Shhh, Don’t Look

“We, the sensible people of Elk Rapids, honor

the desire of celebrities to experience

small-town life as ‘normal’ citizens. . . .”

Celebrity Hospitality Code of Ethics

Elk Rapids, Michigan

Finally, there’s a place where the rich and famous can go and be treated as “normal” people. But who would’ve thought it’d be Elk Rapids, Michigan (population 1,650)? Probably not the rich and famous.

Elk Rapids, flanked with lakes on two sides and a bay to the east, is a charming harbor village that attracts thousands of visitors each year. Recently, the village council unanimously passed a Celebrity Hospitality Code of Ethics instructing its good citizens on how to treat the infamously famous. The citizens, in large part, are not pleased. 

This story begs the question: why a Celebrity Hospitality Code of Ethics in Elk Rapids? Is the place overrun with VIPs? A quick search of the Internet shows that a handful of celebrities do have homes in the area: Kid Rock, rapper Eminem, filmmaker Michael Moore, former Detroit Tiger Kirk Gibson, and actresses Christine Lahti and Julie Kavner. Do these celebs fear being mobbed by villagers while strolling the streets of Elk Rapids? Probably not.

So, again, why the Code of Ethics? A closer look at the code reveals that it’s not so much a primer on how to treat celebrities as it is a pitch to woo celebrities and other visitors, perhaps wanting to spot celebrities, to the coastal village. True, the code does promise to treat celebrities as a “nobody” while in Elk Rapids, but much of the 148-word pledge is spent touting the benefits of the scenic village:  “a town with 80% of its perimeter touching water, sweeping agricultural landscapes, fresh produce, fragrant woodlands, world-class restaurants, art galleries, antique and gift shops, historic sites and a museum, cultural events . . .” 

Now, when you have the good fortune of living in a charming vacation spot, it’s not wrong to toot your own horn. But you might want to make sure the tune is clear and true, or you could find it strikes a sour note with the “normal” people hearing it.

For the full text of the Code of Ethics, read the article ® Celebrities safe from fans in Elk Rapids