It was a cozy, intimate show with plenty of interaction between the crooner and his fans. He sang a mix of old hits such as Kiss by a Rose, Crazy and Amazing, combined with tracks off his new album Soul, (including my personal favourite, It's a Man's Man's Man's World). In my opinion, it was nice to see a show which was more about the music than all the flashy stage productions that many artists welcome with open arms.
With all that being said, this post was never meant to be a blurb for Seal's fan page, but rather a look into the lives of the rich and famous...
Upon arriving at work that night, I was introduced to Seal's PA, who told me that he would not be consuming anything that evening, except a special detox drink. In the scheme of things I've seen, heard and experienced during my time working backstage at an entertainment venue, Seal's request was a surprisingly normal one, so I didn't think much of it.
Soon after, I was sent out on a mission to find more lemons for this detox cocktail and when I returned to the dressing rooms, I found his PA elbow deep in lemon juice, with a jar of maple syrup and a bag of cayenne pepper within close proximity. I put two and two together and cautiously asked if Seal was on the same diet Beyonce made famous when trying to loose weight for her role in the film, Dreamgirls? The PA looked at me, smiled, and confirmed my assumption, but also added that now, most of Hollywood have tried the Lemon and Cayenne Pepper detox diet at one point or another.
A couple of women I know who have attempted this detox only lasted a few of days, rather than the recommended 10-14, before they began to feel the effects of no protein, no carbs and well, no food. I saw their moods change, their energy levels drop and their concentration plummet. Its not a detox for the faint hearted, but lets be honest, it's got to be a hell of a lot easier to do when you a) have an assistant to make the fiddly drinks for you; b) spend your life bouncing from a plane to a hotel room to a stage (at the most); and c) don't actually have to get up and work the standard 9-5 day in, day out.
Now, I'm not saying that celebrities don't work hard or have the same pressures and responsibilities as us ordinary folk, but there's no denying that life has to be easier when you have the funds and the help to make these 'luxury lifestyle choices' work. I mean, if I had a world class personal trainer kicking my butt every morning, followed by a chef doing my grocery shopping and preparing my meals as well as a stylist making sure I looked the part, I have no doubt I'd be fit and fabulous enough to make the cover of a popular magazine too.
I am, by admission, a lover, consumer and reader of glossy gossip magazines. I own subscriptions and I'm 'that' person at the supermarket checkout who constantly gets tempted by the bountiful display while waiting in line. I also have a journalism degree though, and fully acknowledge that most of what I read is untrue and involves little to no investigative reporting. However, despite all this, I still can't help but devour a magazine whenever I get the chance and although I take the 'facts' with a grain of salt, I'm not surprised that we are becoming a society with increasing mental health problems and unhealthy perceptions of body image.
When we see our favourite celebrities walking the red carpet or acting on screen, we've all had that moment when we think to ourselves "she's perfect!" or "I would do anything to look like her". What's terrifying however, is that these women that society considers to be some of the most beautiful in the world, are still subjected to harsh photo retouching. As if these gorgeous people aren't gorgeous enough, they're automatically propelled into the stratosphere of perfection, which is detrimental to us all because it's 100% unattainable.
You need only to look at the examples below to realise that perfection only comes with the help of computer software.
With the help of social media, we are also now more connected to our favourite celebrities than ever before. Last week Lady Gaga tweeted “Just killed back to back spin classes. Eating a salad dreaming of a cheeseburger.” with the hash tag #PopSingersDontEat.
The comment sparked outrage around the world by critics, haters and fans alike. My personal view on the matter, is that Gaga simply stated the truth in outlining the kinds of lifestyle choices and 'sacrifices' celebrities have no choice but to make. The media love to endorse a beautiful, young starlet eating a piece of chocolate cake, but in the same week are just as happy to slam her for an imperfect bikini shot.
I've heard Miley Cyrus turn down a fun size snickers bar because she was 'getting fat and needed to watch her weight' and I've seen Joel Madden encourage Nicole Richie to eat a small bowl of salad leaves during her infamously skinny days. The pressure on these women to look 'perfect' is immense, and its nice to hear people like Gaga tell it how it really is, regardless of how politically and socially sensitive it may be.
The truth of the matter is, the media combined with people like myself are the ones adding fuel to the fire. I'm intrigued by a catchy headline and attracted to a glossy editorial and if it weren't for those who consume the media's jargon, then it would be an industry in decline, rather than a rapid increase.
On a side note: At the Logie Awards a few nights ago (Australia's equivalent to the Golden Globes), comedian Hamish Blake commented on Facebook that Seal (who was on the next table) had kept his back turned to the food that night. Despite everything I mentioned above, I suppose the one thing we can all learn is that wealth can not buy will power.
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