Forgive me, but I am about to repeat myself.
It was almost exactly two years ago that I wrote about how social media has become the washing line that skelmpies and scorned women turn to, to air the dirty laundry of their celebrity exes.
Back then I was writing specifically about the women who had axes to grind with local rapper YoungstaCPT and TV presenter Katlego Maboe.
And it seems that famous men just don’t want to learn the lessons from their fellow celebs who have jolled down this path.
Over the last few weeks we have seen similar dramas unfold online and erupt around radio presenter Luwayne Wonder, Springbok star Elton Jantjies and, most recently, soccer legend Matthew Booth.
So it is clear to me that I can repeat almost word for word what I wrote in January 2021, as all of it is obviously still very relevant.
Every incident is perfect proof that hell hath no fury like a scorned woman with a social media profile, which they weaponise to publish sordid details of skelmpie relationships, seemingly to humiliate the man as much as possible.
Luwayne’s wife made sure the world knows that he had deserted her in her hour of need, but also that he borrowed money from her, despite her being incapacitated.
While Instagram was enraptured by the cheesecake affair, Sonya Booth also made sure that we know that her hubby is not as well off as he pretends to be and that he uses her car.
Meanwhile, Elton has had to deny accusations of drug abuse and secret rehabilitation.
It all reminds me of how YoungstaCPT’s skelmpie made sure to make embarrassing references to his manhood, the fact that he doesn’t own a car, can’t drive and still lives with his mother.
At the time, she said that she exposed him so she can “heal properly.” Maybe I don’t understand the digital world of millennials, but I struggle to understand how publically exposing someone for something you had a hand in, results in your own healing.
Would talking and laughing about it to a group of your closest friends not have the same effect?
I think the true motive for all the vuil wasgoed is to emasculate and publically humiliate the man as much as possible.
Again, I want to stress that this is not an attempt to defend their actions, as I don’t agree with what they did. At the same time, I don’t hold celebs in any higher regard than I do the general public.
They are mere humans and the social responsibility of higher moral values that is thrust upon them is not something they ask for.
Just because they’re great at sports, doesn’t mean they’re any less morally bankrupt than the rest of us.
However misplaced our admiration for celebs may be, we still need to question the wisdom of airing dirty laundry on a public platform like Instagram, whether famous or not.
I can’t help but think that these public exposures are less about healing, and more bitter and vindictive attempts at destroying people’s lives and their incomes.
By the way, how will they support their children if they can no longer earn a living?
Personally I don’t care what sort of relationship you were in.
I don’t even judge a woman who willingly chooses to be a side chick.
Just accept that he is probably not going to leave his wife and that all relationships have issues.
Some we bring upon ourselves through bad choices, while others are due to no fault of our own.
But anything short of abuse, the details and memories should be kept private and possibly even treasured.
Anything else is a sordid indignity on everyone involved.
Learn from the mistakes, move on and do better next time.
Allow for growth in others who may have wronged you.
But I can never accept that you will now destroy someone, whom you once claimed to have loved so dearly, with no consideration for the trauma suffered by children involved.
Bad-mouthing your ex is nothing new, and some people deserve the shame.
But social media has become a weapon of mass destruction for celebs who make bad relationship choices, even though those choices are as old as the hills.
The difference is when millennials are involved, there’s a very good chance they will use it to get “likes”, which is worth more to them than integrity.
You should want nothing but the best health, wealth and happiness for the people you have loved.
And try to conduct your relationships in such a way that they wish the same for you.