Why I'm Glad I Never Made It to Hollywood

When I was a little girl, I always wanted to be famous. Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe were my heroes. I loved the glitz and the glamor of it all. When I would sit down to watch the Academy Awards every year, I would always think about how wonderful and worry-free my life would be. I would make more money than most make in a single lifetime, which would mean that I would have a great house and I could take care of my family. I would get dressed up in beautiful clothes and wear the best make up money could buy. EVERYONE would love me. Life couldn't get any better than this? Right?.... Now that I am older and a lot less naïve, I have come to realize that this lifestyle has its perks, no question about that; but as soon as I started to discover the dark side of Hollywood, this is why I pray that I will never make it to Tinsel town.

The drug culture in Hollywood is never-ending.

The drug culture in Hollywood has always been a vicious and never ending epidemic for a lot of celebrities who have fallen under the spell of a drug addiction. For many, drug abuse has ended the careers of many talented artists of our time. Sadly, many have died as a result of a drug overdose. When you become famous, you are rewarded with preferential treatment so automatically. As a celebrity, you begin to feel as though you are entitled to doing things that normal, average people would get arrested for. For example, when you get invited to all of the A-list parties that are in full swing in and around Hollywood, there are probably more than enough drugs to pick and choose from. There's probably more opioids and pharmaceutical drugs than you would see at any RAVE. Not to mention there's probably plenty of vials of cocaine being handed out like candy at a kid's birthday party. Celebrities get so caught up in their own fame, they forget that they are human beings which is why they end up leaving Hollywood due to the stress the drugs take on their bodies or they die.

Stalkers

When you are famous, the general public becomes so facinated and fixated on you that they forget that celebrities are human beings. In a lot of cases there are a lot of very dangerous fans out there who will go to bizarre lengths to get close. A lot of them become so obsessed with a celebrity that they will go well beyond just writing a letter or following you on Facebook and Twitter. This is why so many celebrities carry guns and have round the clock body guards. Next time you see a star nearby, keep a safe distance. Everyone will be happy that you did. The stress of the constant harassment of fans can also lead to drug addiction.

Body Image

Especially if you are female, being under the constant scrutiny of fashion photographers and the general public can be very daunting. This is another reason why celebrities often fall prey to drug addiction. For example, if a female actress shows up for an audition and her measurements are not that of a runway model, or if she has really bad skin, she will be looking for another job. The idea of "perfection" that Hollywood wants to sell is not always possible because our bodies are constantly changing. It's a fact of life whether you are famous or not. I love to eat and drink red wine. This is why I pray I will never make it to Hollywood.

Privacy can be very costly.

Privacy is a rare commodity that comes with being famous, even though it should not be. This is why, when you are famous, privacy can be very expensive. A home way up in the hills can easily fetch millions of dollars. Maintaining these houses are not cheap either. This is why a lot of celebrities have serious money problems later on in their career. Legal woes, divorces, public spats with the press can lead to bankruptcy very quickly. These are just a few reasons why I am glad that I am not famous. You should be, too. Fame and fortune can get very ugly and scary, even for the most tough-minded and grounded individuals.