Is 60 Really the New 40? The Media Maze Can Create Illusion

Posted from Royal Oak, Michigan--

Harrison Ford may still fit into his Indiana Jones pants, but that doesn't mean he's healthy.   Sixty may be the new 40, but is the media reporting everything?

Keep in mind that Ford is in the news because another Indy movie is in production, not because someone decided to inform the world that he looks young.  The media is buzzing with stories about how Ford and other aging actors like Goldie Hawn are healthy and vital.  The news is believable because these celebrities look good for their age.  The implication is that a person looks young because he or she is healthy, but how can anyone be sure if someone actually is healthy? 

Many actors like Ford and Hawn either crave privacy or want to protect their image.  They are not likely to purposely let the public know about a recurring pain in their gut or a surgical procedure.  Yet, cable television is rife with shows that feature industry "experts" talking about how healthy senior celebrities are.  Never mind the fact that these"in-the-know" correspondents have never met the people in question. 

The media wants to report legitimate news stories, but in many cases they must settle for reporting what seems to be happening or what they think is happening rather than what is actually happening.  Granted, some seniors who are the picture of health, actually are healthy, but the media's "fair and balanced" reporting often falls way short of interviewing said celebrities. 

Harrison Ford is loathe to give interviews about acting, let alone personal matters.  Obtaining information about the actor's innards is not easy.  Privacy laws like The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) prevent deep investigation and full reporting about individuals' health status.

This is why there's been so much postulating about Owen Wilson's condition after his alleged suicide attempt.  Wilson and his family have been quite mum on the subject.  In the absence of actual facts, the media has reported what seems to be happening. 

This is why the reporting of top secret government affairs such as the war in Iraq can be such a charade.  The government needs to publicize some of its activities and yet keep certain information secret.  The public gets to read what the government wants them to read or what the media happens to report.  More often than not, the media reports what the government tells them and editorializes the rest. 

The interesting part is that this crazy situation somehow works. 

Paramount Pictures, which is producing the new Indiana Jones movie, and Harrison Ford literally profit from stories about the actor's health, whether the stories are true or not.  The media gets to report a new angle about a well-known actor whose story has been rehashed many times.  Media consumers get to process a new stories and don't seem to mind that they are getting only part of the story.

Here's to Harrison Ford and Goldie Hawn--the pictures of health.