Blog by Sean Gehon, Friday, May 11, 2007
If good help is so hard to find these days, why don’t we treat the good help we find better? For the rich and famous, allowing a complete stranger into your life can be a gamble. You don’t necessarily know this person and they don’t necessarily know or even like you. Yet you’re willing to allow them nearly complete access to your home and personal possessions. Most people would treat this person like gold, considering they may be able to leak private information, or perhaps embarrass you in front of millions of people. Sting and his wife however, seem to think that they’re too important for the little people.
Today it was announced that Sting and his wife were found guilty of sexual discrimination against their personal chef. Jane Martin worked as a personal chef for Trudie Styler and Sting for eight years. During the last of those eight years, Jane become pregnant in 2005, and after announcing her pregnancy, Jane says that the couple made her work long hours and would get angry when she took sick days.
Frankly, Trudie and Sting should consider themselves lucky that they can even afford to have a personal chef. I would love nothing more than after a long day to come home to a gourmet meal that I didn’t prepare. Famous people are lucky that they’re often able to afford luxuries you and I can only dream of having ourselves. Drivers, maids, butlers, a personal chef, hair stylists, wardrobe stylists, someone to fluff your pillow… the list could go on and on. Perhaps the most outrageous allegation from their chef was about the behaviour of Trudie Styler.
Someone needs to clue Trudie in. Trudie really needs a good talking to about the ins and outs of being a celebrity wife. Your role as a celebrity wife is to avoid the spotlight, perhaps say some supportive words about how much you love your husband and encourage him to do great things. You do not think you are as famous as your spouse, and you certainly don’t insult the staff because you think you are somehow better than they are. Just because you have money and a famous husband, doesn’t mean you get to act and behave in a manner barely becoming of a two-year old.
I’m so happy that the court ruled in favour of Jane Martin. Sometimes egos need to be placed in check, and with people who base their self-worth on their bank accounts, sometimes it’s the best place to hit them. Sting and his wife probably won’t miss the money in the grand scheme of things, but maybe it will help to bring them down a peg in their own minds. With The Police going back out on tour I have no doubt that pennies will be quickly refilling Sting's piggy bank, but will his insensitive actions towards a pregnant woman even make him feel guilty? Probably not… he’s famous, he has more important things to worry about than the feelings of someone so far beneath him.
I’ve never really been a Sting fan, nor have I ever really thought anything about him other than how anti-climactic The Police reunion was at this year’s Grammy Awards. After this recent turn of events however, I don’t think I care to hear anything more about the aging rock star. That’s the volatile world of celebrity, I guess. One minute you’re hot, one minute people are indifferent, and the next you’re going to be locked away in prison with Paris Hilton. In all honesty, I doubt this will really affect Sting or his wife in any grand or moving way, but one thing is for sure… Jane Martin is going to be able to dry her eyes with hundred dollar bills.
Sean (I think I should sue a rock star… or just become a rock star.)
