When I heard the voice of the hockey dad's son on MSNBC last week, testifying in the trial that would ultimately send his daddy, Thomas Junta, to jail, I couldn't help but wonder what the repercussions would be for this kid -- who'll remember his first television appearance as "Junta's Son, 12, Takes the Stand."
Was airing his voice to millions of households necessary? It sickens me to think that this child's 15 minutes of fame were brought on by what was likely the most horrific day of his young life.
Not all press coverage of minors is as painful to watch as the hockey dad case, though. Take Annette Funicello, who donned some mouse ears and became the eternal meeska-mooska mousketeer. Child stars often profit personally and sometimes creatively -- in the case of Shirley Temple, who went on to serve her country as U.S. Ambassador to Czechoslovakia and to success as an author. There are certainly children who flourish under the glaring spotlight of fame, with solid families and their feet firmly planted on the ground.
However, many youngsters who take the stage early in life -- for whatever reason -- end up permanent 10 year olds in the eyes of the world -- or, worse, permanent has-beens. Baby Jessica is a teenager sick of her own story.
No doubt there are more fragile cherubs soaring on the horizon. I think of bespectacled Daniel Radcliffe, who landed the title role in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone at the tender age of 11, and is signed on for at least one more flight on the broomstick. If he plays Harry Potter in the remaining five installments of the billion-dollar venture, Danny becomes Mr. Potter to employers for the rest of his life.
I do not think I would have been able to handle early-onset fame or the loss of it, as a pre-teen. I do not wish to compare myself to Radcliffe, but I do wish him the best in his public voyage. And therefore, I urge the media to monitor itself carefully. There are no press laws or government controls on journalism for good reason -- the First Amendment. So, newspapers, magazines, television and the Internet take it upon themselves to develop individual policies determining what's injurious and what's exploitative.
Do not misunderstand. I believe in freedom of information. We needed to know what Junta's son said, just like we need to know if Danny's doing a good imitation of J.K. Rowling's imagination. But, did we have to hear the 12-year-old's voice strain to remember his dad killing another father? Does Radcliffe's pursed grin need to flash across every magazine cover?
I just do not want to see the blossoming Britneys and Hanson brothers turn into an infestation of Diff'rent Strokes debacles a la Gary Coleman and Dana Plato. I'm concerned about the portrayal of children in the media. I'd like to tell the MSNBC ombudsman to lay off the 12-year-old voiceovers in manslaughter trials. And I would like to tell Entertainment Tonight to pull back on the close-up shots of Danny's pores until he's grown facial hair.
I'm blown away by months of entertainment magazines and newspapers fanning me with special sections and programs on how the success of the Harry Potter franchise hinges on little Danny. No pressure, Dan. Go have fun at the movies with your friends. Just make sure you do your homework during private tutor time.
American press, you're keeping us informed at home and in Afghanistan. Thank you. Ashleigh Banfield and Paula Zahn, you are keeping us entertained too, but Junta's son and Daniel Radcliffe should not be a part of that entertainment. Leave the kids alone.
Aliya Sternstein is a senior Psychology major from Potomac, Md.
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