The tragedy surrounding the Tracy Morgan vehicle accident helps highlight something about celebrity. Tacy Morgan is a household name, but in terms of celebrity he's never starred in his own movie, or even had a lead role in a hit show. He's always been a supporting actor and comedian who was last in the news after making anti-gay comments and collapsing at a show. That's not saying anything against him, that's just how it is.
A man died and two others were critically injured in the same accident that Tracy looks as if he'll recover from. The only reason this is news as opposed to the countless other accidents that happen every day is because the one celebrity is involved. Imagine that, though, if you're the man who died. You've lived your whole life trying to build something for yourself, and in the end all you'll ever be remember for is the guy who died in the accident with Tracy Morgan. People will be talking about you, and someone will use your name, and the other person will say, "Who?" and then the first person will have to explain, "That guy who died in that accident with Tracy Morgan who died." Then they'll go on to talk about Tracy Morgan, because that's how fame works. It's terrifying, really. In a way, all you are to people is an image. That image can be overshadowed by anyone, but the bigger the shadow, the less you are. On the other hand, hundreds of thousands of people, if not millions learnt about this one man through the news story. They never had any idea he ever existed until the moment he was taken away, and the loss is made larger.
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