What's your privacy worth to you?

What’s the most embarrassing story you can think of when it comes to your favorite celebrity?

Is it something clumsy like Jennifer Lawrence's multiple famous stumbles when walking up sketchy award show stage steps? Maybe it’s more cringe-worthy like James Franco’s likely-stoned-as-a-kite Oscar Awards hosting endeavor.

Whatever the instance, these mishaps tend to blow up all over the news — while making these celebs even more (in)famous.

So, what’s the recipe for a vulnerable blowup?

1. The moment was ridiculous (in a good or bad way)

2. The person is at least semi-famous

We absolutely feed off of their embarrassments when this happens. Hell, this type of action even seemingly drives our entire news cycle nowadays.

But when it comes to writers, the story might be different.

How often do we hear about a famous writer doing something monumentally stupid or embarrassing? Sure, it’s not like it never happens, but I’d wager it’s far, far less.

One reason we don’t see it too often is that writers and bloggers often use pen names.

You know, a nom de plume. An alias. A cryptonym. Alternative projections.

Using a pen name allows the protection of anonymity while being open to saying what one thinks, feels, and wants to act upon.

But in the writing world, especially in the modern version where blogging of some form is almost a requirement—does it hurt sales/success?

I wager it does, and I explain fully why in this piece which also includes a rare…and I hate this…selfie.

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I also wrote about three more fun history pieces in the last two weeks. One’s about this insanely crazy place called Sealand, just off the coast of Britain. I honestly thought its story was half made up as it involves mercenaries, drug lords, pirates, and WWII…but yea, check it out if that sounds like fun.

One piece that didn’t get much reader-lovin’ was on the story of the origins of the Ferris Wheel. I claim it was invented out of jealousy. No one disagreed. (Probably because they didn’t read it.)

Lastly, I did a nice little update to my most viral article yet (it somehow has over 500,000 views so far—which is amazing to me). It’s about the topic of news bias and presents a few quick charts to read. If you want to know what one non-profit systematically says is the least and most biased news sources out there, give it a read.

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As I see my friends and family back home going into yet another lockdown, I can’t help but feel grateful for where I’m living in the world right now.

Taiwan has had something like 600 cases in total since the outbreak (out of around 23 million people).

Basically, life hasn’t really changed much here except the occasional requirement to wear a mask on a train or bus.

I also went to a huge concert at a beach party last weekend…So maybe grateful isn’t the best word.

I pretty much feel greedy by this point. But I’ll try to swing it back to remember how lucky I am to have my health and be living in a bubble country.

More importantly, I hope everyone reading this is also as healthy as can be. There’s light on the other side of the tunnel.

Humanity will get back on its feet and lockdowns will end. Vaccines will disseminate. Normality will return, if slowly.

And who knows, maybe the next beach concert I attend will be near you.

Just pray I don’t have my shirt off—it’s never nice to scare the locals.

Thanks for reading everyone!

J.J. Pryor

Extra points for anyone that hits the like button on this post! (Disclaimer: The points are probably worth nothing. Except for my eternal gratitude.)

Leading picture credit: Photo by Alex Blokstra from Pexels