ever participate in any good acts, or is it all just drugs, DUI’s, breaking the law, and acting out? What could be the cause for this? Or maybe you think you already know the cause. These stars just want ATTENTION, nothing more, nothing less. They just want to stay relevant and make money off the media so they that will not go on, “forgotten”. Well, even if that is the case, I think there is more than one cause for the actions of childhood stars. Maybe it is the attention. Maybe the parents are to blame. It could be that these stars are constantly in the news for psychological reasons. Or maybe money and fame could play a part in this. We also do not stop to think that maybe these acts could be a true representation of who they really are and not the character that they were made to portray when they were younger. There are so many different things that we can blame this deviant behavior on. Who’s to say who is right and who is wrong when it comes to a subject like this?
Why Do Childhood Stars Become Deviant As They Age?
Former Hannah Montana star showing her, "grill".
Justin Bieber showing off his body full of ink.
Britney Spears performing live with a huge snake.
The many faces of former actress, Lindsay Lohan.
Little Amanda Bynes when she started acting on Nickelodeon
Miley Cyrus dressed "supersexy" as femal rapper, Lil Kim, for Halloween
Rapper Kanye West rushes in on Taylor Swifts award acceptance during the VMA's taking all of the attention off of her and her special moment and placing it on himself and singer Beyonce.
Britney Spears saying goodbye to her long locks.
Britney Spears' remake of Prerogative
Just for your viewing pleasures. THE TRANSFORMATION: From Hannah Montana to Miley Cyrus!
:)