How we view celebrities after death
 

It's no surprise to any adult that the moment someone dies, whether they are a family member, friend or a celebrity far away, much of the bad or questionable stuff they did in their life magically disappears and they are 10 times better a person in death than they actualy were in life. Why is this? I get the whole person is not here to defend themselves part of it, but wouldn't it be better in death if we just gave a realistic picture of someone's life and not a sugar coated version? Kobe Bryant for example. Many of his teammates and other players disliked him, found him to be a selfish player. His farewell tour was heavily mocked. And he had some serious criminal charges levied against him by a young woman. Yet I see Nike on Twitter posting essentially daily how he was a role model and we should all endeavor to be "more like" Kobe in our lives. I never met the guy. Sure he fell within the realm of the average person, some good stuff, some not so great stuff. Why does he have to be sainted after his death? Same thing happens of course to many other people. Just once I want to see an obituary that says "he was a moody son of a bitch who had a lot of enemies and was disliked by many."

I think to some extent, it's a human thing to want to focus on the positive about someone who is dead. Maybe because if they weren't all that great in some way in our minds it diminishes the entire past that we may recall as being happier times.

Even with players who are still with us. I prefer to remember some of Rices homeruns I saw over the oh so many double plays. And Fisks overall great play- when he wasn't hurt- which was a rather regular thing while he was with the Red Sox. I'm sure there are hundreds of other examples.

I think that, especially when it comes to all types of celebrities, we celebrate their good parts because if we did not, it would show our own hero worship to be flawed. Who would want to idolize and collect items of someone who, in retrospect, was a POS human being? I don't ness think we do this consciously. It think we just tend to filter out the bad when we overwhelmingly feel good about someone. It happens with athletes, actors, musicians, artists, writers, etc.

I really don't mind people talking about the good things a person did while they were alive, but to totally rewrite history like they did with Kobe is just wrong.

I think there is a unique American ideal of redemption. Many people who hit the "big time" have to claw their way to the top, also add lie, cheat and steal. We hear many stories of those who reach their peak make amends, become charitable, and take up causes to better the world and not themselves. This maybe another fairytale but is def. an American theme. Which may explain why we focus on the positive. Last time I was into heros was when I was 12, so don't really get it myself:D

Kobe may have been a dick in many ways to many folks while living, but gets the high gloss treatment in death for the tragic way way he died with his daughter and seven others. I think of Tony Gwynn. He was a putz with his finances - not a character flaw - but was universally loved in life and even more in death, dying so young like Kobe.

In sports it's not purely US thing.
It gets odd sometimes in cycling. riders get caught, and at least until very recently the ones that say "aw shucks, you got me" and take their year or two off are welcomed back as if nothing happened.
The ones that fight things a little, with some plausible excuse like "it must have been that Steak the fans sent from my home country" Are still welcomed back, but are a bit suspect for a while.
Fight it with all you can, or some outrageous excuse (extra whatever from a vanishing twin, eating a pie made from doped racing pigeons... ) It's pretty much over.

But in that sport doping has been a sort of wink and nod thing since the 1800's

Here in the US, I think we're much less forgiving of some things.