The media has the right

As a public figure, where does your public life stop and when does your private life begin?

The past six months has been exciting for the media all over the world. From Tiger Woods' sexual exploitations in the States, to Chelsea captain John Terry's affair with his mate's girlfriend - the word 'scandal' seemed to have lost its magic touch and people started questioning if adultery was the norm.

After a media brouhaha over Tiger's affairs, it was revealed that footballer Ashley Cole had numerous affairs while married to popstar Cheryl Cole, who left Cole out in the cold to fend for himself.

And then, across the shores in sunny Singapore, renown filmmaker Jack Neo was recently in the limelight for not only having an affair with a 22-year-old "heartlander" (as what Wee Teck from The New Paper calls her) model, but also for making sexual advances and harassing more than 11 women.

This, of course, must have been an open secret that everyone in the industry knew of, but refused to speak out.

So a press conference was held this morning and got the whole little red dot of an island talking and debating heavily on whether it was staged, whether she was brought out to the press con to gain some sympathy points and whether his apology was sincere enough.

It's definitely not the first time and will absolutely not be the last time a public figure (think Jackie Chan and Edison Chen) faces the press with a forlorn look, apologising for his philandering ways.

And all this beckons the question - as a public figure, who are you responsible to? The press? The public? Your fans? Your sponsors?

When you become a public figure, do you sell your soul to fetch millions in sponsorship deals and end up having to maintain a goody two shoes image?

When you are a public figure, are you responsible for the morals and values of society?

In a way, yes.

As public figures - celebrities, athletes, politicians - there's a reason why you're being paid so much in endorsement fees. There's also a reason why people buy your soundtrack, watch your movies and place you on a pedestal..well, ok, semi-pedestal.

Because you are the public image and people like you. You are the moral bearings of society - role models who are appreciated for your talent and art, you are admired by people who look up to you as their beam of light and who are respected for your expertise and possibly, your charm as well.

When all that comes crumbling down, it becomes ugly...very ugly. And this is when good PR strategies come in, albeit some that seemed to have made things worse (think Jack Neo).

At the end of the day, as a public figure, you DO have the responsibility to answer for your wrongdoings and the media DOES have the right to publicise your behaviour.

A public figure must answer to society. A private one answers to himself/herself.