NEWSLeona Lewis Likes Dating a Regular Guy
Oct. 27 2009, Published 5:15 a.m. ET
Leona Lewis is tired of the "snide bewilderment" of some her fans when they learn she is dating an electrician, PopEater reports. Leona says her fans are acting classist about her non-celeb boyfriend Lou Al-Chamaa. "It does make me angry. Because he's a great person," Leona explained. "And it doesn't matter what you do in life, what your job is, where you come from." Leona is the only celebrity to feel that way and many have proven that "slumming it" makes a relationship work in Hollywood.
Experts weighed in on why Leona's method of dating may be the best for celebrities.
"Leona Lewis has been with her boyfriend for many years and that leads me to believe that his love and support may be one of the main reasons she has achieved her phenomenal success," dating and relationship coach Tracey Steinberg said. "She sounds like a woman who is comfortable with her own values and that she doesn't need her boyfriend to be a celebrity in order to be happy in a relationship. Dating a non-celeb may keep her grounded while she is skyrocketing to fame which is something many other celebrities aren't able to do."
Leona isn't the first celebrity to date a regular person and prove that it works.
Desperate Housewives' Marcia Cross got engaged after only six months to stockbroker Tom Mahoney and Cynthia Nixon's girlfriend Christine Marinoni is an education activist in NYC.
Matt Damon is a prime example of dating a non-celeb and making it work. When he met his wife Luciana Barroso she was a bartender in Miami. The two have been married for four years and have three children together without any Hollywood scandal.
"Celebs dating outside their caste system are a long-standing tradition in Hollywood, PopWrap's Jarrett Wieselman explained. "And although no one has ever reached the highs of Cher's bagel boy, Rob Camilletti, it's a great way for celebs to escape the industry talk that permeates their everyday life."
While the mismatched couple can work, the non-celeb may need to learn how to adapt to being attached to star.
Rebecca Brooks, President of the Brooks Group PR, shared some advice for Leona's man Lou.
"As long as he accepts the lifestyle of a celeb, they will make a great couple," Rebecca stated. "Fans thinking less of her for not dating a celeb are ridiculous."
Radio host Copper Lawrence thinks Leona dating a regular person makes her too relateable to fans and that's why they are upset by it.
"It's disturbing to her fans because the expectation is that a celebrity's life is better than ours, Copper argued. "So if a celebrity dates someone the rest of us can be dating it tarnishes her star. It makes her like the rest of us and we don't want that from her."
Some may want Leona to remain out of reach, but others may be excited by the fact that they really could have a chance even as a regular person.
If celebs take Leona's advice, all of our odds just improved!
