As ironic as it may seem, I am not a very opinionated person. I mean, I have opinions, but I rarely engage in thoughtful debate with others about my beliefs or ideas. Even on issues where I have opinions, I do my best not to express them too firmly or obstinately. However, there is one exception to the rule, and it is this: I HATE TMZ.

For those of you unfamiliar with the show, Thirty Mile Zone is a program that spends its entire time slot reporting, critiquing, and making light of the lives of celebrities. The things that pass for “news” on this show are absolutely absurd. For example, the other day, TMZ ran a news clip of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo leaving a club with his friends. The narration claims that this clip definitively proves how lonely and sad he is about his break up with Jessica Simpson.

While I don’t follow the world of celebrities very much, I know that some people do with great volition, and that’s fine. The problem is when the media (if you can call TMZ the media) sets such lofty standards for celebrity behavior that no actor, musician, or athlete could ever meet. For example, there was a huge stir in the media when it was discovered that Michael Phelps smokes marijuana. I agree that as a role model for youngsters, this is unacceptable behavior. At the same time, however, our media seems to think that getting high is something that only drug junkies and die-hard stoners do. Speculations that Michael Phelps swam in the Olympics high began to run rampant through the media and now people seem to believe that Michael Phelps smokes weed 24/7.

Maybe he does, or maybe he doesn’t, but the point is that thousands of people smoke weed in the United States. That doesn’t make it right, by any standard, but many of those thousands of people are also successful college students, educated businessmen, and respected members of their community. Smoking weed or doing other illegal drugs isn’t a good habit for role models, but does that mean that we ought to condemn the entire career and image of Michael Phelps because we have evidence that he got high once?

I know lots of people that have gotten high once or twice. I also know some other people that get high somewhat frequently, but I don’t doubt their character for it. The difference is that Michael Phelps is a celebrity and our society sets the bar incredibly high for him and other celebrity. And the justification that TMZ and other celebrity bloggers give for such harsh standards? They claim that celebrities are social role models and should therefore be held to a higher standard.

I don’t disagree with this one bit, but have you have stopped to think that perhaps everyone is a social role model? I guarantee you that the habits and actions of parents have a much greater impact on their children than the actions and habits of Michael Phelps. And it doesn’t just go for parents. As a member of this community, you are a role model for your friends, family, coworkers, employees, and even employers.

It’s true that celebrities set the social standard to some level, but if you really want to ensure that your community has good role models, you should start with yourself. It’s okay to say that Michael Phelps shouldn’t smoke weed as long as you set that same standard for every other role model in your community.

Celebrities, although they are often in the limelight, are very much detached from society. It may negatively impact a child to find out that his or her favorite celebrity gets drunk on a regular occasion, but it pales in comparison to the impact of finding out that a parent or a best friend gets drunk on a regular occasion. Kids don’t watch TMZ and then go emulate these celebrities in their room, they watch their parents and other community role models and go out to emulate those people with their friends.

It’s fine to follow celebrities if that’s what you’re in to, and it’s fine if you demand that those celebrities act as good role models for society, but don’t forget that you and everyone you know is a role model too. Instead of worrying about what Michael Phelps or Tony Romo does on the weekend, you should worry about what you and your friends do on the weekend. We all have a tremendous impact on those closest to us; let’s make sure that we are making a positive impact.

Josh Wesneski is an education senior.