One thing I've never understood...

[eduquesne]

I agree. Everytime I see/hear her I think she just gets better and better. I wish I'd been that together/mature/fabulous at her age! I'm just in awe of how she amazing/talented/etc etc she is.

[writer1famespirit]

Hi Everyone: My two cents. I don't think it is jealousy. This society has always built stars and then chosen to tear them down. People are also buying into too much Enquiring Minds type tabloid. They believe some of this trash. As idolette said, people often put bits and pieces together from interviews, articles, or works she's done and add it up to "I hate her! See what she's like." It's impossible for those who have had no contact with her to judge. Yes, some people can "get a sense of people" if they have been in the business or have insight to how people behave. It is possible. But, full judgment call and a way to "sum her Up" and hate her. NO! Also, the bfs seem to stir up a lot. It's her business. Fans always claim a right to judge anything "in the public eye" and you cannot control that factor. So, they judge her via what they think of her bf, ex-husband, whatever. Fans have greatly disliked both men for various reasons. Well, I am saying many who wrote of their intense dislike on the former site. I think they had a "perfect match" for her in their head and she didn't meet the criteria. They didn't. That is often the case in making harsh judgments about her. The young woman is still building a career, a life, and future. I doubt at this point in life she will jump into long term, permanent plans with anyone. I think it's a mistake for fans to judge her so often for so many things that are strictly personal and her choice. Discuss a work and I am there. I think she is extraordnarily talented. She has a future full of possibilities! I am just glad to see positive support at last here and on Nhu's site.

[leah]

This may seem a bit late, but I lost the site for awhile. What surprises me the most I think, is that so many people don't really know who she is anymore. Literally. I have tried to discuss Dare with various people, and they don't know who she is or what she has been in. That, surprised me. Even after seeing Dare they look at her as an unknown. So I guess I haven't seen negative press, but also, not much press. Has anyone other than me, noticed this?

[kati]

Mar 8, 2010 14:17:39 GMT -5 idolette said:

That's quite my reasoning for why a lot of people's dislike/hatred of her doesn't seem to be very justified. She's not all over the place, for the most part she flies under the radar, and she keeps to herself. The people who claim they hate her, do they know her? I feel like people don't bother to learn anything about a celebrity, or who they actually ARE as a person (and we may never know, truly) before looking at a few pictures, old videos, a movie, and saying "well, I can't stand her."

Out of curiosity, Kati, the people that you know of who don't like Emmy, what are there reasons for disliking her if they gave any?

Sorry I took so long to respond! Eduquesne I hope your cold is better now!

This post is probably going to be really long.

First of all, I want to say that I think that hardly anyone of those people who dislike Emmy really hate her. I don't even think most members of ES hate her. Concerning ONTD, people probably say they hate her, but they're equally fast with proclaiming their love for a celebrity. It's not really serious I think, in most cases.

I also think the dislike for her has declined within the last two years, also with her being less present.

I'll try to explain the reasons I have received why people dislike her, but I'd like to say that I'm probably not as able as someone who actually has this opinion to present it.

-The first thing is POTO. It starts with her performance but goes on to interviews and statements of hers regarding playing the role and also very much opera as such.
As lostgirl said, talent is something that is often perceived very subjectively.
So there are many people who disliked her performance, both vocally and acting vice in the movie. And I really think it's not necessarily something they should be blamed for and it's something I can relate to myself.
And while I think the acting is definitely a subjective matter, I understand how her singing can be judged with clear facts. (I actually personally agree that she was not able to really pull of Christine myself.)
But apart from her performance as such, I think what a lot of people minded even more was the way she presented herself in interviews regarding the movie. She often mentioned how she had to carry the movie and such, and many people had the feeling she was bragging a lot about her performance, while they at the same time thought it was quite bad altogether, which I think is an understandable reason for people to dislike her a bit. Try to see it from their perspective, imagine you see a movie or play or anything and there's a performance of an actor that you find very weak and bad and then afterwards you see a not small amount of interviews of that actor bragging about how well he did, how he made the movie to be what it is etc. Some people perceived her as quite arrogant and conceited in that direction.


I know some people who feel that she gives opera a bad name. They have the feeling that she acts as if she was a real opera singer or could be if she wanted, while she had not the training a real opera singer has, and especially for those who are training to be opera singers or are aware of the hard work that goes into that, they feel a bit insulted by that. (it's not that actual anymore meanwhile, but it used to be quite a big reason for some to be bothered with her)

What many also seem to dislike is her bragging (that's how they perceive it) with having starred in so and so many operas and having had that great operatic training since she was seven. I personally feel it was rather the magazines and interviewers than necessarily Emmy herself who made her out to be like a real opera singer when she was basically only singing in children chorus with about 80 other kids, but I can see how it can bug people a bit. What bugs them the most I believe is that they feel like she pretends to be a great singer with a fantastic voice when she really cannot live up to those standards. (as far as people can judge from recordings/performances)

-Another thing came with her album. Many thought her „anti-slut“-remark was very arrogant and conceited and it really brought her a lot of negative response. But it got a lot worse when then, as her album came out, she posed basically naked (with a sheet in a bed) for the cover and some promotional pics and the video for Slow Me Down. Don't get me wrong, they didn't think those pics were slutty as such, but definitely suggestive and they thought it was very hypocritical after the anti-slut remark. And later when she denied to have made that remark people were bothered too by her not admitting to it.

The more recent pics of her, that also brought her some negative response from some of her fans, contributed their parts too to make her appear hypocritical to some, and also in a way desperate and, you know, „attention-whoring“ (I really hate that term).

Then there are the remarks of people who worked with her, especially the ones from the Elle interview, or also Josh Lucas's who starred with her in Poseidon and said in an interview that she was a huge diva and the most difficult person he had ever worked with that give her a bit of a bad image. And it just ...there keep on popping up mentions of other people who talk about having had bad experiences with her, either at school or who just randomly met her somewhere. And the increasing number of such stories are I think very negative for her image too. I think the problem is that stories of such terrible encounters are always much more considered by people than ones of very good and positive encounters.

Another thing, and to be honest I kind of agree with this one a bit, is how she mentioned often that she actually was not privileged as a child or how she was very unpopular and kind of an outcast. Especially her statements about being far from rich are something that annoy some people, because she contradicted herself in that direction very often by making statements that reveal how privileged she actually really was. Again, please don't misunderstand what it is that people are annoyed by. It's not the fact that she was rich and in a way privileged, but the fact that she denies it in order to, how some say, gain „sympathy“. I must admit this is really one thing I could never understand myself. Why would she not admit to her fortunate financial situation as a child? There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. And pretending that she was not in a good situation angers also those who actually really grew up under rather difficult circumstances.

Anyway, I might easily have forgotten some things now. But I want to say in conclusion that all people I myself know who dislike her don't do so only because they've seen one interview or one performance. They dislike her because they have gotten across numerous reasons (for them) that make her unlikable to them. And I think it's similar with ES. The members there have read/seen many interviews with her and don't judge her only from one single thing.

[idolette]

I agree with most of what you said, Kati. Especially the part about opera, and how you said the press pushed that more than Emmy. I don't remember Emmy, herself, saying "I'm a professionally trained Opera singer," but the press and interviewers always pushed it, and so it came out, and bam, a reason for people to dislike her.

And while I do agree with you about people hearing about negative experiences, I have to point out one instance in particular that always stands out in my mind. I remember discussing this many times with Lucille. There was an event in the Hamptons in which two "insiders" on Emmy Rossum Fan attended. One said that Emmy was absolutely horrible, nasty and "bitchy" I believe. The other said that she was very nice and sweet and respectful. Most of the fans on Emmy Rossum Fan believed the negative report as compared to the positive one... even though the person who said all the negative things was proved to be a fraud. I do think, to an extent, people are more eager to believe the juicy, negative, nasty stories than they are the nice ones. We all want to hear the dirt, and find out someone's flaws than sit back and say "well, they're a good person," because that's not fun. Not saying that happens with every negative experience, but it does happen.

I think there are reasons to like or dislike anyone. But I just think people should focus less on disliking someone or complaining about them and just go support the people that they do like. They have a legit reason for their dislike - I get that. But it doesn't give people a good reputation, or other people a good opinion of them, when they dedicate groups or time in their life to disliking a particular person.

Just my two cents.

[kati]

Mar 28, 2010 15:47:20 GMT -5 idolette said:

I agree with most of what you said, Kati. Especially the part about opera, and how you said the press pushed that more than Emmy. I don't remember Emmy, herself, saying "I'm a professionally trained Opera singer," but the press and interviewers always pushed it, and so it came out, and bam, a reason for people to dislike her.

I think the problem some had with it was that Emmy herself often said in how many operas and languages she had sung and it perhaps made a bit of a bragging impression. She didn't call herself an opera singer as such though, as far as I know. Or once she was asked how many languages she speaks and she said "I speak English and a little French. But, I've sung in like five different languages." I can see how such statements can come off the wrong way.
I know one time she said, when asked if she could go back to the opera, that it was feasible and that she would do anything to help the opera. And people thought on one hand it's just not true that it's feasible because she doesn't have the vocal abilities, and at the same time it's an arrogant statement.

I know exactly what you mean with people enjoying the negative more, it's really a problem I think.

Mar 28, 2010 15:47:20 GMT -5 idolette said:

I think there are reasons to like or dislike anyone. But I just think people should focus less on disliking someone or complaining about them and just go support the people that they do like. They have a legit reason for their dislike - I get that. But it doesn't give people a good reputation, or other people a good opinion of them, when they dedicate groups or time in their life to disliking a particular person.

Just my two cents.

I agree with you there. I know it might sound like I'm defending ES a bit, which is true in a way. I actually know a member of ES, and she's, you know, not at all a hateful person, or someone who actually bashes people a lot or is very critical or anything like that. I think the reason why she's a member is similar to the one why some people are members of ONTD. It's not so much about hating or loving, it's about entertainment. She finds many things/interviews/performances of Emmy to be entertaining in a negative way, if you know what I mean.

[idolette]

Mar 28, 2010 16:34:48 GMT -5 kati said:

I agree with you there. I know it might sound like I'm defending ES a bit, which is true in a way. I actually know a member of ES, and she's, you know, not at all a hateful person, or someone who actually bashes people a lot or is very critical or anything like that. I think the reason why she's a member is similar to the one why some people are members of ONTD. It's not so much about hating or loving, it's about entertainment. She finds many things/interviews/performances of Emmy to be entertaining in a negative way, if you know what I mean.

I definitely know what you mean. I know a lot of the people there are probably very nice people, and just joined it because, like you said, they find entertainment int he whole situation. I just wish groups didn't have to exist for the sole purpose of dislike of another person, or even just making fun of them. It's kind of counter-productive. But to each their own.

[actresssinger7]

Just wanted to say I agree with everything Kati & Idolette said. I'm not one-sided when it comes to people liking or disliking a person. I can see both sides in the situation. I don't always get why people create hate sites for a person (or movie), but (as Idolette said) to each their own.

Concerning the language statement... I don't really see how that could be considered bragging? (maybe someone can explain that to me?) Is it because she mentioned she's sung in 5 different languages in the first place, when she was asked how many she spoke verbally? (hence being irrelevant to the original question asked) If I were her, I, personally, wouldn't have mentioned it because when you sing in a different language, you don't know how it translates into english unless you A) have a translator tell you or B) know how to speak the lnguage. I can see how talking about how many operas you've been in can be considered bragging, though.

[kati]

Mar 28, 2010 18:50:04 GMT -5 actresssinger7 said:

Concerning the language statement... I don't really see how that could be considered bragging? (maybe someone can explain that to me?) Is it because she mentioned she's sung in 5 different languages in the first place, when she was asked how many she spoke verbally? (hence being irrelevant to the original question asked) If I were her, I, personally, wouldn't have mentioned it because when you sing in a different language, you don't know how it translates into english unless you A) have a translator tell you or B) know how to speak the lnguage. I can see how talking about how many operas you've been in can be considered bragging, though.

I'm sorry, perhaps bragging was in this case not the best word. I think people thought it was kind of ignorant and stupid to say it. You know, they asked her which language she speaks, which, to most people means, which language she can understand and converse in. And saying "well I sung in 5 different languages". seemed a bit to some as if she was saying "Well I do only really speak two, but I'm yet so accomplished because I actually have sung in 5."
Idk, I'm sorry if that doesn't really make sense. I don't really know how to explain it. But I must admit it's one statement that I thought too was a bit awkward. I've too sung in a few different languages, but that doesn't mean I can speak them or really is any kind of big accomplishment to me. So it seemed kinda irrelevant to the question. I think here applies perhaps what lostgirl mentioned earlier in the thread, that she tried to live up to all the expectations. Perhaps she felt saying that she only speaks English and a bit of French wasn't satisfying enough. (sorry for the long answer!)

[idolette]

Mar 28, 2010 19:14:08 GMT -5 kati said:

Mar 28, 2010 18:50:04 GMT -5 actresssinger7 said:

I'm sorry, perhaps bragging was in this case not the best word. I think people thought it was kind of ignorant and stupid to say it. You know, they asked her which language she speaks, which, to most people means, which language she can understand and converse in. And saying "well I sung in 5 different languages". seemed a bit to some as if she was saying "Well I do only really speak two, but I'm yet so accomplished because I actually have sung in 5."
Idk, I'm sorry if that doesn't really make sense. I don't really know how to explain it. But I must admit it's one statement that I thought too was a bit awkward. I've too sung in a few different languages, but that doesn't mean I can speak them or really is any kind of big accomplishment to me. So it seemed kinda irrelevant to the question. I think here applies perhaps what lostgirl mentioned earlier in the thread, that she tried to live up to all the expectations. Perhaps she felt saying that she only speaks English and a bit of French wasn't satisfying enough. (sorry for the long answer!)

I get what you mean, definitely. It's kind of over exaggerating, does that make sense? Like if they had asked her how many languages she had performed songs in, that would be one thing. But singing a song that you're taught in Latin doesn't mean that you fluently speak Latin, so it's kind of over exaggerating the whole situation.

[actresssinger7]

Ahhh. Got it! Thanks for clearing it up Kati. (and Idolette!) I agree with yout statements. I think it was irrelevant to the original question. Like I said, I wouldn't have mentioned it at all if it were me. (I, too, have sung in a few different languages and I still don't know the English translations)

[lostgirl]

I think that everyone has flaws and strengths. I know I've said many things in my life that I'd cringe to hear now, and I'm sure to say a lot of stupid things in the years to come! But the difference is that most of what I say doesn't go on record. As a result something that I said at 18 can't be used against me today. Most celebs don't have that luxury. Another issue is that celeb quotes can be taken out of context fairly easily and a reporter can convey something that they celeb never intended. And sometimes non-factual statements are attributed to them (for example Emmy denied ever using the word "anti-slut" saying that she was misquoted). It happens to every public figure and the more famous they are the more it happens. You could make the case that any famous person is wonderful, terrible, mean, sweet, arrogant, or humble based on quotes from interviews. You could find quotes from numerous interviews to support all the qualities, but you still won't get to the essence of a human being that way.

Ultimately if you're inclined to like Emmy you'll think the good outweighs the bad. If you're inclined to dislike her, you'll say the bad outweights the good. If you're "neutral" you might prefer the bad because it's "jucier" or you might be the type of person who gives people the benefit of the doubt.

[idolette]

Mar 28, 2010 21:58:19 GMT -5 lostgirl said:

I think that everyone has flaws and strengths. I know I've said many things in my life that I'd cringe to hear now, and I'm sure to say a lot of stupid things in the years to come! But the difference is that most of what I say doesn't go on record. As a result something that I said at 18 can't be used against me today. Most celebs don't have that luxury. Another issue is that celeb quotes can be taken out of context fairly easily and a reporter can convey something that they celeb never intended. And sometimes non-factual statements are attributed to them (for example Emmy denied ever using the word "anti-slut" saying that she was misquoted). It happens to every public figure and the more famous they are the more it happens. You could make the case that any famous person is wonderful, terrible, mean, sweet, arrogant, or humble based on quotes from interviews. You could find quotes from numerous interviews to support all the qualities, but you still won't get to the essence of a human being that way.

That is so true, unfortunately. There have been so many times when I've read an article and thought "that's an odd thing to say," and then the celebrity will be like "well, this was taken out of context," or "the way that was written up made it sound really wrong." It's unfortunate, definitely. And you're right, so many times I look back at the things I said at younger ages and think "geez, what did people think of me back then?" and I'm sure when I'm older still, I'll be looking back at this time period and think the same thing. Everyone goes through it.

[leah]

This response is on the speaking languages side. When Josh Groban was asked if he spoke the languages sang. His response was "No, I don't speak the language, however, I know what the words mean and try to do the song in that sentiment". Something to that effect. Anyway, I thought he put it very well. I love his music and his voice.

[leah]

On another note: It is obvious from my last post I can't even write correctly in my native language. As long as you all get my point.