Think I'll Stick With PowerADE

Have you heard the one about the guy that walks into a bar? How about the one where the politician was tempted, but never strayed from his wife? Or maybe the one where the entertainer declines a smitten fan’s sudden advances?

Me neither for the last two.

Unfortunately, we’ve all heard about and been inundated with images, audio, video and articles about celebrities, athletes, and those who seem to be most frequently involved in these situations, leaders in the public eye. It now seems like a common occurrence for the most visible and prominent public figures, and now most recently, allegations against former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain and pop singer sensation Justin Bieber, have seemed to fall in line so far with all the previous celebrity soap-opera dramas that have unfolded over the years.

Seemingly, all these two had were accusations from the women who’ve given their accounts of their infidelities, but if these stories eventually shape up to be anything like we’ve seen, there may be some serious smoke and mirror work to make these claims go away. Quietly.

Both Cain and Bieber have sported similar grand entrances from somewhat modest beginnings into the power of the limelight. Cain is a former businessman, CEO, and radio show host who reportedly sought politics out as another challenge. Bieber is an incredible talent (I will admit in parenthesis) who may have single-handedly catapulted YouTube as the favorite marketing engine for aspiring artists as he was discovered there by an established and popular R&B artist, which in turn shot him to fame, power, and superstardom involving celebrations and libation-accessible parties.

Now, Bieber may not currently be of drinking age and obviously Cain is legal enough to throw a few back. But who’s to say either of them would even want to consume enough to be over the limit? The real question is who’s to say they would have to drink anything to be drunk on power?

As the saying goes, or at least how Spider Man’s gramps put it, “with great power, comes great responsibility.” And apparently with great responsibility, can come a hefty tab if the taker is not careful and especially if he or she is a relative newcomer and isn’t used to the amount of influence his or her new status has accumulated.

For example, per USA Today, Cain is quoted as saying:

"In all of my over 40 years of running businesses and corporations, I have never sexually harassed anyone," Cain said at the National Press Club. "No. 2, while at the restaurant association, I was accused of sexual harassment. Falsely accused, I might add."

And in another quote from Fox News:

"If the restaurant association did a settlement, I wasn't even aware of it and I hope it wasn't for much," Cain told Fox News. "If there was a settlement, it was handled by some of the other officers at the restaurant association."

I’m a little confused, but if you were falsely accused, why mention the word settlement?

Anyway, per an online interview quoted at justinbieberzone.com, Bieber stated:

“I really don’t believe in abortion. It’s like killing a baby?”

Now, I’m not saying that either of these accusations is true, as Bieber’s accuser apparently dropped the paternity case, but the track records of Cain and Bieber’s predecessors may surely have me under the influence that history can, and usually does, repeat itself.

I guess that’s better than being under the influence of power.

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