Celebrities and transgressions are not alien to each other. ‘Plenty of celebrities have admitted to extramarital affairs. But the fascination with Tiger Woods’ “transgressions” has been especially intense.’ It is not simply about adultery this time. Tiger’s fall from grace, already an irresistible public drama, is a melodrama of American society itself. The revelation of the real Woods has made America ‘feel cheated’ of an image that has been adored and respected, and that behind the millions of dollars he has made out of a squeaky clean image, he is nothing but common clay like the rest of the world.

Here’s how the sociological scenario plays out:

Woods’ falling off the pedestal is tantamount to envious America bringing him down to where he belongs – with the rest of the sinners. The king is a sinner, after all. There is no longer a gap between who the people believed Woods to be and who he really is. A critic calls this the Darwinian thing.

Woods’ wife is said to be receiving a hefty ‘fee’ for staying in the tainted marriage, thanks to a well-crafted prenup agreement. ‘Tiger’s wife is likely to get $5 million immediately if she stays with her husband, and an extra $55 million added onto her prenup.’ Her having the ‘perfect wife image’ comes at a huge cost, apparently. So, ‘for the rich and famous, infidelity is expensive.’ After all, a squeaky clean public image, aided by having a respectable and elegant wife, sells huge in product endorsements.

In America, a black man ‘marrying a white woman — and then publicly embarrassing her’ will cost him more disgrace. Tiger Woods’ ‘blackness has never been so apparent’ till now.

America is most known for corporate America. Corporate America is all about cutthroat business. Since Woods’ has brought in hundreds of millions of sales, his “transgressions” are not about to affect his status as product endorser, as far as corporate America is concerned.

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Via The Atlantic Wire