Tiger Woods: A Desperate Call For Privacy From The Man Who Made Money From Being A Role Model
TIGER Woods’ plea for privacy and his attempt to divert attention from himself to the tabloids have backfired. A pompous and otherworldly Woods – “a spoiled Venetian princess” – wants us to see the “tabloid scrutiny” and sympathise with him.
He wants us to understand that “there is an important and deep principle at stake which is the right to some simple, human measure of privacy”.
Principles? Yeah, really. Woods is not just a golfer. Woods is a brand. He does not play golf and disappear. He creates an image of being clean and trusting. You buy into the brand and Woods gets richer. It was Woods who said:
“I think it’s an honour to be a role model”
The phrase “role model” is the marketing buzz phrase that is now chucked about like is actually means something.
I was once on Sky News to talk about the tabloid press and Kate Moss. Chatter turned to her drug taking and how as a “role model” she had let her fans down. My opinion was that she was not a role model, just a model. And if you want to snort anthrax, or whatever she was doing in that recording studio, you do so as your own risk – and if you think you look as good as Moss while sniffing, dream on.
Moss never said she was a role model. But Woods uses the phrase. He embraces it. And then when his image is tarnished and the man behind the myth is exposed he demands privacy. Even his huge yacht is called “Privacy”.
So here’s Tiger Woods on the cover of the National Enquirer, the magazine that linked him to Rachel Uchitel, who dismissed it as nonsense. There is front-page talk of “hotel hook ups”, “Dirty texts” and a “Secret Double Life Exposed”.
It’ lurid. It’s prurient. It’s trashy. And it’s true. Image.
Posted: 9th, December 2009 | In: Reviews Comment (1) | TrackBack | Permalink
