2013-05-22T20:13:28-04:00 Valerie Stachurski http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/author/index.php?author=valerie-stachurski Copyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Valerie Stachurski Good old fashioned elbow grease. tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/theblog//3.964684 2011-09-16T10:17:15-04:00 2011-11-16T05:12:01-05:00

Valerie Stachurski http://www.huffingtonpost.com/valerie-stachurski/
Stars are just people.

If you think that they are better then anyone else or reserve the right to treat anyone less than a human being, then you are an idiot.

The latest news from TIFF has been the issue as to whether or not Madonna asked eight volunteers to face the wall backstage as she walked past to get to a press conference where she would be discussing the premiere of her new movie, W.E.

The Globe and Mail published the story on Sept. 13 and it spread across the Internet like wildfire. I, myself, was absolutely disgusted. I threw it out to Twitter to see what the general response was.

While many seemed to agree that her alleged behavior was completely out of line, there were also people who responded by saying that they wouldn't expect anything less. "It's Madonna, she's a GODDESS" one even said.

Well, no, no she isn't. She is a pop star, and a very successful one. If she thinks that the volunteers who are offering their time to help make the Toronto International Film Festival a success are beneath her, well, she is just a bitch.

Madonna's publicists quickly sent out a press release saying that the material girl made no such request and was in fact, very appreciative of the efforts of everyone at the festival, including the volunteers.

Too little too late, as far as I'm concerned. I don't know if Madonna made the absurd request or not, but the fact of the matter is it never should have happened in the first place. A well-worded press release from a highly paid publicist doesn't fool me.

I guarantee that at least one of those volunteers is thinking to him or herself "Why did I even do that? What was I thinking?" Don't worry. This is a situation where one can rightfully claim temporary insanity, as the request is so bizarre, I'd be willing to bet some of them thought it was a joke.

My only suggestion is next time, make sure you are getting at least minimum wage to be treated less than human. This way you can afford a pint at the local pub to help wash away the feelings of shame and degradation that come with being treated like a lower entity.

Seriously, though. For those of you who think that this behavior is acceptable, give your head a shake. Celebrities are no better than any other human being out there. The volunteers at the Toronto International Film festival work hard, and while the stars are in the movies, without the volunteers, there would be no festival.


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Valerie Stachurski http://www.huffingtonpost.com/valerie-stachurski/
As with most fashionable traditions, this one has been discarded on many occasions. If people aren't wearing black to funerals as often anymore, maybe it's OK to wear white to a wedding these days. That is, as long as it is done tastefully.

In my opinion, there are two reasons a woman would choose to wear white to a wedding.

The first reason is that she considers herself more fashionable than traditional. If the white being worn is tastefully executed, then why not? Case in point, Pippa Middleton. She looked lovely at the royal wedding. Her dress was exquisite and she still managed to get a Facebook page dedicated to her "arse" because of the dress she wore.




The other reason a woman would choose to wear white is that she is a narcissistic cow who wants all eyes on her, who loves causing controversy and who may or may not really, actually like the bride. Case in point, Lindsay Lohan at Kim Kardashian's wedding. Three letters: W.T.F?

Now, I will never begrudge my friends, cousins or family members for being beautiful. However, I may grind my teeth slightly if one of them wore white to my wedding. I mean, come on. Even if the outfit were fashionable and classy, I would quietly let it rest as a teeny tiny chip on my shoulder for the rest of my life. I would think about it every time I saw this person and smile with a clenched jaw whenever we encountered each other. Call me petty.

But if one of my guests showed up wearing a white, low-plunging gown and looked as though she was purposely and desperately trying to overshadow me on my wedding day, I may have a seething Bridezilla moment. I'm talking confrontations at the church, pulling off my earrings, de-heeling and getting ready to go at her.

Showing up in a tasteless gown like this is a slap in the face to any bride. Not only does it reek of desperation, it is also purposely trying to steal the show on someone's big day. Jealousy can make us do stupid things, but trying to look more beautiful then the bride on her wedding day by showcasing your goods in a slinky white dress is not OK.

So let us all learn from the Pippas and Lindsays of the world. If we are going to break this tradition, let's do it in a way that makes us still look as though we have an ounce of common sense and respectability. We can still look good as guests at a wedding as long as we make sure to acknowledge the role the bride is supposed to play that day. She is, without a question, meant to be the most beautiful girl in the room.
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