Status Quo Forever

   When I was young, I guess I thought like most kids did at the time, that my teachers pretty much  lived in the schools they taught in.  Teachers kept a low profile, and were rarely seen, by their students anyhow, outside of the school.  I thought teachers were superior beings and I liked it that way, with them safely secluded in their ivory towers.  The same was true for priests, seen only in church, and since they were carrying the Holy Eucharist on Sundays, you were not supposed to engage them in idle conversation, or so we were led to believe.  Even the neighborhood grocer, the village barber, and other community figures were seldom seen outside their places of business. 
     The orderliness of it all must have made an indelible impression because while I respect everyone's right to live as they choose, I still prefer public figures to remain in their niches.  In my opinion, Johnny Carson had it right during his days on television.  He didn't make guest appearances on a multitude of talk shows (though there weren't so many as now);  he didn't expose his private life in a public venue.
      Even when today's celebrities and public figures proclaim their wishes for privacy in their personal lives, they don't seem to be able to resist going public, and I so wish they wouldn't.  I respected Bob Schieffer as a fair, thorough and sensible news analyst until I saw him performing in his hillbilly band.  Gayle King had my vote as the top morning news personality until I saw her luncheon interview with Jennifer Lopez, at a restaurant selected by Ms. Lopez.  The camera is an integral part of the working lunch, but when the waiter brought the beverages to the table, Gayle sent hers back because she didn't think it was the right color drink for a cranberry pomegranate with a splash of Sprite.   Really.  And isn't that rather rude when she was at her guest's favorite restaurant.  I admire Charlie Rose; I think he's great at every show he does, and I've never heard him mention his private life, except for his dog.  He seems so down to earth and supremely reasonable, so while it's not his doing, I'd rather not know that he is divorced from his first wealthy wife, remarried to another heiress, and that he owns 5 homes. When it comes to professionals or people who are experts in their fields,  I  prefer that they reside in their place of business. I have no desire to see Bill Clinton confessing to Oprah, or for Michelle Obama to appear on Dancing with the Stars, or for the Pope to be a contestant on Jeopardy.   Is that too much to ask?