In today’s culture, it feels like committing a crime can be a shortcut to fame. While most celebrities achieve fame through legitimate means, some become famous through crime and deceit. It is unethical and decidedly wrong to elevate criminals to the status of a celebrity through popular media and social platforms. 

Take Anna Delvey (Anna Sorokin), a con-artist who posed as a wealthy heiress to enter affluent New York City society. Most people were unaware of who she was until her recent appearance on the reality television show “Dancing with the Stars.” Although Delvey was eliminated soon after her debut, an ABC press release revealed that the ongoing season of the program had an average viewership of 7.32 million people, marking a 47% increase in live viewings. It is unclear whether the substantial increase in viewership is due to Delvey’s presence, the participation of two successful olympic athletes (Illona Maher and Stephen Nedoroscik) or a combination of the personalities. Through widespread viewership of “Dancing with the Stars,” as well as heightened popularity from hit Netflix show “Inventing Anna,” Delvey quickly skyrocketed into the limelight. 

While this may seem like an isolated occurrence, Delvey’s rise to fame was in fact not unique—it occurred similarly with Gypsy Rose Blanchard, a convict who gained 7 million followers on social media after her release from prison. Both individuals are prime examples of how popular media can elevate criminals to celebrity status, blurring the lines between fame and infamy. It showcases how media and the entertainment industries can manipulate public perception by glamorizing criminal behavior.

There is an inherent problem with this phenomenon as it raises concerns about the kinds of personalities and people we glorify. Media portrayal of both these individuals lead to them being perceived as antiheroes, a dangerous fact that can be interpreted to mean that notoriety, even through illegal or immoral means, can be a stepping stone to fame. Especially for impressionable audiences or younger generations, glamorizing criminals creates ambiguity surrounding genuine success and acquiring fame through deceit or crime. 

Furthermore, by sensationalizing criminals, we are trivializing their actions. It shows that fame and success are more important than integrity, honesty and holding perpetrators of a crime accountable for their actions. Although a lot of people seem to justify the criminal actions of Blanchard and attribute it to her difficult upbringing, this justification is erroneous. The bottom line is a criminal is a criminal. By glorifying murderers and con artists, we downplay the gravity of a criminal’s actions, turning it into entertainment at the expense of the affected parties. 

The Netflix series “Inventing Anna” and Delvey’s more recent participation on “Dancing with the Stars” turned her story into binge worthy entertainment. Instead of outwardly condemning her actions, Delvey’s growing popularity opened up conversation about her “charisma” and “cunning.” These references in popular media effectively softened Delvey’s criminal image, portraying her as “quirky” and “bold” rather than the convicted felon she actually is. 

In Blanchard’s case, the dramatization of her disturbing family life and subsequent murder in Hulu’s series “The Act” evoked a lot of public sympathy. This sympathy ultimately overshadowed the weight of the actual crime committed. While tragic circumstances undeniably influenced Blanchard’s actions against her mother, it does not justify them. The popularization of criminal behavior will result in the normalization of such atrocities. Instead of invoking the expected reaction from the audience: outrage, sorrow and empathy, the public will become “numb” to these events. 

It is not a bad thing to reintroduce remorseful criminals into society and allow them to rebuild their lives in a legal manner, but these criminals are using their notoriety in order to gain social standing. An action, which, in my opinion, is reprehensible. 

In addition to lessening the significance of the crime, turning criminals into celebrities actually undermines our justice system. If criminals like Anna Delvey and Gypsy Rose Blanchard, people who have committed real and tangible crimes, can become celebrities, then what is stopping more felons from rising to fame and gaining popularity? The idealization of such “celebrity criminals” will prove to be detrimental to our country’s legal system as it reduces the severity of the allotted punishment and distorts the justice system’s role in keeping people accountable for their actions. 

All in all, the media and entertainment industries need to reflect on their role in shaping societal values as platforms like television, streaming services and social media wield immense power in swaying public opinion and perception. With this power comes immense responsibility. 

By choosing to highlight individuals with clear cut criminal histories, platforms risk normalizing the severity of their actions. While criminals bring a great deal of controversy and mystery to content, the negative effects of glorification should be weighed against the benefits of an increased viewership. 

Ultimately the sensationalization of criminals is bizarre and bad. Instead of focusing on criminals and felons, media outlets should try to prioritize the promotion of individuals who contribute positively to society as opposed to creating a culture of “celebrity criminals.”

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Riva Jain at [email protected]