Reading about Bernard Tomic this week evoked a mixture of emotions.
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Why was a young man, who has the talent to challenge the top 10 tennis players in the world, subjecting himself to reality television?
Tomic joined other personalities in the reality television show I’m A Celebrity...get me out of here!
It was an odd decision that may have been a public image project or just another left-field random thought on behalf of the troubled Australian.
However, after just three days of filming Tomic pulled the pin. He wanted out of the South African jungle and back to his life.
What played out was shameful to watch. But in this instance the tables were turned. It was the public and television’s treatment of Tomic that was uncomfortable.
Vision of a distressed looking Tomic was shown to viewers.
"I don't want to spend half my time depressed here and thinking about how I played the last year and where I should be," he said on air.
"I'm just depressed. I'm thinking I've never had time to think about my thoughts. I've always had people around. Always have my mobile phone and my life is fast paced and everything has slowed down the last three or four days.”
"As soon as I got there my mind was a bit twisted," Tomic said. "And the more hours I spent in there, the more depressed I came."
This was an obvious cry for help. It was a man slowly coming undone after he had experienced a range of emotions, accusations and disappointment over many years while a whole nation watched on and criticised his personality, behaviour and tennis abilities.
This was not taken into consideration by the hosts or the public.
Instead many comments were made about Tomic quitting. Even Channel Ten, who broadcast the show, sent out a tweet saying “Tomic quitting...something sounds familiar here...we can’t place it”. They deleted the tweet shortly afterwards.
Tall poppy syndrome is a common state of mind in Australia. Arguably, Tomic helped to create this image. But the Australian public also told him as a 16-year-old that he was superior and special because of his tennis talent.
What we sometimes forget is the human inside the celebrity.
Fingers crossed Tomic can get the support he needs to achieve his goals and put the love back into tennis and/or his life.