The truth about hiding behind spin

Oops, another celebrity has done it again.

American Democrat John Edwards has come forward and admitted to fathering Quinn, the now 2 year old daughter of his mistress, Rielle Hunter. The truth has slowly begun to trickle out, especially with "The Politician", a tell-all about Edwards, has been published, written by Edwards' most trusted aide, Andrew Young. The Washington Post reports that Young claimed the paternity of Hunter's daughter to save Edwards from the political scandal that would ensue.

This seems to be a trending strategy for celebrities: deny, get caught, fess up. Talk about PR nightmare. We saw the same thing explode into the media/social media world when Tiger Woods admitted to cheating on his wife (Sorry, I had to bring up Tiger).

Entering the 'glamorous' world of celebrities means signing away one's privacy because Heaven forbid the media finds some sort of skeleton in one's closet. But full-well knowing that privacy doesn't stand a chance in Hollywood and beyond, why go through all the effort of lying and hiding? Sex scandals aren't new to celebrities. It's become almost a requirement now. So are denial. And apologies.


Would Edwards and Woods be spared all the backlash if they had come clean from the get go? Personally, I think yes. I'm willing to bet that their PR representatives cautioned them to do the same, which I'm sure was the complete opposite advice given to them by their lawyers. Now I can understand that a lawyer is hired to protect the image of a client, but a public relations practitioner is there to protect the relationship between the celebrity and their public. I'm not one to decide what is more important, image or relationship, but it's the public who really decides the fate of a celebrity. So why piss them off? Or worse, disappoint them.

By admitting one's "transgressions of the heart" or the real paternity of one's mistress' child, a PR practitioner has the right tools to formulate a strategy to regain the trust of those affected and the public. And usually this doesn't include spin.

A curse word in the PR world, the s-word has come up recently in regards to Tiger Woods. On the news a few weeks ago, the reporter was on the streets asking passers-by what they thought of Wood's stay at a sex rehabilitation in Arizona. Real or PR spin? Many answered PR spin. Why? Because they thought it was all for the tabloids to show that he was "sorry" or rather sorry that he got caught. Some thought that maybe he's putting on a show to his sponsors, so that more won't drop him.

And then there's Edwards, who supported his right-hand man, his mistress and child with his money and his sponsors' money (according to Young). And many are beginning to wonder if spinning the truth was better for his political career then or just prolonged his inevitable downfall.

So to any future/current celebrities out there, admit and apologize the minute it happens. Or better yet don't do it period. But if it's just too hard to say no to that little somethin' somethin' on the side, then for the sake of your career listen to your PR rep.

Keep lying and those 6 degrees in-between could come bite you in the behind. Right Jamiee Grubbs?