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people are stupid.

today, upon checkout at the grocery store, i learned the following:

  • angelina walked in on jen and brad!
  • prince william accused camilla of being a drunk!
  • kate has turned from mom to monster!
  • george w. bush is on suicide watch!
  • certain mystery celebrities have had plastic surgery flubs!
  • who is bikini-ready and who is not?
  • paul newman’s mistress admits he loved his wife more!

why do i need to know this?

why is it that tabloids, gossip magazines and “entertainment” tv shows make millions by feeding this crap to the general public?

why is it legal for photographers and reporters to follow people around, stalk them, crash their parties, etc.?

why are these vultures, who make their livings off of dragging people through the mud and making up BS about them, protected by law?

yes, i’m all for freedom of the press. i believe that the government should not control the information that it believe the general public should receive. however, what about privacy? do people have no rights in that area?

seriously! it completely baffles me that this activity is legal! not only that, protected by law!

there are those that say that celebrities, by placing themselves in the public eye, bring this upon themselves. i suppose that has to be taken into consideration when deciding whether or not to become a celebrity (however one goes about doing that), but i don’t really think this is what most people signed up for.

but in all honesty, i can’t completely blame either the celebrity OR the paparazzi. the REAL ones to blame are the general public who gives these people jobs. who fork over hard-earned money to read the smut they print in their magazines. who come home at night and turn on TMZ or any of the other ridiculous “entertainment” shows. if it were not for the american people’s insatiable appetite for all that is distasteful, immoral, hurtful, and generally evil, NONE of these people would be able to continue to produce a product that no one would buy.

why do we feel that anything about these' people’s personal lives is ANY of our business? can we not just enjoy tv shows, movies, etc., appreciate good acting and call it good? why do we need to know who is pregnant, who is cheating, who is dating, who is breaking up, who is gaining weight, who is in rehab, who is happy, who is depressed…

it disgusts me.

Comments

  1. The Dapelo FamilyMay 27, 2009 at 3:59 PM

    Not saying that I don't agree with you but don't you think that putting one's personal life on a blog could be considered to be in the same category? Checking the blogs of total strangers because we find their lives interesting? I enjoy watching the occasional episode of Jon and Kate even though in my opinion it is the show itself and the popularity they gained by doing the show that is causing their marital problems. You could say that every person that has contributed to that popularity is in part responsible. I may not buy the tabloid but tuning in is probably not any better.
    I agree...it's all so trivial and the "insatiable appetite for all that is...." is totally inappropriate.

    ReplyDelete
  2. rachelMay 27, 2009 at 4:35 PM

    okay mary, that was thought provoking...

    and here is my response: no, i don't think it is the same. maybe when the paparazzi start following me around because of the enourmous popularity of my blog, i'll disagree. LOL! but tuning into a show/movie/even blog that someone has produced themselves (or at least given permission to be produced about them) is not wrong, nor is it causing harm to the people you are watching/reading. they put it out there. if they didn't want people to read it or watch it, they wouldn't put it out there. i consider that fair game. what i am referring to is the constant barrage of unsolicited attention and the exploitation of celebrities that seems to come with the territory. i'm not opposed to the entertainment industry (the legitimate side of it), but prying into people's lives to find out things about them which they, themselves, have chosen not to disclose is none of our business, and a complete invasion of privacy.

    ReplyDelete
  3. LindseyMay 27, 2009 at 4:57 PM

    I am in total agreement with you Rachel! If anyone's life ever gets that much more interesting than mine that I have to pay to read their drama, please just shoot me! ;) There is enough "free" drama in my life without having to pay $3-7 for it weekly!

    Although I will say I do have the guilty pleasure of watching shows like John and Kate...BUT don't agree with the "side" publicity from it. The show is edited and put on air with the permission of the family, they show what they want to show and don't show what they don't...whatever problems they have in their marriage is really nobody's business but their own, IF they want to share, fine, whatever but it shouldn't be FORCED upon them...THAT is where the problems really begin!

    Anyway...people need to get a life and leave celebrities alone. They are only people, no different than the rest of us.

    ReplyDelete
  4. RachelMay 27, 2009 at 10:57 PM

    It is true...
    I have turned from a mom into a monster.
    With my kids it's not suprising...LOL
    Sorry...couldn't resist!

    ReplyDelete

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