Jennifer and Justin get married (we think), and photographers are
eager to look for signs of a baby bump. The beloved movie critic Roger
Ebert dies of cancer. Heidi reportedly takes a heroic turn in Hawaii,
while Ellen and Portia declare they do not want children. These are just
some of the headlines in celebrity news magazines and on websites where
celebrity watchers can get their fix, daily or hourly if they like, of
movie, TV, and music star gossip.
Why the Fascination?
Why
do ordinary people in regular jobs and typical homes love to know what
the stars are doing? Babies, weddings, divorces, and death are usual
aspects of life. They affect everyone, so what's special about them
touching famous people's lives?
Perhaps it is the fact that we go
through so many of these things but don't always talk about them enough
that makes celebrity struggles so meaningful. How often do people pass
friends or acquaintances on the street, knowing one of them has been
through something terrible, yet failing to even mention the issue? We
are often afraid of opening wounds, seeing other people's emotions, or
are unwilling to spend time hearing the details. When a celebrity is
willing to share her feelings about an event, this gives her fans
someone to relate to during their times of strife.
Real News
Sometimes
the news is genuine and news-worthy. For instance, Heidi Klum spoke
about her son and nannies being pulled out to sea. Her and her
boyfriend's efforts saved the day. This kind of story always brings out
older stories of stars' heroic efforts to help. Our interest in the
acting or singing ability (or looks and body) of an individual is
justified by his or her human qualities. These make us like them even
more, and even remind us that they are human beings, not 3D cut-outs.
Other News
A
lot of celebrity news, however, enjoys only a faint resemblance to
truth. How many times has the public read that Jennifer Aniston was
pregnant? What about Angelina Jolie: if she had been pregnant as many
times as the newspapers say she has been, she would have given birth to
enough children for a baseball team by now.
Some items fill space
such as the constantly yo-yoing body shapes of Kirsty Alley and other
celebrities. Their battles were news once, but they no longer come as a
surprise. Pictures of bony stars or stars showing fatty thighs are not
newsy pieces: just ones that make us, as regular people, feel normal. If
Leanne Rimes is too thin, it feels okay to be a few pounds overweight.
If celebrities have cellulite, that makes our cellulite look natural.
Meanwhile,
is it really "news" when two stars are seen at a restaurant together?
What if they give each other a peck on the cheek? These events are
exaggerated to gain reader interest, which they do successfully. Like
pictures of the Loch Ness Monster, if a photo is grainy or distant, it
is open to interpretation. Readers place the spin on it which they like
best.
No comments:
Post a Comment