We tend to be approached with an unfortunate dilemma in entertainment where we determine that something we love/enjoy is tied to a completely despicable person. It can be a song/tv show/movie/artwork/building but regardless of the thing that is appreciated the dilemma will present itself mid-bask. This is because your morality is fighting with your joy. You’re thinking “I love this but…. you know, I shouldn’t love this.” Life is hard enough; a decision needs to be made. Joy should be just that. It should not be a trigger for moral conflict.
So, what do we do? A talented person produced something that brings us joy. Its happens to be a crappy person who possesses the talent and that makes us question our joy. Most would see the scenario as a choice between rejecting the person and everything that has to do with them or accepting the person in totality which would allow you to enjoy the output of their talent. I’m guilty of doing this in the past. For example, I used to watch Seinfeld reruns. I couldn’t get enough of it until one day the racist piece of garbage Michael Richards (Kramer) decided to get liquored up one night at a comedy club and begin to berate a guy in the audience with N-words. The crowd proceeded to boo him of stage. His career nose-dived, and I haven’t watched an episode since. I just couldn’t laugh at him anymore.
Again, that was how most people would tackle the situation. I’ve since taken another approach considering musicians, actors, and industry executives are all seemingly waiting their turn to have their skeleton-filled closets exposed to the world. I asked myself “What is the limit?” Meaning how much of my future, present, and past joy will I shun away because of the horrible actions a person connected to it has made? I made the choice that any joy is the limit. I’ve decided to separate talent from the person. A person’s talent has nothing to do with the type of person they are. Zero. A person you consider talented/blessed can be the scum of the earth and a person who seemingly gives the world nothing can be the nicest person in the world.
In closing, I feel separation of talent and person is the way to go. I understand the instances when people can’t. Usually, they are victims (or close to victims) of the act a person has committed. I’d think a person who was molested, raped, or taken advantage of by a another will have a hard time watching a show starring a rapist or listening to a song performed by a child molester. Some can. Some can’t. I know, it’s hard. I’ll continue to try. I’m going to go sit on my couch and watch Seinfeld. What’s your Seinfeld?

Food for thought…you do the dishes.