In today’s word, many of the entertainers and professional athletes who give us enjoyment are thought of as role models and gain widespread admiration.

But what happens when those celebrities make poor choices in their personal life? The fate of their careers is left in the glare of public disapproval, essentially at the mercy of their fans. This inflation of human errors is harsh, humiliating and in some cases, fatal. The fall from stardom is one thing, yet the depreciation of the lifetime of work invested in a career is another.

Recently, household names such as Chris Brown, Lil Wayne and Tim Lincecum have made among those to tarnish the ideal personalities that they once held.

Brown was accused and found guilty of brutally beating singer Rihanna, whom Brown was in a relationship with at the time. Lincecum, the star pitcher from the San Francisco Giants, was charged with possession of marijuana while driving on Oct. 30. There is also rapper Lil Wayne, who is expected to receive a one-year sentence in prison after pleading guilty in an attempted criminal possession of a weapon.

The talent possessed by these people is tremendous, and very few can boast of an equal dedication of time and effort into their trade. What they decide to do or not to do in their own time is irrelevant to the accomplishments in their career and should not be compared. After all, they provide the public with endless streams of entertainment. The least their fans could do is give them some breathing space.

In the aftermaths of each controversy, every aforementioned celebrity publicly expressed their remorse for their actions and asked for the forgiveness of their fans and the victims of their actions.

Although it’s a cliché to say, it is important to continue to acknowledge the fact that celebrities are human beings too. And as humans, they are not perfect and will make mistakes just like any other person on this planet. With being paid millions of dollars per year comes the price of being under constant criticism of the media. But that is the only difference between the same mistake made by them and a student here at Saratoga.

Personal issues should not become involved in the careers of professional entertainers. Whatever they do in their own lives should stay in their own lives; it does not need to carry over with them in front of crowds. The lives of popular entertainers should not affect how their talent and their work is judged. There is a difference between Chris Brown the singer and Chris Brown the person. What Chris Brown the person does in his spare time should have little or no effect on the career of Chris Brown the singer.

With the scrutiny placed on every star artist or athlete nowadays, even the smallest personal errors can affect the way that they are perceived by the public. Remember, celebrities are people too, so even they have emotions and make mistakes just like anyone else. After all, Chris Brown’s most recent album was one of the best of the decade! Just kidding.