Lindsay Lohan, when everything was possible, and the future was bright.
Tomorrow, Saturday Night Live is bringing back Lindsay Lohan as Guest Host. This a decision that defies ethical analysis. On one hand, it is certain to be a ratings winner, as the curious will tune in to see if Lohan has a meltdown, look prematurely aged by her various addictions, or does or says something that continues her five year-run of self-destructive behavior. Lindsay is almost finished with her court-ordered rehab and community service, but her status in show business could hardly be much lower. She is widely regarded as uninsurable, and a candidate for a relapse at any time. Since the lapsed child star last hosted SNL, she has stood trial for grand theft, been held in contempt of court, been sentenced to jail twice, and made the classic desperation career move of posing nude for Playboy, a last ditch tactic that 1) almost never works, and 2) is usually reserved for fading pop stars and marginal TV actresses in their thirties, not a 25-year-olds.who should be in her career prime. If there ever was a ratings-motivated “let’s give the people a train wreck to gawk at” call, this was it.
On the other hand, letting Lindsay host the show again is a very kind and generous thing for the producers to do. For all her problems, she is still very talented, and the best way for the actress to rebuild her shattered reputation is to give audiences a chance to focus on her ability to entertain, which is considerable, or was. This demonstration of faith by SNL could be the turning point in the life of a troubled young woman deeply in need of one.
What was the true motivation behind the decision? Would SNL have been willing to exploit Lohan if it wasn’t also an opportunity that could mean everything to her? Would she have been invited to host if the kindness wasn’t also likely to result in a ratings bonanza? There is no way to tell, and there will never be a way to tell. Crass and loyal, exploitive and generous, it is a Golden Rule act that violates Kant’s directive never to use a human being for selfish ends.
Honestly, I can’t decide if its ethical or not.
Let’s just hope it works for Lindsay.
Update: I watched the show. Lindsay did all right. She looked a bit rusty to me, which is understandable. It would have helped if the writers could have come up with better material; Lohan was more or less relegated to unchallenging supporting roles in skits that neither required much from her or got many laughs. The online reviews have been mostly snarky, but although it was a weak show (which is more the norm than an exception for SNL), it was a big step forward for the actress.
Ethics Alarms 
I forget if you follow me on Twitter, but did you see me say, “I saw a picture of Lindsay Lohan and thought it was Goldie Hawn. I wish I was kidding”?
Lemme find that picture.
http://www.hitfix.com/galleries/can-these-careers-be-saved/10
It would be great if she could get back on track. Plenty of people have come back from worse.
I missed it. But you’re not far off. And Goldie is almost 70. I think Lindsay will either come back big, or be dead before she’s 40. Don’t ask me which I think is more likely.
Debbie Harry (of Blondie fame) was mistaken for Lindsay Lohan. Harry was in her late sixties at the time. Ouch.
Really? Lindsay doesn’t look that bad, and Debbie doesn’t look that good.
I say that it was just a case of exploitation. Lindsey’s not really mentally fit yet to handle the demands of fame and its attendent responsibilities. Throwing it on her now may well result in a relapse. With these kind of performers, it’s a case of a mixed up child in the body of a young adult. Of course, that was the intention of the Lohan handlers from the time she WAS a child. The goal was a malleable (but profitable) actress. They overplayed their hand! They don’t seem to have learned much from their marketing mistakes. They’ve learned nothing at all in the moral arena.