When Tania Zaetta was accused of having sex with SAS soldiers while on an entertainment tour for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan – she was justifiably hurt.
And everyone was on her side. It’s a pretty low smear – especially for someone who wasn’t - like any of the comedians, musicians and entertainers on such tours - even paid for her trouble. I mean let's not beat around the bush - she risked her life.
As well as being personally hurt, Zaetta stood to lose money working in the ultra-conservative Indian film industry, where they don’t even kiss on screen. According to her she stood to lose up to a million bucks.
But a press release that arrived yesterday changed all that. It landed in my inbox at 10.25am – and it instantly made me laugh.
It was from Max Markson, Tania Zaetta’s manager – and his press releases are always worth a read.
Its headline screamed: “TANIA ZAETTA USES LEMON DETOX TO DEAL WITH STRESS”. And it went on, in the words of Zaetta no less…
“The Lemon Detox drink has become a natural part of my life and daily routine over the past few years… I have relied heavily on the program in the past few months during the stress brought on by the unsubstantiated claims surrounding my trip to Afghanistan and Iraq.
“I found myself unable to eat during the time shortly after the allegations were made, so I used the Lemon Detox program to give me much needed nutrients at a time when I needed it most.
“The world’s best and most loved detox program Lemon Detox Diet works to ease and improve both toxic and overweight conditions and lets the body cleanse itself naturally while giving the body a break from solid foods.”
So there you have it. To me it was funny. Funny that this poor woman is now trying to make a fast buck off an incident she had us all convinced she’d rather forget.
But it got me thinking. What happens to people who are famous but aren’t now? Can you make fame pay? If you are prepared to air your laundry and combine it with the currency of fame – and people are stupid enough to read it – is it them who are being fooled?
Because being famous is one thing, but tastefully turning it into a pay cheque isn’t as easy as it seems.
It’s a question Australian Idol graduates and Big Brother evictees have been asking themselves for years now. And one I’ve faced myself.
It’s a question that will be very close to home for some of Markson’s other clients – various graduates from The Biggest Loser – who, unlike any other reality TV stars, must be used to public humiliation.
Perhaps such people feel that there’s got to be an upside to being stopped in the street three times a day – and having to give everyone a few minutes of sunshine.
Perhaps it’s some kind of answer at least to the question anyone who has been famous is constantly asked: What are you doing now?
It’s a question which is usually put in such a way as to make you feel like a failure – no matter what you say.
Perhaps Tania Zaetta has a perfect right to cash in on some of the mud that was always going to stick.