I agree that this does seem similar to the Cat Stevens thread.

There are a lot of musicians that I admire, but if I really knew them intimately, there would probably be something about most or all of them that I did not like or approve of. I reserve the right to like their work, regardless of other considerations. What I think is interesting is that we exalt certain musicians because we admire their art, and deliberately try to distort their less-appealing characteristics to make them seem more appealing even in non-musical areas. Then we go even further when they die.

John Lennon is a great example -- talented guy, with a certain incisive wit and insight into the madness that is fame. But let's face it, the guy was a bit of a nut, and a lot of his political opinions were really half-baked. For myself, I don't have any problem admiring certain things about the guy, and not admiring others. But there is a tendency to worship the man in all his various and complex aspects, which can really get pretty comical if you try to look at things rationally.