I am very fortunate to have served on cultural organizations here. Considering I’ve been away from India for vastly more years, there is definitely a noticeable disconnect in my mannerisms. Simple courtesies that I was taught especially for celebrities seemed to have vanished. I mention celebrities in terms of those that are associated with acting in cinema or their inheritance for being part of families whose heads have been holding onto patriarchal legacies or those who’ve made a niche for themselves because of their connections and some talent. I am not including the other diaspora associated with cinema because somehow I still seem to revere those fine arts.
Nearly half a year ago, I had the rare opportunity of interacting with two despicable such and their managers. At the onset of the assignment I was thrilled imagining I could network and partake in their philanthropic efforts one way or another. It was exhilarating to have been interacting with them for the first time in my life. Otherwise, I am not that kind of a fangirl that is gaga over their sneeze or twerk. This seemed like an opportunity at a different level especially now that I understand the impact of brand on community enhancement efforts especially at the grassroot level.
Alas! They were not what I had imagined. I was stunned beyond wits on how undervalued someone like me and other committee chairs would be for them. They assumed that we were dispensable labor dedicated to their whims and fancies. That they could just instruct anything and we’d bend backwards to please. While one manager ordered around drastic updates to the visuals at the conference few hours before start, another left ridiculous tens of voice notes asking to be served one on one in his hotel room. Everything they demanded was so beyond comprehension that I wondered if they even belonged to this planet. Perhaps not.
The sham that comes with some celebrities, and please note I don’t mean all, is unfathomable. Nothing that is shown on the screen is worthy of believing. You’d never know when someone claims to be a vegan but orders Wagyu steak in secrecy. Few of the many things that were ludicrous with these celebrities and managers, was their audacity to skip on program commitments if the crowd was lean and ask for ‘mobs’ to throng on them when they arrive at the venue. And they wanted only the opposite gender and younger crowd. One thought that she was so esteemed that she wanted highly accomplished panelists who are self-made billionaires to get off the stage if she were to speak.
At one point I had to make it obvious on how successful each one of us here is, our self-made legacies and a certain unparalleled individuality that they could never achieve even if they tried. One’s manager asked to me stand up in reverence when ‘madam’ walked in and I refused, much to his dismay. My respect is meant to be earned. I just couldn’t overlook her snobbishness and how she made me feel. When I went to receive this ‘diva’ at the airport, she shoved the bouquet because her VIP protocol couldn’t take effect. Systems were down that day and everyone had to pass through the same immigration lines. Even when help was offered, she refused.
Not only was this one a racist but openly asked for a ‘local white chauffeur’ and not the conference provided Desi! Despite our best effort to provide a luxury vehicle for their joyrides, thousands of dollars were wasted in hiring an additional vehicle from the concierge. I pray to God that some day these dimwits experience hardships just for a day. Throwing celebrity tantrums is one thing but to display innate disrespect for fellow Indians especially those that are not a penny less than them is blasphemy!
I don’t know how many read my post but it is my earnest request to all cultural organizations in the United State to stop this craze of bringing moronic celebrities to grace our events. And especially those who have forgotten basic respect. When we have abundant unsung heroes around us in the fields of education, literature, music, and dance, why should we degrade ourselves by signing up for this insanity. Heck, we even have our so called local beauty queens and influencers who are much tolerable than these fake biggies. Let’s remind ourselves why we came to this country in the first place. Enough is enough!!
QUOTIDIAN BLESSING 