Guess who Tiger is having sex with now? Celebrity sex and the framing of the moral high ground

Abstract

For media and audiences fascinated with celebrities' private lives, insight into their sexual behaviour is the ultimate pleasure as it deals with the most intimate details, the 'real' behind the celebrity construct. A celebrity's sex life is not just food for gossip but may facilitate the articulation of moral, ethical and social views on sexual issues in contemporary society. This is analysed by means of a framing analysis of celebrity sex stories and audience reactions in a sample of three celebrity websites (Flemish HLN, British Heat, and American People). Results reveal that media and readers focus on only a few, highly 'scandalous' stories of married heterosexual men's adultery. While media in their framing of celebrity news refrain from explicit judgments, readers are eager to openly criticise celebrities' adulterous transgressions while taking the moral high ground. Focusing on adultery, seven frames relating to different views in society were found, presenting adultery in either sociological, biological, psychological or religious terms. Only the 'women's fault' frame supports the sexual double standard, claiming women are responsible for a man's adultery.1. © 2013 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.