Bongs are falling onto the streets of NYC, and the culprit is none other than childhood star and dancing lobster enthusiast Amanda Bynes. What is happening to this tween queen?  First stealing our hearts on her namesake Nickelodeon sketch comedy The Amanda Show, Bynes’s career has been quite successful. Films like She’s the Man, which premiered in 2006, are still considered staples in any teenage girl’s romantic comedy arsenal.

     In light of recent events, her dedicated fans are left questioning the once fresh faced star’s sanity. Bynes’s downfall began with the release of a shocking pink haired mug shot after an April 6,2012  arrest for drunk driving and hitting a parked police car. From April 6 to Sept. 16th of the same year, Bynes was arrested for two hit and runs as well as driving with a suspended license.  Bynes was dropped by her publicist agent, and lawyer Sept. 21, all within the course of 24 hours.

     Bynes’s infamous March 22nd 2013 tweet summarizing her love for rapper Drake first hit Twitter feeds. Bynes’s has continued to use Twitter as a tool to address her fans , tweeting messages like this one June 2: “My dad is as ugly as RuPaul! So thankful I look nothing like you both! I had nose surgery after my mug shots so my nose and I are gorgeous!”  

     Her bizarre tweets and  actions have many other celebrities confused and concerned, including actor Drake Bell, a former Nickelodeon childhood star. The actor tweeted at the actress wondering “what is going on.”

     SHS students are wondering the same thing. Bynes’s downward spiral is a hot topic in the halls, spanning from student to teacher.

     Freshman Sara Moskowitz said “It’s so sad. People only think about all of the bad things now. They forget about how talented she is. Because she is really talented.”

     Other students have expressed similar feelings. Freshman Kathleen Quinn said ” What happened? I think it’s just what fame does to people.” Quinn went on to say that she had been  watching Katie, Katie Couric’s new talk show. She was interviewing child stars and she brought up Amanda Bynes.

     Quinn said that the stars thought that some people can succeed but it’s difficult with the judgement from the public. The actors also said that “It was sad  to see them go off the deep end.”

     Is Bynes going the same way of other child stars gone wrong, á la Lindsay Lohan? As she goes through a difficult time in her life, the American public replays the same phrase over and over again, “It’s just so sad.” At the same time, the media attention paid to her downfall leaves  pop culture obsessed society waiting for the next news headline.

     What does this say about modern America? We pity Bynes as her life hits bottom, but we relish every tweet and mugshot. Hopefully, Bynes changes her ways before she ends up before a court; because if she does, no Judge Trudy will preside over that court room.