Ellen Pompeo’s Passive Racism Underscores the Epidemic of Iconism
Yes, “celebrity privilege” is real…and Ms. Pompeo’s sense of pompous entitlement only reflects a greater trend
Our current era sees many contentious debates over the concept of “privilege.” These are necessary discussions that require deep listening as well as robust good-faith dialogue.
Whether it’s race, sex, gender, ethnicity, age, sexuality, class, religion, disability status, perceived beauty, or political ideology — it’s totally fair to examine where in life any of us, as global citizens, have unearned advantages. And, by that same token, to be cognizant of when we’re exploited by systems, individuals, or groups within society.
But today, I’m going to look at how those good intentions and noble motives can go off the rails. One of the greatest culprits facilitating this potency is that of “iconism” — aka “celebrity privilege.”
Ellen Pompeo, star of the hit medical drama Grey’s Anatomy on ABC, is one of its biggest offenders.
Last month, Pompeo interviewed former Grey’s costar Patrick Dempsey on an episode of her new podcast, Tell Me. She recounted an instance from five years ago when Denzel Washington directed an episode during Season 12.
