Dexter’s right to privacy
"Dexter" star Michael C. Hall at the Golden Globes.
At the recent Golden Globes award ceremony, it emerged that actor Michael C. Hall, who won his first Golden Globe for his TV role of “Dexter, has been undergoing treatment for cancer. Hall revealed that he was in remission from Hodgkin’s lymphoma before the ceremony, so reporters were on stand-by to get the scoop on his health.
But Hall wasn’t ready to satisfy the voyeuristic appetites of the reporters. They and we the public have become used to an access all areas policy on celebrity lives. The screening of Farrah’s Story last year gave us an intimate portrait of a celebrity “battling cancer”, but Hall has “disappointed” the press with his “unusual” desire to keep his health private.
Reporters both on and off line were reduced to writing copy along the lines of the following from the Huffington Post:
A hat pulled over his head, Hall thanked his wife in his speech as he teared up. In the press room afterward, reporters couldn’t help but ask after his health. E!’s Ted Casablanca asked first, and Hall said, “I had every intention of keeping it quiet, but because the award shows were imminent, I thought I’d make a statement.”
I admire Hall’s decision. His health is private and should remain so, if that is his wish. Later he may decide to talk about it publicly but his wishes for now should be respected. I often think of the huge pressure on celebrities when facing an illness such as cancer, to be a poster guy or girl for the disease. If we as “ordinary” folk feel pressure to show the “brave, battling face of cancer” to the outside world, what must it be like for those in the public eye!
I have great respect for those who choose to use their cancer experience to become advocates – I’m thinking of Lance Armstrong, Sheryl Crow, Christina Applegate, Melissa Etheridge, Cynthia Nixon among others – but equally I respect the decision of those to keep this experience private. We are all on our own paths to wellness.
I absolutely agree with everything you’ve written here. Of course the guy deserves to have his privacy respected. The media were like vultures waiting for his to offer himself up on a plate to them!
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Well said!
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I hope he continues to do well – I love Dexter the TV show – he is a fine actor
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It was a shock to hear he has cancer and i wish him all the best
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It must be so difficult to have your health under this kind of scrutiny – bad enough to undergo the stares while I am out shopping wearing my scarves!
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Oh you are spot on with this post today. I was actually thinking the very same thing when I read the entertainment reporters trying to scrabble around to make something of this story!
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I love this TV show – was sad to hear he had cancer.
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Kylie Minogue is another celeb who chose to keep her breast cancer very private
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I hated the intrusive questions of people when I was diagnosed with cancer – so I can imagine how this is magnified for a celebrity!
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I know we say that celebrities give up their right to privacy when they are in the public eye but this guy as far as I can tell has never courted publicity so this seems in keeping with his style and he should be left alone to get well
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I get angry when I read those lazy cliched phrases – battling cancer – suffering from cancer – he will fight it etc. Yet again, the journos trotted out those phrases when writing about Hall. Arrgh – it makes me so mad!!
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I agree with you about his right to privacy but I also think it’s wonderful when celebrities use the power they have to bring awareness to an issue. I think perhaps they have even more of the “obligation of the cured” to borrow Lance Armstrong’s phrase than the rest of the public.
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It is such a personal journey and so different for each of us. He has the right to travel his own path. I wish him well.
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It’s a touchy subject I think. No one wants to ignore the 500 lb gorilla in the room…but they’re uneasy asking sometimes too. (I’m not talking about celebs. I’m talking about a every-day people who have cancer.)
I think it’s part of the “job.” Or so it’s become that way. I wasn’t alive when Hollywood kept things under wraps and people were content to see only the positive, god-like lives that were crafted for the likes of Humphrey Bogart and Jimmy Stewart. We feel the right to know details about these people’s lives…and I haven’t quite figured out why that is.
Anyway…I don’t know that asking is so out of line. I know people in cancer houses want things to be as normal as can be…but it’s “news” to outsiders…the same way little Jimmy getting his tonsils out is.
I’m not so much commenting on this particular post as I am the unwritten rules of engagement that are accepted by the media and the public. We have a “right” to know every detail about Tiger Woods…but not the same right when it comes to something like cancer.
I don’t think we have a right to either. It’s up to us to take the lead of the individual. If someone wants to share details…fine. We can listen or not. But if someone wants to remain private…even if it’s an affair…we should respect that too.
The only thing I know of this is what you’ve written here…and it sounds like the media is respecting his wish to keep it mostly to himself and his family. I don’t think asking is a problem. Prying after a polite, “I’d rather not talk about it.” That’s another story. (And we’ve all been there. Ever have the, “It helps to talk about it. You don’t have to keep inside.”? I hated that. As if they knew better than my wife and me what we needed to share.)
Sorry this is so long. You have such a great blog…and I hope I don’t come off as contrary. It’s not my intention.
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never though he have cancer. wish him all the luck in the world
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I too agree that no one has the right to know everything about every single little detail of lives dealing with cancer or anything else be it celebs or ourselves or friends or famly. When my dad was battling cancer, it did not help, let me repeat, it did not help, to discuss the topic. It was way to personal. I often wondered why people just never asked, “so how is it going this moment?”. Cancer is in fact a moment by moment issue. Human compassion is lost in human curosity.
I personally do not care about celebrities, who is cheating on who, or where they have been and how many children they have adopted from countries other than the United States. In my book, they are just 1 act under the circus. However, the rest of world will disagree. Where were the celebs when my dad was suffering, they did not care and could care less about anyone outside their little circle of friends. Suddenly the world stops when one of those misfits is diagnosed. My mind will wonder to all the thousands of little no one really knows their names, with the exception of their families, that has that same slap in the face. Their world STOPS and a different world begins to spin almost out of control.
This draws us to this conclusion -> WE and we alone make the difference in the battle of cancer. Unless each one of us that has been affected by that damn ugly word, then nothing else will matter. I have done my part, I work on any committee, have even did a 24 hour marathon to raise funds for research. It is not up to the celebs. it’s up to us. I can ony challenge everyone to take an active part to raise funds for research. Believe me, there are a millions organization out there you can reach out to.
Cancer is in our world. It will affect millions of women, men, children and very tiny infants. I have friends who just lost their 2 year old daughter to cancer last week. Last year alone there were 2 young girls, 2 teenagers, 2 men and 2 women, that lost their lives to cancer. That is just in my nanomicroscopic part of the world.
Instead of waiting on our misfit celebs to raise awareness, do it yourselves along with friends and families. It is US joined together that makes the difference.
I do not believe we have the right to interrogate -> that’s police work. If you want to pry, find an organization that helps to raise funding for cancer research and start prying and making a difference in our world.
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