Lagi-lagi Facebook jejaring sosial dunia maya yang sangat populer itu kini menjadi media yang disalahgunakan oleh penggunanya, seperti diberitakan di beberapa media masih beberapa hari terakhir ini. Seorang remaja putri beranjak dewasa alias ABG yang memiliki kenalan lewat FB ini dengan seorang remaja pria melakukan kopdar alias kopi darat (janjian ketemu di dunia nyata) dan akhirnya, yang lebih menghebohkan adalah pengakuan keduanya bahwa selama mereka kopdar dimana sempat menghilang dari pengetahuan orang tua mereka kedua remaja itu akhirnya melakukan hubungan badan layaknya suami istri hingga 3 kali. Sungguh membuat miris mendengarnya.

Para orang tua harus begitu mengerti seberapa berpengaruh dampak negatif dari internet dan pergaulan bebas pada anaknya

Adapun kronogis kejadian tragis dan membuat kita semua tercengang itu sebagai berikut:

Semakin banyak deretan korban jejaring sosial berjatuhan, beberapa waktu lalu jaringan prostitusi yang menggunakan Facebook sebagai media menawarkan diri telah dibongkar, sekarang remaja belia juga menjadi korban lagi, akankah korban korban dampak negatif dari Facebook berjatuhan dimasa masa mendatang?

Haruskah semakin banyak lagi percecokan dan perceraian rumah tangga terjadi dipicu hubungan sosial via facebook yang disalahgunakan semakin banyak jumlahnya? tentunya hal ini dilema, karena kunci utamanya adalah para pelaku itu sendiri, meminjam istilah dua sisi pisau tajam, disatu sisi bisa begitu bermanfaat di sisi lain bisa menjadi pembunuh.

Seberapa pentingkah menggunakan Facebook dan jejaring sosial bagi kehidupan Anda?

sumber: http://ruanghati.com/2010/02/10/hanya-berbekal-facebook-bisa-setubuhi-gadis-model-abg-14-tahun/

The Broadway stage has always been a place where the freedom of expression runs wild. Some shows push the limits of what is acceptable in the theater and in society in general. This is a list of shows that went for it with complete disregard of the boundaries they were breaking. Some clips are from the movie version of the Broadway show because quality clips couldn’t be found from the actual Broadway show.

10. The Full Monty

Adapted from the 1997 film of the same name, The Full Monty tells the tale of six unemployed steel workers from Buffalo who desperately decide to present a strip act at a local club for cash. With a let it go attitude the show deals with desperation, suicide, homosexuality and obvious nudity but it is also an uplifting story whose characters will stick with you forever. Each of the men deals with different problems, besides debt and their insecurities over their bodies. The Full Monty debuted on Broadway on October 26, 2000 and has since been revived across the globe, from North America to Asia and everywhere in between. The original production was nominated for nine Tony awards, however it didn’t win any.

9. Avenue Q

Best described as a fusion between Sesame Street and Rent, Avenue Q covers racism, sex, drugs, gay relationships and an addiction to internet pornography. Moving to New York, Princeton finds an apartment on the fictional Avenue Q where he meets neighbors, Kate Monster (a single kindergarten teacher), Nicky and Rod (two roommates), Brian (an unemployed comedian), Christmas Eve (Brian’s Japanese American fiancee) Trekkie Monster (an internet porn addict) and apartment superintendent Gary Coleman (yes child star Gary Coleman). Avenue Q opened off-Broadway in March 2003 and moved to Broadway four months later in July. The show went on to win four of its six Tony nominations (Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score and Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical for Stephanie D’Abruzzo).

8. Victor/Victoria

Based on the 1982 film of the same name, Victor/Victoria tells the story of female singer Victoria who disguises herself as a man named Victor whose cabaret show is as a female impersonator, Victoria (that’s right a woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman). Her scheme is working too until the title character (played by Julie Andrews) becomes the object of gangster King Marchan’s affection. Victor/Victoria unapologetically deals with the concept of sexual identity but more importantly its about being able to accept people for who they are. Victor/Victoria opened on Broadway on October 25, 1995 at the Marquis Theater. When Andrews was given the show’s only Tony nomination, she turned the honor down by saying that she would “stand instead with the egregiously overlooked” and refused to perform at the awards.

7. The Rocky Horror Show

Starting in London’s West End in 1973, The Rocky Horror Show has gone on to have a cult following everywhere. The show is about a conservative couple, Brad and Janet, who after a little car trouble find themselves in the castle of mad scientist, sweet transvestite Frank N Furter, surrounded by bikers who are actually space aliens. It is a show of strange characters and overt sexuality where the audience is encouraged to participate (with call backs and by throwing certain things onto the stage although this has recently been discouraged by some theaters)and some even come dressed up (usually in fishnets and leather). The Rocky Horror Show made its Broadway debut on March 10, 1975, the same year that The Rocky Horror Picture Show (the film version) was released. The Rocky Horror Show has since taken to the stage throughout North America, Australia and Europe, including revivals in both Broadway and West End theaters.

6. Cabaret

Set in 1930s Germany (when the Nazis were just coming into power) Cabaret shines a spotlight on the goings on at the seedy Kit Kat Klub. Of particular interest to the plot is English cabaret performer Sally Bowles who finds herself in love with American writer Cliff Bradshaw. Another integral relationship is that of German landlady Fraulein Schneider and Jewish fruit vendor Herr Shultz.The show is masterfully presided over by the Master of Ceremonies who acts as an unending metaphor for the societal values of Weimar Germany. The escapism and hedonism of the time is dotted with social and political commentary. Cabaret made its Broadway debut on November 20, 1966 and has since been revived both in Broadway and West End theaters. The original production went on to win eight out of eleven Tony nominations.

5. West Side Story

At a time when street gangs were just newly making headlines, West Side Story retold Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet substituting rival gangs for the noble families of the original. The show revolves around two gangs The Jets (American) and the Sharks (Puerto Rican) who are fighting turf wars in New York City’s West Side. At the center of these two groups of rivals is Maria (the sister of Bernardo, leader of the Sharks) and Tony (one of the founding members of the Jets) who meet at a dance and fall in love(interracial relationships were not common when the show debuted thus breaking boundaries). There was also some controversy over whether the score was too operatic and the dance sequences too long for Broadway and some early critics even called the staging impossible. But Bernstein, Sondheim, Robbins and Laurents persisted and West Side Story opened on Broadway on September 26, 1957 to great critical and commercial success. The original production won two out of five Tony nominations (Best Choreographer for Jerome Robbins and Best Scenic Designer for Oliver Smith). It has since been made into a film in 1961 (which won ten Oscars) and countless international revivals including four on Broadway.

4. Rent

Based on Giacomo Puccini’s opera La Boheme, Rent chronicles a year in the lives of a group of bohemians in New York’s East Village. At a time when there were all kinds of preconceptions about AIDS, Rent broke them with the characters’ hope and zest for life. Also central to the plot is drug addiction, homosexuality, poverty and the usual relationship struggles that glue the piece together. Created by Jonathan Larson in the 90s, (started as a workshop in 1993 and was shown off-Broadway in 1994 before making its Broadway debut in 1996 at the Nederland Theater) Rent gained a cult following of super fans called Rent-heads. Larson died of an aortic aneurysm on January 25, 1996 the day of the final dress rehearsal, and never got to see Rent become an overwhelming success. Rent went on to garner an astonishing ten Tony nominations, four of which it won (Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score and Best Performance by a Feature Actor in a Musical for Wilson Jermaine Heredia’s portrayal of drag queen Angel Dumott Schunaud). Rent was later made into a film in 2005 for those who were unable to come see it in New York.

3. Spring Awakening

Spring Awakening is centered around the sexual and life discovery of a group of teenagers in 1890’s Germany whose parents oppress any communication about sex. Spring Awakening is ripe with vivid portrayals of sex, masturbation, rape, abortion, suicide and child abuse. With a strong alternative rock and folk fusion the score achieves greatness in songs wrought with sexuality and life lessons such as The Bitch of Living, Mama Who Bore Me, I Believe and Totally Fucked. Spring Awakening began off-Broadway in May 2006 and opened on Broadway in December of the same year. Since then it has staged all across the world, and Warner Brothers has shown an interest in making it into a feature film.

2. Equus

Inspired by a news story he heard about a boy who blinded six horses, Peter Schaffer set out to examine what might have caused it without digging into the actual crime. The result is a play that touches on religious sacrifice and the conflict between personal beliefs and societal norms. Equus mostly takes place in the office of Dr. Martin Dysart as he tries to hunt down the causes of Alan Strang’s repressed memories and perversion for horses. Alan in his childhood skewed the societal views of sex and worship into his own religion where he finds God through naked midnight rides with his horse. Frustration over his growing arousal for ranch hand Jill Mason (which he believes is infidelity) leads to the violent act that fuels the story. The original production earned the Tony for Best Play and a Drama Desk award for Outstanding Foreign Play. Equus was originally staged in London in 1973 and made its Broadway debut in 1974. It was made into a film in 1977 and was revived in 2007 in London and 2009 on Broadway starring Harry Potter’s Daniel Radcliff and Richard Griffiths.

1. Hair

In the height of the anti-Vietnam War movement, hippie counter culture and a sexual revolution, Hair broke down the boundaries of racial integration, sexuality and political rebellion in the late 1960s. Hair is about a tribe of long-haired hippies fighting conscription to the Vietnam War and navigating through a world of racial inequality, drugs, homosexuality and poverty. At the heart of the group is Claude a somewhat bewildered hippie who struggles with the decision to either burn his draft card like his friends or to give into his responsibility as an American and go off to fight. He chooses the latter, is killed and mourned by his friends. Hair debuted off-Broadway in October 1967 and six months later moved to Broadway. It was made into a movie in 1979 and has been staged a myriad of times across the globe, including two Broadway revivals (1977 and 2009). The original production was nominated for two Tony awards (Best Musical and Best Director), but lost both to 1776.

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We’ve all had to deal with the coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes, a rash or some other skin irritation, and maybe even hives. And for what? Usually do to some substance that our body is allergic to, causing annoying and sometimes painful symptoms.

It’s safe to say that most people are allergic to something. Whether it be pet dander, dust, chocolate, or that lovely yellow powdery substance we like to call pollen, most people have to deal with being allergic to one thing or another. Being allergic to dust or pollen or certain types of foods seems common these days, but can you imagine being allergic to something else? Say…the sun? Here’s a list of the top ten oddest allergies.

10. Wood

Wood allergies can definitely be troublesome. While people are allergic to certain types of wood or sawdust, there are cases when people are allergic to any type of wood in many types of forms, whether it is dust or solid. Along with wood allergies comes the fact that you can’t touch paper, use a pencil, or be a lumberjack! The allergy can be so strong that it can cause the skin to look as if it was burned. In most cases wood allergies cause skin irritation, coughing, sneezing, and hives.

9. Plastic

In today’s world, I can’t imagine being allergic to plastic. As more everyday items are being turned into plastic items in order to be recycled, being allergic to plastic definitely has to be a hassle. Having plastic dermatitis means no drinking from water bottles, no Tupperware, certain types of glasses can’t be worn, no credit cards, or even plastic utensils. This allergy usually causes skin irritation such as a rash, swelling, redness, or itching.

8. Nickel – Nickel dermatitis

Nickel dermatitis is said to affect about 1% of the population today. While not a rare allergy, this allergy has become more widely known as the use of cell phones and other technical gadgets has skyrocketed. As more people use cell phones and iPods, there are more cases of nickel allergies popping up throughout the world. An allergy to nickel can make life hard, as many everyday items usually contain it. For instance, coins, jewelry, certain types of clothing, scissors, kitchen utensils, and even metal chairs.

7. Caffeine

Caffeine intolerance is a pretty common ailment. However, there are people that cannot ingest the smallest amount of caffeine without having to deal with life threatening allergic reactions. We all know caffeine to be the wonder drug when we need a little energy boost during the day. Those allergic to caffeine can experience delusions, anxiety attacks, hallucinations, muscle jerks, rashes, hives, heart palpitations, and blurry vision. Some even experience seizures which can be deadly.

6. Kissing

Sometimes a kiss isn’t just a kiss. This is exactly the case for those who are said to be allergic to kissing. No we’re not talking about a dwindling marriage either. Though this allergy doesn’t mean one is allergic to another’s lips or…tongue, the person who suffers from this allergy is usually one with a severe food or medicinal allergy. Because of the close contact and sharing of saliva, food particles or particles from medicine can be left in the mouth, causing an allergic reaction in some.

5. Computers – Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity

Allergies to computers seems almost impossible these days, and even more impossible to imagine. However, computer users have complained or nasal congestion, sneezing, itching, and even headaches after using the computer. Studies have found that computer monitors and other parts contain a chemical called triphenyl phosphate, which is used as a flame retardant. Fortunately, levels of the chemical usually decrease after the computer is used for a longer amount of time.

4. Exercise – Anaphylaxis

You’ve probably heard someone joke and say that they are allergic to exercise out of the mere cost of being funny and probably lazy. However, there is in fact a real allergy that makes some allergic to exercising. Only 1,000 people are said to have the allergy. Called exercise-induced anaphylaxis, this allergy is only noticed after someone eats a certain type of food, say peanuts, and goes to exercise. That person can easily eat peanuts without having a reaction, but when exercise is added, the person may experience fainting, vomiting and difficulty breathing.

3. Cold – Familial Cold Autoinflammatory Syndrome

Not many people love being in the cold, but imagine being allergic to it. Known as familial cold autoinflammatory syndrome (FCAS) or simply cold urticaria, this allergy is caused by cold temperatures. The cold weather will trigger the body to release histamine in the skin which causes rashes, hives, redness, and swelling. This condition can be deadly, especially if undiagnosed, as most people may at times swim in a cold pool or take a cool shower. Both of these can cause the body to go into shock.

2. Sun – Erythropoietic Protoporphyria

It is very rare that people are allergic to the sun, but the allergy does exist. It is said that only 300 people in the world are allergic to the sun. It’s medically known as solar urticaria. There is also a more serious condition known as erythropoietic protoporphyria. When exposed to direct sunlight, the immune system activates inflammatory cells that are within the skin. Most people allergic to the sun are told to limit their exposure and to wear sun block. Others need to wear special clothing or avoid the sun at all costs.

1. Water – Aquagenic Urticaria

Known as aquagenic urticaria, this condition is said to only affect one out of every 23 million people in the world. Being allergic to water is extremely rare, and most that are allergic to it are confined to their homes. Being allergic to water means being allergic to sweat as well as tears, and even allergic to foods that contain water, such as juices, tea, and coffee. This means that bathing and showering are extremely difficult. The person is hypersensitive to the ions found in non-distilled water, so most have to be very careful when drinking water, or they drink non-distilled water. Here is an article from an actual case of aquagenic urticaria.

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They had it all…beauty, fame, talent…but Fate was not kind. Through their own self-destructive tendencies, or simply cruel luck, they ended up as fallen angels, part of Hollywood’s dark legend.

10. Jayne Mansfield

Jayne Mansfield was one of Hollywood’s quintessential blonde bombshells: her hourglass figure and platinum hair were her main selling points, despite a genius-level I.Q. Her career soared during the Fifties: by the end of the decade, however, her star was already in decline. No longer under contract to 20th Century Fox, she was reduced to accepting roles in low-budget European films and doing television to stay employed.

She married three times and had five children: her daughter, Mariska Hargitay, with bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay, now plays Olivia Benson on Law and Order: SVU.

Jayne never stopped trying to keep her profile high in Hollywood, performing in nightclub acts, living in an extravagant, candy-pink mansion, and staging a series of publicity stunts throughout her life, primarily by exposing her breasts in public, most notably at a special dinner held in Sophia Loren’s honor. Jayne also briefly aligned herself with the charlatan Anton LeVey, leader of the International Church of Satan, with whom she posed in photo shoots.

When Mansfield was killed in a car accident, on a dark June night in 1967, on a foggy road near a Louisiana swamp, the top portion of her scalp was sliced off as the convertible she was a passenger in slid under a tractor-trailer: three of her children were in the back seat, miraculously unharmed. In a show of shameless self-promotion, LeVey tried to take credit for her death, claiming it was the result of a “curse”: rumors of Jayne’s decapitation were as overblown as her alleged connection to the Church of Satan.

9. Judy Garland

Judy was a mercurial talent who was pushed from a very young age to earn her keep by singing, dancing, and performing. She was the standout in her musical family, and she toured America doing Vaudeville with her sisters, until her mother saw greater possibilities, and delivered her into the hands of Hollywood’s studio system. Judy’s childhood was marked with poverty, and the stigma of having a homosexual father: rumors about her father’s sexual activities were extremely painful to the young girl.

Judy’s mother was a classic stage mother, enjoying the attention and perks that came from being a part of her daughter’s entourage: Judy eventually rebelled against her controlling nature.

While still living under her mother’s watchful gaze, she signed with MGM, who asked a great deal of the teenage girl. MGM deserves some credit for their role in the destruction of this sensitive, high-strung performer. She turned to pills for the first time after they were “prescribed” to her by Studio doctors: they were meant to slim her down for the silver screen. She appeared in the Wizard of Oz in 1939: after fifteen years of toil, she was finally able to end her contract with MGM. Judy went on to play legendary concerts at Carnegie Hall and other venues.

Her childhood insecurities continued to haunt her as she aged, plunging her further into drug abuse: Judy also struggled with debt, failed relationships, and a tarnished reputation in the industry. After several unsuccessful suicide attempts, Judy overdosed and died at age forty-seven, leaving behind two daughters, Liza Minelli and Lorna Luft.

8. Bob Crane

This actor rose to fame when he was cast as Colonel Robert E. Hogan on Hogan’s Heroes. He began his career as a musician and disc jockey: his popularity as a radio host at WICC in Bridgeport, Connecticut attracted the attention of executives at CBS radio. They hired him to jockey their morning broadcast in Los Angeles, and he made a great success of the program, interviewing A-list stars like Marilyn Monroe and Bob Hope, and adding in his own, unique brand of sarcasm and wit.

Bob Crane wanted to move into television, and he made a smooth transition from radio to TV, hosting game shows and appearing in popular shows like Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Eventually, he was cast as Dr. Dave Kelsey on the highly successful Donna Reed Show.

His pivotal role in Hogan’s Heroes began in 1968, and the show had a good run, lasting until 1971, when it was cancelled. After the show’s demise, he made a good living appearing in Disney films and television shows, as well as hosting a short-lived TV talk show, The Bob Crane Show, in 1975.

Bob Crane had an avid interest in photography, which led him to a friendship with John Henry Carpenter, who worked at Sony Electronics and had access to rare equipment. The two men would find women at local bars and film their sexual encounters with them. In 1978, Crane allegedly tried to end his association with Carpenter, calling him and letting him know he didn’t want to see him anymore: there are rumors that Carpenter tried to have a homosexual relationship with Crane, who rejected him.

The very next day, Crane was found beaten to death in an apartment building in Arizona. Carpenter’s car was impounded by police, and found to contain several bloodstains that were analyzed and found to match Crane’s own blood type. Since DNA testing was not yet invented, the case went cold due to lack of evidence, and Carpenter was released from custody. Years later, the blood was tested again, using DNA methods, but it was too late: no conclusive answers could be obtained.

7. Britney Spears

Britney Spears is alive, unlike many of our top ten tragedies and train wrecks – but is she well? A classic case of a child star that grew up too soon under the glare of the media, Britney has struggled to cope with her life as an adult, no longer able to play the part of a beautiful, provocative teenager. Britney’s talent as a performer has been eclipsed by her self-destructive lifestyle, which had led her to drug abuse, mental illness, and failed relationships, most notably with Justin Timberlake, whom she allegedly cheated on with a dancer from her own tour.

After her fairytale romance with Justin ended, she took up with Keven Federline, an opportunist with no money or real career of his own. Another backup dancer, Kevin became Britney’s second husband: her first Las Vegas wedding to a high school sweetheart lasted only a few days. Kevin basked in Britney’s reflected glory, and enjoyed the spoils of her wealth. We all saw it coming: this couple was on a crash course from the beginning. When Britney had two children in quick succession, the couple quickly grew apart, and Britney started to come unglued. Their divorce started a downward spiral that found this young woman lost and alone, unsatisfied by fame, money, and motherhood. The future may find Britney happier and healthier, but noone will ever forget the sad, and often bizarre, behaviour of the pop princess.

6. Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson was a gifted child from a musical family, but he was pushed into the spotlight much too soon. His father was a harsh, abusive man, who criticized Michael’s poor complexion, and the shape of his nose, even as he pushed him out into the public domain. Michael grew up shy and insecure, crying himself to sleep with “loneliness” as he toured full-time with his family. He said he hated seeing and listening to his older brothers having sex with groupies in the hotel rooms they shared together: he was only eleven years old.

The Jackson Five were extremely successful and young Michael was the centerpiece of their act: after he went solo, his musical genius became even more obvious. With the release of his Off The Wall album in 1975, fans began to realize just how singular his talent was. By the time he released Thriller in 1982, he was approaching the most pivotal moment of his career, and leaving audiences riveted by his incredible dancing and flawless vocals. Michael’s talent was his gift and his downfall: it isolated him from the pleasures of a normal childhood, and pushed him into a strange existence at Neverland Ranch, where he kept llamas, a pet chimp named Bubbles, and a series of young male guests, who would share his bed for sleepovers.

The world first took notice of Michael’s predilection for young boys when he was charged with the sexual abuse of a minor in 1993: after that accusation, his would always be plagued with allegations of pedophilia. Michael’s terrible insecurity led him to destroy the beauty in himself that he could not see: his many surgeries left him a tragic shadow of the gifted, handsome young boy who worked so hard to entertain the world from such a young age.

5. River Phoenix

River was a sensitive, talented actor who found success at a very young age. Raised in the clutches of The Children of God Cult, along with his brother Joaquin, and sisters Rain, Liberty, and Summer, Phoenix was haunted by his childhood experiences. The Children of God Cult are known for their sick attitude towards their own children: they believe it is natural for kids to have sex with adults. Many boys and girls raised in the cult have gone on to lives of depression, drug abuse, and even suicide, as they struggled with rage and sadness. River’s acting career was the main support for his parents, as he took parts in notable films like Stand By Me, The Mosquito Coast, and Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade.

River would only hint at the abuse in his past, never spelling it out: he found solace in other, self-destructive ways, through cocaine and heroin addiction. His clean-cut image as a vegetarian, an animal rights supporter, and an environmentalist, made his tragic death even more shocking to the world media. River ended his life at such a young age: he was only 23 when he he overdosed on a fatal cocktail of drugs outside Johnny Depp’s Viper Room. Joaquin Phoenix, along with his sister Rain, had to watch the older brother they loved so much die on the pavement.

4. Kurt Cobain

Kurt Cobain always felt out of place when he was growing up, trapped in a “redneck” town where he was called a “fag” and beaten up. There was so much talent inside of him, even from childhood, but it was mixed with anger and depression. In the end, this combination of melodic beauty and punk angst was like musical alchemy: the songs Kurt wrote were like nothing anyone had ever heard before, they were genius, and they resonated with an entire generation. Kurt tried to deal with fame, but it was hard for him to come to terms with being a commercial entity, and with entertaining concertgoers who might have beaten him up in high school: he felt conflicted, as though he had betrayed his punk roots. Even in his early recordings with Nirvana, for Sub Pop records, his ability to write songs that were instantly memorable, powerful, and intensely melodic was impossible to ignore.

By the time Nevermind was released in 1991, the world was ready for musical change, and Nirvana flashed like lightning through Generation X, electrifying youth and giving them a voice. Kurt tried to make peace with his choices, but enjoying fame was not possible for him. Hypersensitive to critics, of both himself and Courtney Love, his notorious counterpart, he would rage at the things he read and take them to heart. When Courtney was rumored to have abused heroin during the first trimester of her pregnancy with their daughter, Frances Bean, the world turned against the couple, and things began to spiral out of control.

Kurt went deeper into addiction, and heroin took over his life. Some say fame killed Kurt Cobain, who put a gun to his head in his Seattle home and ended his life on April 8, 1994: but no one should ignore the fatal specter of heroin addiction, which utterly enslaves its victims and breaks their spirit.

3. Whitney Houston

Of all the people on this list, Whitney Houston was quite possibly the most unlikely candidate for train wreck status. Her beauty-queen looks, mesmerizing vocal ability, and her clean-cut Christian image made her seem too polished and pulled together to fall so very far, so very fast. From her beginnings as an Arista recording artist in the 80’s, she took the world by storm, with hit records, constant video play on MTV, and acting roles in successful films like the 90’s hit, The Bodyguard, costarring Kevin Costner. But there was more to Whitney than met the eye: her marriage to Bobby Brown seemed to bring out some hidden darkness in the bright and shiny pop sensation.

When the Nineties ended, and the Millenium was ushered in, Whitney found herself on the skids, weakened by a rumored addiction to crack cocaine. She was often mocked on programs like Mad TV, where she was referred to as “Sweatney”, and her erratic, drug-addled behavior was the butt of jokes. She is allegedly clean now, after a stint in rehab, and she has had custody of her daughter since her divorce from Brown in 2006. But time has taken its toll: Whitney’s voice is not what is once was, and her reputation, once so clean and marketable, is in tatters.

2. Marilyn Monroe

Born Norma Jeane Baker in June of 1926, Marilyn Monroe traveled far from her humble roots, straight to the epicenter of Hollywood. Her hourglass figure and luminous, pale skin, accented with scarlet lipstick, made her an unparalleled icon of American beauty and sexuality.

Marilyn’s childlike quality added some vulnerability to her image, striking a chord with millions of men and women. Her roles in films like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Some Like It Hot put her over the top, creating a cinematic icon that will live forever. Her deft comedic ability and platinum-blonde allure masked an anxious, depressed young woman, who had difficulty showing up at the set on time, and even more difficulty sustaining the relationships that were so very important to her.

Marilyn was mercurial and mutable, always changing for the men she was with, trying desperately to find the happiness that eluded her. Failed marriages to baseball legend Joe DiMaggio, and acclaimed playwright Arthur Miller left her feeling lost and alone. Marilyn took a lot of pills to ease her pain, and her reputation for being difficult to work with intensified. Ill-fated affairs with the Kennedy brothers stained her image even further, as she spiraled downward, facing the prospect of life as an aging beauty, with a history of health problems and miscarriages. Marilyn died of an overdose of barbiturates in Brentwood, California, on August 5, 1962. Although her death is the subject of countless conspiracy theories, the medical examiner labeled her death a “probable suicide”.

1. Elvis Presley

The teenage Elvis Presley was a gentle, Southern momma’s boy with a polite manner and a burning desire to escape from a life of driving trucks and being dirt-poor. Elvis had respect for authority, but it warred with his uncontrollable urge to push the envelope with his wardrobe, his music, and his stage moves. Elvis started out on the Gospel circuit in the South, gaining acclaim for his velvety, rich voice and his energetic performances. He grew into a style that was uniquely his own, a mixture of R & B and country, that became the first true rockabilly music.

Elvis really revealed his brilliance and individuality while recording his first songs at Sun Records, in Memphis, Tennessee. His first single, “That’s All Right (Mama)” caused a sensation on local radio, with kids calling in to find out who was singing. In time, Elvis became the biggest recording artist in America, with classics like “Hound Dog”, “Blue Suede Shoes”, and so many others.

Elvis worked hard and took care of his family: he loved his mother, and he devoted himself to her. But life had its problems: he was constantly being attacked by the establishment, for his provocative dancing, and he was stifled by the control of Colonel Tom Parker, his manager. He married and had a child, acting in films to augment his income, at Parker’s urging. Music seemed to take a backseat to Hollywood, and Elvis turned to food, drugs, and alcohol to soothe his problems. When his mother died, he seemed to lose the will to fight, sinking deeper into obesity and drugs, and becoming a sad caricature of himself: Elvis died of an overdose on August 16, 1977.

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