Jon and Kate.
Tom and Katie.
Paris and Britney.
Brad and Angelina.
Tiger and, well, the list goes and on and on and…
Why are we hooked on the latest celeb news?
A. Because their lives are more glamorous and interesting than our own
B. Because their fissures, explosions, and faults make us feel better about ourselves
C. Because their lives are more entertaining than what’s on television
My hunch: All of the above. Modern celebs parallel ancient royalty without as much political power (though this is shifting as demonstrated by Bono and others). Modern celebs issue decrees about what products to buy and fashion to wear and who to vote for, too. Remember when Mary Kate & Ashley made the homeless-look popular? Or Oprah backing Obama early in his presidential campaign?
Modern celebs grant us permission for our own unbecoming behavior. What’s a little speeding ticket when a big-name star is handed his third DUI? What’s a verbal confrontation when Kanye West comes unhinged on stage?
The stories of most celebs are filled with loss, pain, abuse, addiction, and all forms of self-destructive behavior. Like a train wreck, it’s hard to turn away. Even celeb-news has become standard fare on CNN Headline News. Is a star’s boyfriend breakup really as newsworthy as our troop’s progress in Iraq? Really?
What do we do in response? Because this isn’t going away.
*Photo courtesy of here
