Katy Perry: ‘I’m kind of bummed that I didn’t have a great education’

Katy Perry

Katy Perry recently made a tour stop in Philadelphia and went hog wild at the museums. This is a photo of her outside the Mütter Museum of medical oddities. (This reminds me that she visited the Salem Witch Museum outside Boston last week.) I’ve never been to either of those museums. I’m surprised Katy didn’t go to the Please Touch museum. That’s not a knock! She’s into that cutesy stuff, and she’d probably dig it. Philly has the best museums out of any city that I’ve ever visited (even better than NYC). The Franklin Institute, Academy of Natural Sciences, and Eastern State Penitentiary were all fantastic attractions. Plus there’s the Liberty Bell stuff and Betsy Ross’ house. Philly is just an awesome city with so much stuff to do.

Anyway. Katy has a new collaboration with Staples called the “Make Roar Happen” campaign, which raises money for school supplies. She decided to “pay it forward” because of her biggest regret in life (besides all of her bad-boy exes). Katy wishes she had a better education. She dropped out of high school in 9th grade, and her education was very spotty throughout her childhood. Katy blames “half-Christian, half-education, I-don’t-know-what-they-were schools” and a series of childhood relocations. Her parents are flaky, so I’m not surprised to hear they didn’t make education a priority. Here’s Katy’s thoughts on the situation:

Katy’s biggest regret: “I’m kind of bummed at this stage that I didn’t have a great education because I could really use that these days.”

Her parents’ evangelical lifestyle contributed: “I was being pulled out of school even in the middle of school and sometimes being home-schooled. Sometimes we were sent to these really half-Christian, half-education, I-don’t-know-what-they-were schools.”

One teacher made a difference: “There was a teacher named Agatha Danoff who was my vocal teacher and music teacher at the Music Academy of the West. It was very fancy and I didn’t come from any money … and she always used to give me a break on my lessons. I owe her a lot of credit and I appreciate that she looked out for me when I didn’t have enough money to pay. She believed in me, so this is how I could pay it forward from that one experience.”

Katy’s solution: “I’ve learned to educate myself at this stage and how to continue my education at any age. I’m going on 30 and I’m still very thirsty for information. On tour, we go to different museums and get to soak up all kinds of different cultural experiences.”

Performing at the White House for the Special Olympics: “It was an incredible honor and a learning experience. I was very moved by one girl in particular who came up to me and was telling me that she wanted to be seen not for her obstacle, but she wanted to be seen as a mother that she is, a daughter that she is, a sister — all these other things that she is, not just because she has an obstacle in her life. It was very touching to me … I felt a sense of purpose and I don’t always feel that way.”

[From Yahoo!]

Many of us give Katy a hard time for being vapid. She’s certainly culturally insensitive and could do a lot better in that area. A lack of education is no excuse for the racial caricatures she presents onstage and in her videos. Her general vapidity is another story. She wasn’t brought up to value education, and that upsets her. Her partnership with Staples is a worthy cause — school supplies grow more expensive every year, and hopefully some parents will get help in that department. Staples is so expensive though, right? Target’s prices are much better.

Here’s Katy at the Rocky statue outside of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. She was dressed as a pepperoni pizza. Adrian!

Katy Perry

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet & WENN

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

133 Responses to “Katy Perry: ‘I’m kind of bummed that I didn’t have a great education’”

Comments are Closed

We close comments on older posts to fight comment spam.

  1. jane says:

    Most “celebrities” have less than the equivalent of a high school education, and most have the money to go get one if that’s what they really want. I doubt it’s high on their list.

    • Lady Macbeth (Hiddles F.) says:

      Exactly. I was so poor that I was working by the time I entered my teens. Nevertheless I had always regretted I had no education at all and spent my life trying to patch it up. I’m graduating now in my forties. If you really want something, it is never too late.

      • Ag says:

        congrats! that’s awesome! 🙂

      • Welldun says:

        Huge grats Lady M! That is a true accomplishment!

        I went back to school at 30, finally finished at 43, working at least full-time the entire time (obviously I started at part-time in school lol.) It was a huge grind but I’m so happy I did it.

      • Dani2 says:

        Congrats Lady Macbeth! So inspiring 😘

      • Lady Macbeth (Hiddles F.) says:

        Thanks!! 🙂

        Welldun, of course I had to do it part-time too!
        Indeed I’m so happy I did it!!

      • OhMyMy says:

        Hear you Lady Macbeth. I started working full time just before graduating high school. My year book has no signatures in it because my butt was at work. I took some night classes at the local community college but never got a degree. I’m all work experience. Has it gone against me for some jobs, yes, but it hasn’t been that big of a hassle.

        As far as Katy is concerned, so what’s stopping you? Pretty sure you got enough money to do it girl. You might not have the brainpower to get into an ivy league but you could get a degree if you wanted it.

      • Eleonor says:

        Congratulations!

      • Kiddo says:

        Cheers!

      • Jupiter says:

        Lady Macbeth, that is amazing! Congratulations! Not an easy feat when you have been out of school for a while.

      • Lilacflowers says:

        Congratulations, Lady MacBeth! Well done!

      • MaiGirl says:

        Congratulations! My parents went back to college in their 40’s, so I know how hard you worked.

      • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

        Wow! Congratulations on your hard work and perseverance! Good job!

      • Lempicka says:

        Congratulations!
        As somebody who went from fancy schools straight to university (no family money btw just pure luck) I cant even imagine the effort it takes to do that after work. Chapeau!

      • Lexie says:

        Congratulations! That’s an enormous accomplishment!

      • Rice says:

        Wow! That’s wonderful Lady M! A friend of mine learned to read when he was 19. He’s now in his 50’s and has a PhD. I know it sounds very Disney or whatever, but anything is possible if you really go for it.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        Totally inspiring! Thank you for sharing, who knows how many people will see your comment and take the leap themselves. 😀

      • sonalaceae (Nighty) says:

        @LadyMacbeth Congrats!!! 😀
        The other day I read about a person who got a degree at the age of 82… Learning is never too late!!
        Some friends of mine also graduated later in life… And I’m so proud of them… 🙂

      • sigh((s)) says:

        Yay lady Mac!

      • Ginger says:

        Wonderful! Congrats 🙂 Your hard won education is something that no one can ever take away from you!

      • melain says:

        Way to persevere! Well done and congratulations!

      • homegrrrl says:

        Hayay! I have the same, Macbeth. I started college at age 18, when I thought being smart meant wearing a black beret with an LSD hangover. Ah duh. I can’ t apologize enough to my family who literally sold the family farm for my “education” that I left incomplete. I went back a few years ago to a four year local college (age 46) and I’m graduating next fall with an Associate in General Studies. My son, now eight, has experienced his single mom fulfilling a life-long dream. I wish Katy Perry was educated, and I’m happy I’m finally brain ready and taking it seriously. It’s the best feeling in the world.

    • Samtha says:

      Exactly! There is nothing stopping her from pursuing an education, if she really wants one.

      • CTgirl says:

        First of all, congratulations to all of the posters who continued seeking an education. That is seriously cool!

        Secondly, Katie Perry has more money than she can ever go through. Ever. If she really wants an education she could take a brake from her personal Candyland and go to school for a couple of years. I’m glad to hear that she’s partnering with Staples but perhaps she could also endow a couple of scholarships . . .

    • Ag says:

      that’s what i don’t get – you have all the money you’ll ever freaking need. go get an education. most of us are crazy in debt due to schooling, so pardon me if i don’t feel bad for you because you have money you can spent freely on an education if you choose to, katy.

    • Eleonor says:

      I was going to write the same thing.

    • Chris says:

      Maybe she’s an autodidact.

  2. It is what it is says:

    I LOVE PHILLY

    • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

      Me, too. I lived there during the “Renaissance” and it was fabulous. My first big city – my first tiny apartment used to be the living room of a house near Rittenhouse Square, so it had a fireplace and a kitchen that you could barely turn around in – oh, I was in heaven.

  3. eliza says:

    It is never too late to back away from the limelight and continue your education.

    • L says:

      Exactly. That’s why for all his faults, I was always impressed with Shaquille O’Neal taking his continuing education seriously. Promised his mother than he would finish college-got his degree while still playing professional basketball (skipped a game for graduation even) Got a MBA from University of Phoenix online while still playing pro-ball. And then after he retired-going and getting a PhD in Human Resource development.

      If she wants to get a education, she has similar financial resources as O’Neal-she could make it happen if she really had the drive to.

      • Mixtape says:

        Yes, I love Shaq’s story, especially because he has often been portrayed as a bit of a dim bulb. And while Mark Wahlberg is not the most popular person on this site (for some good reasons), he has done the same thing. When he went back to school, he decided a GED wasn’t good enough, and so he finished all his courses through an adult online program so he could get an actual diploma. I believe he is taking college courses now.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        I didn’t know that about Shaq, that is very impressive!

        Eva Longoria also got her masters from Cal State Northridge, and physically attended classes for 3 years while famous. If its truly a priority, it can be done, which is why I think Perry is kind of full of it.

    • Esmom says:

      My thoughts exactly. If it’s really a priority she has all the resources in the world now to make it happen.

    • Lady Macbeth (Hiddles F.) says:

      +1,000
      Said the same above.

    • Lilacflowers says:

      She can even do it on-line.

    • HappyMom says:

      Yes. Didn’t Christy Turlington go back to school? I’m pretty sure she got her college degree and a masters in public health once she left modeling.

    • Wren says:

      And she could study exactly what she wants to and not be bound by the pressure to graduate “on time” to avoid more student loan debt or obtain a degree in a lucrative field. She could find what truly interests her and go for it.

      Oh, if I had all the money I would LOVE to go back to school and pick and choose all the classes I would like to have taken but just couldn’t manage without being in school forever.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        Honestly, when I dream of what my retirement would be (or if my man suddenly became a sugar daddy), I would love to take tons of classes on different things. Stock market, car repair, pottery, etc.

      • Green Girl says:

        Same here, Tiffany!

        I know a number of colleges offer lecture-type classes (audited?) specifically for senior citizens on a number of topics – art history, literature, philosophy, etc. It’s smart, actually. They get to participate in discussions and learn something new without worrying about writing papers or passing the final.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        That sounds awesome, Green Girl. I’d be there all the time. 😀

      • Mandy says:

        There’s an awful lot of stuff offered online now, you can do courses from the top universities for free! If you purely want to learn without getting a degree they’re perfect. You get the video from the lectures and you almost feel like a real Ivy League student, it’s awesome. There really are no excuses anymore when it comes to being uneducated! I really don’t see how you could learn all that much just from visiting museums, but then I guess my preferred way of learning is reading in depth. Still, I guess good for her for realizing she’s lacking in that department and making an attempt to learn.

    • Lucinda says:

      I don’t think wanting to continue your education and regretting your lack of education are necessarily the same thing. Besides, she isn’t saying she won’t go back to school just because she isn’t choosing to do it right now. Whether or not she goes back to school shouldn’t take away from her talking about the value of education and giving back. Plus, everyone learns in their own time and in their own way. We have no idea what she is doing to further her education.

      • Mel says:

        Agree. It is probably a bad idea for her to go back to school right now. If you’ve ever had your career take off, you know you can’t just quit and like, take up origami full time. She’s getting paid millions of dollar to do what I assume she loves. Eventually her career will slow down and she can do whatever she wants.

  4. BeckyR says:

    She could have an education if she wanted it badly enough. Museum visits are not quite the same thing.

  5. Elisabeth says:

    She should go back then. i always thought if I came into a lot of money that could allow me to quit my job, I would definitely go back to school and get more of an education then i was given

  6. CandyKay says:

    Very interesting info about all the museums in Philly. I’ve only been there once, and didn’t realize the city had so much to offer.

    A lot of big stars have very little formal education: Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, Rihanna. It makes it very difficult for them to manage their money.

  7. Dani2 says:

    Not going to throw shade at her for once, glad that she’s doing something to help students out and I’m glad that she’s starting to value education. Good on her.

  8. Kiddo says:

    Read a few books Katy, museums can only do so much without context and analysis. I give her a lot of credit, though, for admitting that she lacked an education and is at least hungry for knowledge now. Kudos.

    The Mütter is a fascinating place: http://muttermuseum.org/
    I loved it.

    • Esti says:

      There are people at museums, called guides, whose job is to teach you about the work shown in it. That’s better than reading a shitty high school book about art that’ll probably teach you nothing,

  9. Katie says:

    She does realize she has the resources now to fulfill her desire for a better formal education?

  10. Jess says:

    She should go back to school! Nothing wrong with it even at her age, you can always learn:) I love that knowledge is something that can’t be taken from you, and you always have room for more.

  11. We Are All Made of Stars says:

    Good for her and I hope she continues her education and thinks about doing some online classes. Why doesn’t she also call Agatha and give her some money? I’m serious.

    • MollyB says:

      How do you know she hasn’t? Or even that this woman is still alive? Or that she would even want Katy Perry’s money?

  12. Kate says:

    Philly is an amazing city and the surrounding Main Line ( made famous in The Philadelphia Story) is one of the most beautiful places to live in the country.

  13. StormsMama says:

    Well this explains A LOT.
    May not excuse her, but sure helps explain some of her choices.

    • Lee says:

      Exactly. Scary thought that so many kids are not being served by their parent’s religion/education “experiments”, and there are no real oversights to protect them. It does make for a gullible, easily manipulated population, however, which has it’s uses for the powers-that-be.

  14. QQ says:

    then go to school Homie… You of all people could use it…with your appropriative ass

    You know what? Mary J Blige used to give you that shit as an excuse why she was always disgruntled and couldnt understand contracts and all Ive ever wondered is: WHAT PREVENTS THESE RICH A-HOLES FROM GETTING STRAIGHT UP TUTORS?! You buy EVERYTHING, why not buy you an actual travelling teacher, someone that can expound on anything you dont “get” (like feminism, women’s Lib, Cultural Appropriation, the effects of rascism etc In this case)

    • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

      Such good points and hilarious as always. Just love you.

    • littlemissnaughty says:

      LOL This.

      But please. They think thirst for knowledge is enough. It’s not. Reading books and visiting museums only gets you so far and frankly, I think it’s only really useful on top of a formal education. You need teachers, you need a structured curriculum, you need to learn how to form an opinion, how to do research, how to participate in a discussion without starting a fight. None of that is taught in a museum. Discourse is incredibly important.

      ALL of those things have something in common: They require work and dedication and they take time. Most of us put in the work (Lord knows I’m glad I did but I’m also happy my uni days are over) because we want a career/job/secure future. She already has that. Celebrities would have to put in the work for the sake of learning. There’s no payoff, so to speak. And if you do THAT, you are really thirsty for knowledge. Is that how we would describe our favorite non-feminist Katy P.? No. She’s uneducated, sure. But she’s also not smart. A smart person would at the very least pay someone who’s educated to tell them when they’re being stupid.

      • Kiddo says:

        That probably hasn’t occurred to her. Someone who has never had a formal education doesn’t necessarily see the advantage thereof or grasp the concept. However, on the other hand, my grandmother had to leave school at a tender age to work. It didn’t stop her from educating herself through reading newspapers, books and going to the library, etc. Critical thinking might have to be taught to some people, while others may be lucky enough to be born with it, or develop it on their own.

      • littlemissnaughty says:

        Yes, that’s of course another aspect of it. Some people ask questions, they want answers, they won’t let anything get in the way of getting those answers and of course I’m not saying you cannot educate yourself without a formal education at all. But I would venture a guess that a) your grandmother is (was?) an intelligent person, no? Katy P. is not or at least has not led me to believe she is. b) Your grandmother knew the value of an education, formal or not because she didn’t have it and had seen what it could do for people. She didn’t hit it big at a young age I assume. That’s what I mean. If you have a massive career and money, learning and education have – at first glance – no value that can be measured.
        I would, however, stick with my statement that discourse cannot be replaced by anything. If you don’t have teachers you need other people in your life who will challenge you and your thinking, your arguments. I seriously doubt Katy has many of those surrounding her.

      • QQ says:

        TESTIFY YOU GUYSES!!! Exactly! you guys brought it home!: cultivating Critical Thinking skills, hard work, a curriculum, natural curiousity!, supplementing your “diet” so to speak.. all of it must be married to get you over that hump of not doing the work when you were young and learning those habits, basically by force, in school

      • Kiddo says:

        @littlemissnaughty, I will try to say this without causing offense, but I think some people may still be offended. If the bulk or largest percentage of your education was of a fundamentalist religious nature, then asking questions may be verboten or frowned upon. In those situations, one must accept and have faith without critical analysis.

      • littlemissnaughty says:

        @ QQ: Exactly. As a kid you just do it because you’re told to do it and the skills you acquire then can of course be acquired later but good Lord, I would NOT want to start with that sh*t now. There are exceptions but usually these things are much easier when you’re a kid or if you at least realize the need for it. I will say this though. If I had her money, I would go back to university to study something else entirely without thinking about how that could translate to a job or making a living. I love a library like not much else and OMG would it be glorious to do it for fun! It wasn’t always that grand back then. …. Come to think of it, she needs to STFU or just do it. I’m developing a serious case of envy.

        @ Kiddo: May I add to that and say that that is not what I consider education. It’s indoctrination masquerading as education. But I know what you mean.

      • sigh((s)) says:

        I don’t necessarily agree that you absolutely need an extended formal education. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very proud of my degree, and I am married to and related to quite a few professors/teachers and believe education to be of utmost importance.
        However, I don’t believe that you can’t acquire critical thinking, research and discussion skills without a higher degree. In fact, I believe a lot of people actually don’t do well in an academic environment and learn much better through hands on experience. I absolutely think one can educate his/herself through books, museums, travel, work experience and cultivating conversational relationships with a variety of people from different backgrounds. In fact, I would say you get a more full education when it’s incorporated into the world at large.

        Yes, there are many vapid celebrities who don’t have a good educational foundation. I would argue that there are probably more, though, that dropped out of formal education and have made huge strides in their fields.

      • TheOriginalKitten says:

        I agree with Sighs on this. I have several brilliant friends who were not formally educated.

        That being said, I wouldn’t trade my college years for the world. Not because of the academic aspect of it but because of all the Good Time Charlie-ing.
        Without college I wouldn’t know how to properly roll a joint, that beer before liquor = never sicker, and other valuable life lessons.

      • littlemissnaughty says:

        @ sighs: But you’re not really disagreeing. You’re listing a lot of things here that are important/necessary for an education, formal or not. Yes, discourse can happen outside of a school or university but it’s still necessary. It is possible to acquire academic skills outside of school, sure. But there is a reason schools and universities exist. It is incredibly difficult and takes many years to get there on your own and the circumstances and especially the people you surround yourself with play a huge part. Reading and/or going to museums is not a substitute for a formal education, you need to put in a lot more effort. That was my point. Katy Perry talks about her high school years, not a higher degree. Those years are unbelievably difficult to make up for later.
        There are always exceptions but looking back I know it would’ve taken me another decade at the very least to get to where I am without my school/uni years. Travel and work are also extremely important to fill the gaps that even a higher education leaves but the foundation of a formal education helped me make the best of everything outside of uni.

        @TOK: I wasn’t talking about intelligence. My dad didn’t go to university (he tried night school but it didn’t work out, he was a guest worker in Germany at the time and the work was just too physically exhausting) but he finished high school and at the time they still taught in Ancient Greek in Greek schools. So he had a good foundation and continued to educate himself all his life. It paid off big time, you’d never guess he doesn’t hold a higher degree.
        It IS absolutely possible but there’s a reason he still regrets never going to university. He says so himself, there is something about that academic environment that you can’t really replicate. There are exceptions, yes. But to get back to Katy P., if she regrets any of it, she has ALL the options because frankly, judging from her interviews, she’s not like your friends. She could use teachers. Don’t whine. Go get someone to tutor you.

      • sigh((s)) says:

        @littlemiss- I’m not disputing formal education being good or valid. In your original post you said that you need teachers and a structured curriculum to, essentially, learn. I disagree. Not for everyone, I do think there’s a reason we have formal education. I do think a lot of people don’t learn well inside of those rigid parameters of academia. There are so many studies out there about different kinds of learners, and expecting everyone to fit perfectly into this mold of school that we’ve created in western society is just ludicrous.
        If you have the motivation, you can acquire all those skills necessary for a good education. Look at online courses. They are, for all intents and purposes, ways to self-teach. Every once in a blue moon you’ll find a decent instructor who is actively involved in the class, but for the most part, it’s you figuring it out on your own, with some various tools given out by the teacher, with little “instruction” going on.
        I’m not saying that this is the general rule. I believe formal education benefits most people. But I don’t believe you can’t be an intelligent, well-rounded person without a higher degree.
        Abraham Lincoln had one year of formal education.
        http://www.buzzfeed.com/ashleyperez/23-famous-dropouts-who-turned-out-just-fine#1i9ocpp
        Now, do I think Katy perry is generally an idiot? Yes. Is she doing quite well for herself in spite of her lack of education? Yes.

      • littlemissnaughty says:

        @ sighs: Yes, formal education benefits most people. Is that not what I said? I’m not saying you cannot be educated, intelligent, and well-rounded without a degree but as you said too, MOST of the time, it’s beneficial. If anyone understood “You need an education, you can’t be anything without it.”, that’s not what I meant. I didn’t think I’d have to stress that.
        And yes, it’s possible to do well and go far without a degree but that wasn’t the question. MOST people do need structure and teachers and only very few can get to the same level of general knowledge in the same time span without any formal education. Katy Perry will not be among those few. She needs a teacher and I’m sticking to my original point: museums and books won’t get her to the same place a formal education would. Not her.

      • sigh((s)) says:

        I guess I think she’s one of those people that probably wouldn’t do well in a formal setting.

      • littlemissnaughty says:

        That’s possible but very hard to predict. The fact that she is grown woman without much of a formal education who still has tremendous success could lead one to believe “She is so good at what she does, school just wasn’t her way.” But it could also be that she was extremely lucky in that she has talent and met the right people so that her lack of schooling didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. I think it’s interesting though that she doesn’t blame her lack of formal education on the fact that the setting wasn’t for her. She specifically states that it was the circumstances and LACK of consistent (good) education during her teens. She probably wouldn’t regret anything if she felt it wasn’t for her. Which brings me back to my point: Go back to school if you really care.

    • Tiffany :) says:

      So true, so true!

    • Mixtape says:

      Yes, THIS is what she needs. Everyone who is encouraging her to “just do it online” means well, but KP has miles to go before she can even enroll in online college courses–by her own admission, she has about an 8th grade education. When child actors/performers cannot go to regular school due to their work, they are required to have a personal tutor on set or traveling with them. KP should do the same.

      • lunchcoma says:

        That’s what I’d suggest if I knew her too, Mixtape. She can afford a tutor, and I suspect having someone who could tailor the curriculum to her specific skill level and interests would be helpful.

  15. L says:

    If she was semi-home schooled and then had no curriculum education from middle school on-well I can see how she wishes for more education.

    It’s not to late though. She’s got tons of money, and tons of free time. She wouldn’t even have to go back to a traditional school-online classes have come a LONG way since the beginning.

  16. Livan says:

    She could of course educate herself now, and it seems like she is trying to, but I would still cut her some slack about being disappointed in her parents for not making sure she had a proper education. I allow her some wallowing 🙂

  17. Lucy2 says:

    It’s good she’s realized that, but I’d be more impressed if she actually did something about it, like get her GED, and then maybe pursue more if she wants. That would be a great example to set for all the girls that admire her, valuing education and making it a priority in her life.

    • Esmom says:

      Yes, very good point. Because as of now she’s modeling the opposite…that you don’t even have to finish high school to hit the big time and that is a dangerous message to send.

      • bettyrose says:

        Little girls should be told the campfire horror story of LiLo, the girl with no education who now has to hustle every cent and perform ( we guess) unspeakable acts. No glamour in that story.

  18. GoodNamesAllTaken says:

    I’m so glad she’s wearing underpants in that first pic.

  19. BendyWindy says:

    It’s hard for me to take her seriously, since she’s now fabulously wealthy and could remedy her education situation if she so chooses. Museums are wonderful, don’t get me wrong. But spending a day at a museum just isn’t comparable to completing a GED program and/or going to college.

    • Lola says:

      You read my mind. With technology I have to wonder if there is an online GED program she could take … If a person wants something he/she will obtain it. The person can talk about wanting something in life, but if after so much talk you see no action, the person truly does not want it. Time will tell with K.P I guess.

  20. Adrien says:

    Never too late, Katy. She can start by learning about different cultures. Her inadequate education could be one of the reasons why she and Russell Brand are incompatible. Russell is highly literate and his mind is on a different level. I have the impression that Katy is lowbrow, not unintelligent coz she is smarter than we give her credit for, just lowbrow.

  21. Jayna says:

    It’s called reading. You can still educate herself on your own. Read a newspaper every day to keep abreast of current events, both here in the U.S. and world events. Subscribe to magazines that expand your horizons, and visit your library, order books from Amazon for while you are on the road. Read biographies of great historical figures, books on art, politics, etc. In Katy’s case, take an online English course, and buy a dictionary and thesaurus and expand your vocabulary when you are reading or someone says something you don’t understand. As she’s doing, when traveling, visit museums, get out and learn about the countries you are in and other cultures when there more than a day on tour.

    There are ways to broaden your education and become more knowledgeable without formal education. Plus, she has downtime when off the road. So why not take an online course in something you feel deficient in. Working mothers do it all the time, who have less time than Katy. If you have an inquiring mind and thirst for knowledge and a desire to better yourself intellectually, there’s a world for you at your fingertips in the form of books and life experience and expanding your horizons by traveling.

    I’m clueless about many things and am always trying to learn. One of my clients is so intelligent, when we have lunch, sometimes I come away realizing how lacking I am in areas. Katy was let down by her education, but she’s in a position few are to overcome that. As an example, look at self-taught Angelina Jolie. All she had was a high school education. True, Angelina is brighter than Katy and didn’t come from the background Katy does, but that doesn’t mean Katy can’t evolve intellectually.

  22. Christo says:

    Perhaps this speaks to my interest or rather disinterest in Katy, but the faceless bodyguard is far more compelling. Who is he?

  23. Victoria 1 says:

    Me too, so your songs don’t make want to shove chopsticks in my ears. Are we surprised?

  24. bettyrose says:

    I always say the biggest hardship on child/teen stars is their lack of education. That’s the one thing they can’t take from you when the fame fades and the money runs out.

    • Lucy2 says:

      I think it also makes them an easy target for people looking to cheat them out of money, sign bad contracts, etc.

  25. Jaded says:

    What she does is not essentially work – it’s a LOL for her, surrounded by a bunch of music industry weasels who help her long the way, autotune her voice so she doesn’t have to work hard at training her voice, help her write music so she doesn’t have to strain her brain, hire her back-up singers, choreographers and dancers, hire hair/clothing/make-up people to make her into an exhibition, then pay her skydillions of dollars to stand on stage and screech.

    She’s had it so easy all along that going back to school would be impossible for her. She want to hire someone to do her studying and write her exams.

    • TheOneandOnlyOnly says:

      Excellent spot on comment Jaded: of course, that goes for all pop stars: all fake and manufactured within an inch of their lives – that’s why I respect people like Jimmy page of led zeppelin legendary guitarist and produced many of zep’s albums.
      What’s interesting is that many in the millennial gen glued to their iphones, can’t or won’t see how fake – more so than ever before – their pop culture is.

  26. Cupcake says:

    There’s still time girl! The school year is about to start!

  27. S says:

    I think blaming home school and Christian private schools is a little unfair. She dropped out in 9th grade. That’s her problem. I was homeschooled for my freshman and sophomore year in highschool, then went to a private school for my junior and senior years and graduated at the top of my class. I maintained As and Bs all throughout college at a top ranked university.

    She wanted to pursue music rather than an education, and in her case, it paid off… but to blame her circumstances rather than her own motivations is unfair.

    • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

      I get what you’re saying, but to be fair to her, it sounds like her parents were total flakes who didn’t care whether she was getting a good education or not. She was in ninth grade when she dropped out, so she was what -14 or 15? Who’s parents let them do that? Is it even legal? You sound as if you had either unusual maturity or some good guidance or both, and were obviously quite smart. I’m not sure Katy had any of those advantages, so I do feel some compassion for her circumstances, although I think she could rectify the situation now if she really wanted to.

      • Mixtape says:

        Yes, this was my take as well. There are homeschooling parents who do it because they want to provide a higher-quality, individualized education to their kids. And then there are parents like KP’s… it sounds like she fell out of school more than dropped out.

      • S says:

        Ah, very true… Good points.

        Sometimes it’s easy to lose a larger perspective when on paper, there seem to be a lot of similarities. Despite her lack of education, it’s nice to see that she does have a thirst for knowledge (however she decides to go about pursing it) and that she is backing a cause to support schools in the meantime .

  28. Steph says:

    If Katie wanted an education she could get it. No excuse….she should learn to be accountable for her life and actions and stop blaming Christianity. My neighbors homeschooled and their son just received a full scholarship to MIT. I have seen her use this as an EXCUSE more than once….I guess she feels it makes her more popular amongst the Rolling Stone crowd.

    There are many major universities who offer online studies and degrees. They would love to have someone like Katie Perry enroll in their program. So Katie if you are serious…just do it and stop making excuses.

  29. Elizabeth says:

    Well, Katy, you’re not dead yet. And you’re certainly rich enough to afford a tutor. So get that education.

  30. Leaflet says:

    I didn’t know this about KP. Religion and the abuse of religion was used by my mother and her husband, so I can empathize because it slighted my education as well. I dropped out of 12th grade because of abusive pastors, but I went back to a second chance school that same year. The teachers at the school I dropped out of said that I was a very well mannered, but that I slept in class a lot. They had no idea that I was made to be homeless because my pastors abused me using religion. I graduated and received my diploma a semester behind my 12th grade class at another school while working full time. It was very hard, but I made it. The assistant principle at my old school understood me in some strange way as if she knew what I was going through. I remember her pulling me aside one day and saying that I was the hardest working student in attendance there. I digress.. Glad KO is making an initiative to help other students get the opportunity at an education that she never received.

    • Mrs McCubbins says:

      Leaflet, that’s a disturbing story. But good for you for sticking it out and finishing your education despite being homeless and abused. Says a lot about you as a person. I’m sorry you had that experience.

      • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

        +1
        You certainly should be proud of yourself and your strength. I’m sorry for what you went through.

    • Leaflet says:

      Oh, thanks GNAT &Mrs McCubbins,
      How sweet of you to say so. Big internet hugs and kisses.

  31. Renee says:

    Chris Cornell of Soundgarden fame has the equivalent of an 8th grade education. 8TH GRADE. Have you heard the man speak or read/listened to any of his lyrics???? He is intelligent and it seems that he has picked up a book or two (maybe three) during his lifetime. The same thing goes for Drew Barrymore (she can come off as ditzy, it’s the hippy in her, but she certainly isn’t stupid). Being educated and being intelligent are two different things and Katy strikes me as not being the sharpest knife in the drawer. As someone upthread mentioned, you can only learn so much from museums (never mind the fact that some of the places that she is going to sound suspect). If she were already capable of thinking critically I think that she would benefit from going. Katy is one of these people who would be helped by a basic education, but um, it seems that with her brain, the elevator isn’t going all of the way to the top floor…As several others have mentioned, if she wanted to, she could take online courses or take a year a couple of years off to attend school. Or she could read on her own…
    It’s in no way her fault that she didn’t receive a formal education, that can be laid entirely at her parents’ feet, but she is certainly in a position to do something about it now if she truly wanted to.

    • Leaflet says:

      @Renee,
      Maybe she wants to educate herself without going back to school. Also, some celebs would rather wait until they actually privately finish school before they announce that they have went back. Mary J. Blige went back to school in secret and got her diploma. One of my sisters did so as well. I was the only one she told that she returned back to school to get her diploma. She told everyone else a few days before her grad ceremony because she knew they’d belittle her. Everyone isn’t always supportive of an adult returning back to school to get their diploma for a basic education. A lot of people would rather put you down than build you up, and that is just the reality of life. I’m glad that she was able to make a substantial living for herself even though she didn’t get her full basic education. I think that she helps more young people by telling her story than anything else, especially with homelessness being so rampant amongst teens right now. I’m pretty sure that a student out there, who wants to give up will read her story and be inspired to keep going, even if we never hear about it, because they’ll see that she says that she really needs it now.

      • Renee says:

        Leaflet,

        I did advocate for that as well (her becoming an autodidact). But I don’t think that things should end there. Museums are there to supplement and facilitate learning. The curators and education and interpretation staff put countless hours into researching material and studying so that they can produce didactic texts and tours, her taking a 30 to 60 minute tour and listening passively is not really the equivalent of her picking up a book or taking a class. She is getting one person’s viewpoint. While it’s better than nothing it is the bare minimum.

        Regarding your comments, maybe she is secretly attending classes, but I doubt it and it doesn’t seem like she is reading much on her own either or being particularly reflective. It sounds as though she is using trips to museums to substitute for formal education which, as I stated earlier, is insufficient. Not everyone needs to go to school and learning institutions often fail to take into account the breadth of learning styles out there but the majority of us benefit from attending school because it introduces concepts such as critical thinking, comprehensive reading and introduces us to worlds that exist beyond the end of our walkways.

    • Zwella Ingrid says:

      At some point it is time to stop putting the blame on others, and to take responsibility for yourself. KP is an adult with resources beyond what most of us could ever hope to have. She needs to quit blaming others, and get motivated, or shut up.

      • Leaflet says:

        Zwella Ingrid,
        I don’t believe Katy is blaming others at all. She’s just simply stating the reality of her lack of educational opportunities in her childhood, and her parents were at fault for that. Also, KP is educating herself as an adult. She is visiting museums and learning about art. Is she returning back to school? Who knows. We’re not Katy Perry. One does not have to return back to school to get a formal education. She could just simply take in home classes or go to workshops to educate herself. Katy Perry is simply telling her story and using her experiences as a way to pay it forward to help youngsters get school supplies so that they can have a better chance at a good education. I think that you may have some disdain for Perry and are looking to find fault in her reasons for doing a great deed. There are many out there who do not give to charity, but she does. And to a worthy cause. She deserves a break from all the judgment.

  32. DrFunkenstein says:

    Waaaah. They’re called priorities, madam. Perhaps you could think about attending school now, since there’s nothing stopping you.

  33. Tiffany :) says:

    Totally unrelated…but is she wearing a yellow tank, a sheer skirt, and tighty whities in that top photo? That is a crazy bad outfit!

  34. lunchcoma says:

    I respect her pay it forward attitude, but Katie, you’re not even 30 years old and have all the money in the world and a fairly flexible schedule. Surely you could invest a little in educating yourself as an adult if it was important to you.

  35. sigh((s)) says:

    Since nobody has commented on this… School supplies are friggin expensive! Kudos to her for trying to help anyone with that. I recently dropped almost $100 for my kindergartener’s school supply list. I about croaked. When I was in school we needed some pencils, some crayons and paper. Maybe an eraser and a glue stick.
    I can’t even imagine what’s it’s like for people who live hand to mouth and have more than one child.

    • Tiffany :) says:

      I know offices that collect unused paper to donate to the local schools….because schools can’t afford paper anymore, I guess. Very sad state of affairs.

  36. lenje says:

    Mark Wahlberg was proud to announce that he finally got his high school diploma. Katy could take a page out of it.

  37. Sad says:

    Scientology kids get the worst education, apparently. One of the member’s daughters, who was excommunicated, came out and spoke out about it. Probably why Katie Holmes did what she had to do.

  38. Andrea says:

    I’m sure her lack of education was one of the many reasons Russell dumped her.

  39. Nibbi says:

    She’s just damn likeable, at the end of the day.

  40. Rachel says:

    I understand where she is coming from. My parents locked away in a Christian high school for five years. They didn’t teach me jack. By some luck, I got into a really good college, studied my ass off, and travel abroad as much as I can. Still, I feel that being denied a high school education was a huge blow to me, something that I can never catch back up from.

    People who say that ‘blaming religious schools’ is denying responsibility for one’s own education have never had to go into college level chem labs when their only knowledge of science is that evolution is wrong. It is actually quite difficult to give yourself a college education without the barest of prerequisite foundations. That is what Christian schools do to kids. If I had my way, every last one of them would be shut down. As terrible as the public school system is, kids do stand a better chance of learning there.

    • Star says:

      “As terrible as the public school system is, kids do stand a better chance of learning there.”

      As a public school teacher, I can say you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.

  41. Lauraq says:

    I know I’m in the minority, but I think she comes across as sweet and genuine, if not terribly educated.