Old School Scandal: At Least Tiger Isn't Madonna

For a couple decades now too many members of the American celebrity and sports class have made millions The Madonna Way: pimping their deviant behavior into fame and fortune — shoving their thug lives, drug lives, and sex lives down our throats and, unforgivably, the throats of our children. With only “at least I’m not a hypocrite” as an excuse, these irredeemables have waged a war to destroy morality, and heaven help those who complain or demand restraint, for we will mercilessly be ridiculed and demeaned as suburban hypocrites, Puritans and worse.

With that other-world talent of his, Tiger Woods could’ve decided on that route — could’ve gotten as rich as he wanted as the Dennis Rodman of golf. Instead Woods chose a quiet dignity and discipline. I’ve never watched a round of golf in my life, but that’s a quality of his I’ve always admired.

And this laudable quality was once the norm in our public figures, not the exception. People have always been people. Celebrities and stars and sports figures have always slept around and drank too much and flirted with scandal. The difference is that once upon a time being famous didn’t require the removal of the shame gene. The legends of old might not have respected themselves but at least they respected their reputations and their public and children enough to keep their personal indiscretions … personal.

Tiger most certainly deserves every bit of shame and humiliation he’s going through because it’s not one-tenth of what his disgusting behavior put his family through, especially his wife. He’s disappointed everyone who emotionally invested themselves in someone they believed to be above such sordid behavior. But in the broader context of the twisted world of celebrity we presently find ourselves in, Tiger at least kept his immorality to himself instead of demanding we accept it.

That’s something … I guess. Something enough anyway, that I’m pulling for him to rehabilitate himself into a better man.