He was kid who had it all – literally. He had the money, the big house (many actually), a truckload of talent, insanely expensive rides, platinum records, one sizzling hot equally successful girlfriend and he had them all before he even turned 20. Come on his 18th birthday was actually featured in Vh1 as a one hour special. His birthday was special. Chris and Rihanna lived the charmed life. They were young, hip, successful and insanely in love and from outside their life was the perfect fairytale. The problem is the world still believes that fairytales are true.
I confess that I am obsessed with gossip mags. I literally scrounge through every piece of “news” I find on Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Jennifer Aniston… I even keep tabs on not really celebrities like Nicole Richie and the Kardashian sisters (don’t know who they are… we I do. That is how much obsessed I am unfortunately). So it is suffice to say that my eyes were more than once drawn towards the life that was seemingly led by Chris Brown and Rihanna. He was dashing… she pretty. He danced like Michael Jackson, she sang “Umbrella… ella ella”. They splashed around in the beaches of Barbados one day and in the next they were shacking it up in style in Ritz, London. I was jealous. Jealous of the fact these kids who were my age were living the life that I probably would never have (I mean sure I sing in the bathroom once in a while but I highly doubt that would transform itself into a Grammy winning career).
But then one day this crazy thing happened. This wonderful catalogue of these beautiful fairy tale pictures suddenly went sour. On the night of the Grammy’s, Rihanna was found weeping and screaming hysterically in her car. She had been badly beaten up. Chris Brown, her perfect boyfriend had beaten her up. Cinderella had been beaten down to cinders by her Prince Charming and the world was stunned. Suddenly there was too much of reality in the gossips rags.
The world was stunned because it suddenly realized that a woman as successful as Rihanna, was just a girl… standing in front of a boy… who had beaten her up. Brown went into seclusion as did Rihanna. Everyone but the concerned parties had an opinion to give. Six months has passed. Brown has been given probation and no jail time. Again, I have started seeing them in the pictures. She looks happy going to parties and launches. He looks sorry but content and ready to move on. In fact he is already doing damage control by going on every talk show that would have him. I read the interviews and they are so surreal. Brown talks about how his step father beat up his mom and abused him as well. He speaks about he still loves Rihanna. He speaks about how sorry he is and how that incident was very “out of character”. And then he starts talking about his next album. By the time I finish the article I feel a little sick in my stomach. As a human being I am offended… as I girl I resist the urge to put my hands into the article and somehow strangle the man who doesn’t really seem to shoulder the responsibility. Not only does he handily chock some of the blame to his stepfather… he is pimping his next album! These are the times I truly detest Freud. Because before there was Freud, there was no one to tell the world that all their “issues” stemmed from bad parenting.
When the Indian Domestic Violent act was amended in 2002, it was criticized by some parties that it seemed to cater only to women. Then one judge came out and justified unfortunately in this world that most domestic cases do happen against women. And this case with Rihanna makes us realize that domestic violence doesn’t simply contain itself to the lower or middle classes… it is everywhere. And it is usually (not always) the woman. Chris Brown can apologize till his face turns blue but does that mean the public should let him get away with this and forgive him? If his next album sells, then in another level we the public are actually condoning this horrendous activity. We are saying “It is ok to beat up a girl as long as you turn up on Larry King and talk about your daddy issues”. Well I say it is not ok. I say you drag that man child to a proper counseling center and keep him locked there for a loooong while until he is able to accept the responsibility. And then we can talk about forgiveness. As for Rihanna, I hope she comes out of this stronger than ever. And I hope she remains a symbol for every girl out there whose significant other abuses her – physically or verbally. But even if Brown truly repents and learns, I would still not buy his album… it would have blood on it – Rihanna’s.
The Author Aishwariya is an aspiring journalist who is currently doing her masters in journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication in Pune. She has already done her graduation from journalism from MOP Vaishnav College for Women in Chennai. She loves cricket, books and The Hindu. In her spare time she likes to laze around or talk incessantly about American Idol, politics, sensex, cricket and Harry Potter. She also sometimes writes – about American Idol, politics, Sensex, cricket and Harry Potter.
hey chris why did you do that to rihanna i use to be a big fan but im not so sure about it now i now im a big fan of rihanna i use to be a big huge fan of yours but im not sure about now!!!!
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