The Calgary Herald plays the part of the scolding parent in its look at childhood fame. Specifically, the paper wags its finger at Justin Bieber and the troubled like and asks, “Why can’t you be more like Ron Howard and Jodie Foster?”
People, in and out of the media, love this question. It’s easy to see why: It’s an easy question to ask, and an even easier compare/contrast scenario to construct. Howard and Foster: successful Oscar-winners; other former child stars with lesser credentials: meh.
On one hand, there’s no argument here: Howard and Foster have indeed navigated Hollywood from childhood to adulthood with their respective sanity apparently intact and with their careers still viable.
But then there’s this: To always hold up the Howard and Foster model is to discount, say, the Jonathan Taylor Thomas model. Is Thomas, the former “Home Improvement” regular, not a role model for having moved from teen-idol status to relative anonymity (either by choice or by lack of opportunity) with his respective sanity apparently intact? Or do we only value the child star who remains a star?
Don’t go seeking out the answer to that last one, Mr. Bieber. It’ll only trouble you more than you’re already troubled.
Joal Ryan 