Robin Williams. Whitney Houston. Kurt Cobain. Cory Monteith. All these entertainers had one thing in common: extraordinary God-given talent.
As a result (at least in part…) of that talent, they achieved everything our culture says should lead to permanent happiness and fulfillment. They were fabulously wealthy. They had throngs of adoring fans. They earned the highest honours possible in their industries. They were hugely admired by their peers.
Our culture says they had it made. So what happened – or, more importantly, what didn’t happen – that ended their lives so early?
- Williams, the Academy-Award winning actor (for 1997’s Good Will Hunting) and an incredible comedian, died of a suicide-related asphyxiation at age 63.
- Monteith was one of the stars of Glee, a popular TV show in North America. He grew up with substance abuse problems and that didn’t change when Glee transformed him into an award-winning celebrity. He died in 2013 from an overdose of drugs and alcohol.
- Cobain, singer, songwriter and guitarist with the groundbreaking, phenomenally popular grunge music band Nirvana, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1994. He was 27.
- Houston, 48, who sold more than 170 million albums and collected 415 career awards, was found dead in her hotel room in 2012. She had a history of erratic behaviour and cocaine abuse.
Sadly, we can add more names onto this list of icons who had drug and/or alcohol problems and died early: singers Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse and Jim Morrison, plus guitar god Jimi Hendrix and Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Where was the fulfillment promised by our culture? These people should have been much, much happier than you and me. Their tragic deaths make a clear and consistent case for that promise being an empty lie.
Their wealth didn’t satisfy, their awards apparently brought only temporary happiness, and there was no fulfillment to be had in their fans or peers.
So what (or who) CAN bring real, lasting satisfaction and fulfillment? Could it be…God? Blaise Pascal, the French mathematician, physicist and religious philosopher, certainly thought so. One of his most famous quotes says, “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus [of Nazareth, who many people believe is God’s Son].”
Why is this possible? Because a life-changing relationship with God, through His son, doesn’t depend on anything our culture has to offer. Rich or poor, famous or obscure – these things mean nothing to God. In fact, a relationship with God doesn’t depend on anything in our resumes. It depends on Him.
Consider these three words from an ancient follower of Jesus: “God is love”. That fact explains why He sent Jesus to die for all the wrong things we’ve done and the right things we haven’t done.
He loves us and wants to wipe the slate clean of what some people call “sins” so there is nothing blocking the way to a satisfying, fulfilling, and eternal relationship with us. All we have to do is believe this and claim Jesus as our saviour.
Does this make sense? Agree or not, post a comment below and let’s start a conversation.
Frank's Cottage 
Yep, I think you are right, only a close relationship with God can bring lasting happiness and deep joy. It sure did save me from an otherwise terrible life.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment, Brad. Appreciate it! 🙂
You forget that Whitney Houston had a relationship with the LORD. She never left her faith, never stopped praying, attending church, receiving spiritual counseling from her pastor, Kim Burrell; she would call daily for prayer and advice. The sad part is that Whitney’s soul was trapped in a addictive body. We shall see her again 🙂
You’re right, Chantal. Whitney’s story makes it clear that no one, including Christians, is immune from the temptations offered up by our culture. 😦
Chantal, EXCELLENT point! I wish they had forced WH into rehab and got her a sober coach to live with her.
Amen sister!!
I meant to say that Whitney’s body was trapped in an addictive body not that her soul was trapped in an addictive body.
Right, Frank! Sometimes as Christians we forget that everyone has an addiction…that’s right, I said it…everyone has an addiction. We tend to think that addiction involves using drugs, watching porn, drinking alcohol and the list goes on. But addiction as well can be our ministry, our jobs, shopping and watching television, etc.
Each of these addictions is no greater then the other. That is why I’m grateful that I serve a God of grace and love, and I know that Whitney Houston understood that because she constantly sang “Yes, Jesus loves me.” I’m not saying I condone the decision that she made but Whitney always knew to run to the Lord.
I can’t speak on behalf of the other celebrities but only God knows…I leave it at that 🙂
Sadly, the more those in the public eye (celebrities in all industries) strive and strain to meet the expectations of the world, peers, fans, etc. the further away from fulfillment they will get.
The more they give, the more the world will demand and expect of them. No good can come of that as we’ve seen in so many of the lives of those who have passed on. Those who God saw as having remarkable and incredible potential but who became overcome by the many pressures that exist in an ever increasingly godless world.
Sad (and true) words, Melissa. Thanks for reading and commenting.
That is so true. :,(
Learning to LOVE YOURSELF is the greatest love of all.
Thanks for your comment (and for reading), Alysia.
Your words remind me of a song by one of my fave Christian bands, White Heart: “They say there are seven wonders of this world / what would the eighth one be? / If I could just love myself / the way that the Lord loves me”.
Frank, Alysia was quoting WH’s song ‘the greatest love of all’.
Thanks; I knew that. The song was done, several years before Whitney, by jazz/pop singer/guitarist George Benson.
Frank your piece is thought provoking indeed.
A true relationship with God through His son Jesus Christ replaces all desires for worldly fame, glory, wealth, drugs, alcohol or other excesses. His love is sufficient for us – it happened in the life of Apostle Paul….Phil 3:7-8
Does a person need drugs to sleep? “…He giveth His beloved sleep” Ps 127:2
Thanks for reading and commenting, Ronnie. That said, I believe sometimes people DO need medical help to get sleep. And God can provide that help through doctors with wisdom, honour and integrity.
God is the key indeed….
I’d also like to add that I think being in the public eye ALL the time and having to deal with the ridicule of being a normal average everyday person, but treated like you are suppose to be a super hero, is hard on those in the lime light
I would also be seen acting strangely if my every move was dissected….everyone isn’t on drugs or alcohol in an addictive way, but we all have our issues….would you be able to bare your issues to the world without it getting under your skin?
Great post Frank King….
I love your point of view…..
You make a valuable point, Junetta. Thanks for reading and contributing to the conversation. 🙂
And Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, James Morrison and many more, Rest in Peace
Oh I see now , you already mentioned them, sorry
Bob Marley said on his deathbed that “Money can’t buy life”, a statement that rings true whether or not you’re a celebrity.
I know a person who makes around triple the amount of money I earn in a year, and who should for that reason be happy if money brings happiness. When I see him and all he can do is talk about how horrible his life is and how many people and companies hassle him for money since he’s a well-known professional, I have to admit it makes me happy to know I’m fairly content with my own life despite making a third of the amount of money my acquaintance makes.
Maybe God is the key to happiness, maybe not. It depends on who you are and whether you have the attitude to be content with what you have and whether you’ve got meaningful goals to work towards.
Bettering yourself through practising religion is just one way of many to live a fulfilling, contented life, and I for one take the examples of the Ledgers, Houstons, Cobains, Jacksons, Joplins, Presleys and Hendrixes of the world and try to live happy rather than seeking material success only to find disappointment.
Good thoughts, Jay. Thanks for contributing. 🙂
Amazing the apologists for these people and their actions; the cult of personality is a very real phenomenon. Yes, Whitney was aware of Jesus, and the Bible makes it clear that even the devils believe and tremble. Awareness doesn’t equate to salvation. While we cannot judge these people, we can look for fruit, and I see no peace, and no joy in the case of either.
Whitney may have believed, but her addiction to drugs was a result of her lack of submission to Christ. These lives represent the polar opposites of what are the promises of God in a Christian’s life.
So, don’t rationalize away the gravity of their errors. If their life is to have any meaning at all it is as an illustrated lesson of what fleshly pursuits garner in spiritual poverty.
Some good tough-love there. Thanks for reading and contributing. 🙂
Does a person committed to God need to commit to a specific faith? I dont’ believe they do so I disagree with your statement.
mauigirl wait, how do we have an eternity to work it out? I thought we just have out time on Earth? Once you die, you are judged and then go to heaven or to hell.
Interesting that readers start focusing on the various artists, what they did or didn’t do, defending them, accusing them etc. and taking the focus off the real point of your article. Yes, we all have our struggles, but the point Frank was trying to make, I think, is that the lives of these people should have been all sunshine and roses if money and popularity was the source of happiness, and clearly it isn’t.
People think, if I could just do what I love, not have any financial worries, have the praise of my peers and the public, I would be happy. Clearly though it may bring some happiness, it’s not lasting and nothing will bring lasting happiness and peace until God is allowed to fill that God-shaped hole that nothing else can fill.
We all have our struggles, we are not perfect, but surrendering to God and saying, here I am I welcome you into my life, gives us a peace that passes understanding that the world cannot give. It gives us hope and it’s okay to have lots of money, have fame, lots of success, nothing wrong with being rich, but it doesn’t define us and we don’t place our hope and trust and our very lives on something that could be here today and gone tomorrow. Thanks for your article Frank!
If faith in God helps you get through life, then more power to you. It’s certainly better than the “alternative”, which is cutting your life short of its full potential.
I know little or nothing about the minds of people Frank mentioned. What meagre ‘facts’ I do know have come from the media – and that information is taken with a large dose of sceptical salt.
So, i will not add to the comments already made about individuals.
A little off topic perhaps but… The one thing that DID strike me was: “He sent His son to die for all the wrong things we’ve done AND THE RIGHT THINGS WE HAVENT DONE” (my capitals).
We all know the sinful things we have done but how often do we dwell on the things we SHOULD have done, and didn’t? Both situations leave us falling short of the mark. I am a sinner in both respects but remain thankful for a relationship with a God who forgives – even though I don’t deserve it.
Celebrities aren’t just actors, they’re manipulated puppets. I have no idea what happened to PSH, perhaps he died as we are told. The others you’ve cited have so much occult mystery around them that they may have been DCP entries.
Thanks Frank. Very sad.
What a lame ass posting. I’m sorry that I wasted time reading this crap and annoyed that the loser writer waited until the last paragraphs to try his deist stuff recruiting on the writer. On a cheery note, perhaps there is a warm place below for writers who do this. Nahhhhh-there really IS no day but today….
You’re certainly welcome to your opinion, Maureen. I changed some of the wording in your comment because offensive language is not permitted on Frank’s Cottage.
I think that Alyssa makes the best point. Only when we can truly love ourselves inside and out, however we reach that state, can we feel content with what we have and treat ourselves and others as human beings with all our imperfections, no matter what our background or upbringing.
One performer you don’t mention, but who came to mind as soon as I read the news about Hoffman, is Heath Ledger. Their combined talents do not appear very often and to me they are the ‘greats’ of the last thirty years when it comes to cinema. (Thanks for visiting and commenting on my Rogues & Vagabonds blog.)
Frank, your remarks are thoughtful, timely and true! Our culture has distorted the innate joy that comes from creativity…confusing and lying to us, that creativity will be rewarded with dollars, celebrity and everlasting happiness.
Even those who do not enjoy a relationship with Christ, cannot avoid seeing the emptiness of lives seeking earthly reward. My heart is with all the families, friends and fans of all these you have mentioned. Bless you for having such compassion…and prayers for eyes to be opened, and hearts comforted.
“You’re certainly welcome to your opinion, Maureen. I changed some of the wording in your comment because offensive language is not permitted on Frank’s Cottage”. What a kind and peaceful way to answer a hateful post. We all can learn from that. Even if that is all one gets from this essay forum. I however, enjoyed the essay, Frank!
God has nothing to do with these deaths. We have free will to steer our lives in any direction. Certainly one direction is addiction, and addiction follows pain. These people as with any addict had/have such deep rooted pain in their guts due to some physical, psychological, or emotional event in their earlier life. Enter drugs, be they legal or not, to ease the pain.
Drugs do such a good job at temporarily easing the pain, that it is almost inevitable the person suffering becomes dependant. So, instead of dealing with the inner pain through professional means, ie therapy, or addressing the inner pain by talking, crying, screaming, the drugs win out. Then, it’s just a matter of time before the drugs end up easing the pain permanently.
Yes these people had it all, but none were happy inside…
I agree with Ron. It has nothing to do with God or not having God. It has to do with psychological pain, whether caused by emotional or physiological factors. There’s still a lot of research to be done about mental illness.
Who was mentally ill?
It seems to me that encouraging people to believe in and comment upon negative tabloid stories as if they are truth is a “WRONG” idea.
And once again, you are missing the point. That saddens me. 😦
A majority of these people had a relationship with “God.” Perhaps, the depression came from not being able to fulfill the life of a stand out follower of “Christ.” Often times, questioning, “God” as to why he nor no one loves them, stemming from the cruelties of society. Just saying, pure happiness doesn’t come from having a relationship with, “God.” Happiness comes from within, loving yourself and accepting life for what it is.
I think that’s what God wants us to do; to love ourselves. He wants us to forgive ourselves when we make mistakes and ask for forgiveness. He wants us to know how much he loves us no matter what we do. The story of the prodigal son tells this. I think that’s what the Bible is all about. Christianity is about getting back to having a relationship with God like what Adam and Eve had before sin. They didn’t have God staring over their neck at every move they made; they lived happily, discovering new things and told God about it all at the end of the day. God was happy seeing them happy and cared for every other need.
He is a father. The Bible says he will give us anything we ask for in Jesus name and according to His will.
He’s just a nice, chill guy that wants us happy & we’re not happy when we’re hating on ourselves!
Frank, thanks for responding to my post, and despite my crazy looking blog, I am a Christian and agree with your essay. A relationship with the Lord is what makes the difference. No question.
As for Robin Williams, I am heartbroken over the news of his death and I was more stunned by the news of his death than I was when I heard that Micheal Jackson, or Whitney Houston had died.
I think you have hit the nail right on the head, Frank. We never know what people are going through and the fame and the money and the awards do not necessarily mean that people are happy and healthy. God Bless all those who have commented and Rest in Peace Robin Williams, Whitney Houston, Cory Monteith and all those who have gone before us ❤
Learning to love God will ideally help people feel peaceful, sleep more easily, but it is not easy. He wants us to be in touch with and love ourselves and talk to him as our best friend. If we know HE is that, I think we would find that comforting, but depression cannot be fixed easily.
To me, people who take so many drugs are not always rational. I don’t think any doctor would want to kill a patient but the pressure to satisfy the client versus good judgment would be difficult. It’s not like anyone knows if you take half a pill more, the patient dies.
It’s also very sad that our communities are not so friendly. People don’t reach out as much as they used to. We live far from our families and I have seen some people recoil when someone shares a personal challenge like “My child died at birth” or ” I am a recovering alcoholic’ or ” I feel sad a lot”. A lot more people are depressed these days than should be the case.
I have met a lot of immigrants of people who grew up with very little who are grateful to have simple things and to be in a safe place. We expect so much and the bar is so high. I often wonder how celebrities can stay sane with so many people around you who may not have your best interests at heart. Luckily, churches can help people connect with each other and to remind us that our stresses are first world stresses.
I would like to see celebrities spend time helping less fortunate, even if it is less fortunate actors, actresses, or the underprivileged, handicapped or imprisoned. I think that would help remind them that life can be much more difficult than it is for them.
Often wonder about this “free will” we mortals are allowed that includes pain/suffering and joy/love. Also, I cannot believe we on Earth are the only living beings in the universe. I wonder what other beings aspire/adhere to “spiritual” connections?