It could be worse. You could be famous.

For more than 20 years, NFL superstar Tom Brady has been held up as the epitome of the sport.

At 6-feet-4 inches and 239 pounds, he is a specimen of American manhood who has defied both age and time, winning nearly as many Super Bowls as he has ring fingers.

The only thing missing is a cape.

Just in case being a perfect passer weren't enough, Brady also is one of those people who, the older they get, the better they look.

He and his Brazilian supermodel wife, Giselle Bundchen, are raising a combination of three healthy and attractive children.

But the news that the golden couple is seeking a divorce reminds once again us that wealth and riches do not grant immunity from loss or struggle.

We'll never admit as much, but there's a sliver of schadenfreude upon hearing that people who seem to have everything, still manage to blow it.

In most cases, divorce is difficult ― no one walks down the aisle with such expectations ― but it has to be worse to go through such a thing while the world is watching.

Having total strangers rifling through your relationship and child-custody issues must be galling.

False gods demand human sacrifice

We are a culture that lionizes celebrity, wealth and power, but they are false gods whose demand for human sacrifice is never sated. No one is learning that hard lesson more than Georgia senatorial candidate Herschel Walker, whose son Christian may have just torpedoed his campaign amid reports that Walker, a pro-life Republican, paid for an abortion in 2009.

Christian took to social media last week to publicly flay his father over the abortion and for fathering numerous children by numerous women. He also accused Walker of being a hypocrite and absentee father who abused and terrorized his mother.

No matter where you may be on the political spectrum, it's hard to witness such a public spectacle of pain and anger.

As we've seen many times, being the child of a prominent person only adds to the challenges of growing up. For example, there was no bigger screwup than Hunter Biden, who's been upfront about his eye-popping, drug-addled past.

His father's critics frequently cite Hunter Biden's addiction, posting old videos online that showcase his past debauchery. But they don't get much traction for the reason that every family in America has someone who has struggled with substance abuse.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' boot scoot

Politicians want and need attention, but sometimes embarrassment arrives through an innocuous moment, like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' unfortunate decision to wear large, white rubber boots to inspect hurricane damage.

It just goes to show you that even a Yale Law School graduate still needs that one honest, unimpressed friend who asks: "You're wearing those? Yeah, no."

While some folks have the ability to laugh at themselves for a fashion faux pas that likens them to a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader or Nancy Sinatra (who's probably having a fit), DeSantis doesn't appear to be one of those people.

Were his vaulting ambition to become president not as glaring as his boots, there wouldn't be a million memes right now.

Family members of the rich and famous frequently forget they're under the same glaring spotlight. When Paul Pelosi made the dumb decision to drink and drive, he clearly didn't take into account how it would reflect upon his wife, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Was it a bad choice steeped in arrogance and privilege? Yep.

Oh, to be a fly on their $24,000 refrigerator to hear that conversation.

If you've made mistakes as a parent, if you've made bad fashion choices, if you're currently going through a breakup, a divorce or another issue that is painful to you and your family, take some heart in knowing that at least it won't be cannon fodder for the tabloids, Twitter, or sports talk radio.

In other words, it could always be worse.

You could be famous.

Charita M. Goshay is a Canton Repository staff writer and member of the editorial board. Reach her at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @cgoshayREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Charita Goshay: It could be worse. You could be famous.