Posted on 04/17/2006 1:07:31 PM PDT by Graybeard58
Mayvis Coyle became internationally famous by trying to cross a busy Los Angeles street. She is 82 and walks slowly with a cane. On Feb. 15, while carrying a bag of groceries, she hobbled into a crosswalk. Los Angeles police say the red "Don't Walk" sign was blinking, and she was given a $114 jaywalking ticket. Mrs. Coyle, a great-great-grandmother, insists the "Walk" signal was on when she began crossing. She intends to fight the ticket.
Since the incident, she has been besieged by camera crews and has become something of a hero on the Internet. Last week, the Ellen DeGeneres Show called to book an appearance. Mrs. Coyle never wanted the publicity and doesn't like it.
Meanwhile, in Grain Valley, Mo., Kris and Sarah Everson managed to attract a comparable degree of fame -- and ruin their lives -- by concocting a story about expecting sextuplets. The original idea, apparently, was to cash in on neighbors' generosity, only the story got out of hand, spreading to newspaper photographs and wire-service interviews.
Eventually, they received about $4,000, all of which they have given back. Mr. Everson has had to leave his job (it's unclear whether he quit or was fired), and Mrs. Everson is trying to figure out how to shed the 40 pounds she put on to further the hoax. Those are the least of their problems: on Friday, both were charged with theft.
And in Independence, Kan., 16-year-old Kelsey Stelting is facing possible juvenile charges for falsely claiming she'd been abducted at gunpoint from her family's driveway. Her bogus 911 call triggered a statewide Amber Alert, caused concerned residents to cover the town with posters and fliers, and led two churches to hold prayer vigils.
In a single day, the honor student and aspiring actress gained fame and wrecked her life.
"Reality" TV shows like "American Idol" and "Survivor" have made instant fame for ordinary people almost too easy to obtain. For some, the temptation to grab 15 minutes of the nation's or world's spotlight has become overwhelming, nearly always with unfortunate consequences.
Of the most recent batch of overnight celebrities, the only one likely to emerge unscathed is Mrs. Coyle, who only wanted to make it safely across a busy street. That has become easier of late. Though the city of Los Angeles has refused to admit it was in the wrong, the duration of the "Walk" sign at the intersection Mrs. Coyle uses has been significantly lengthened.
Meanwhile, the Eversons and Ms. Stelting are learning the hard way that there's usually no escape once fame catches those who have chased it too hard.
No mention of the numerous cases where someone cries "hate crime victim" when the "victim" fabricated the entire attack.
So, why lump Mrs. Coyle in with the dead beats? Apples and oranges.
typical liberal response to stupid behavior..blame something or someone...odd behavior's been going on for centuries
You know you're a loser when...
<< '"Quest for fame" leads to disaster' >>
Really?
From where I'm sitting sure looks like "fundamental dishonesty led to crime?"
<< So, why lump Mrs. Coyle in with the dead beats? Apples and oranges. >>
To you and me and to graybeard, it is.
But not to left-wing-fring-dwelling mass-media moral relativists, it ain't.
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