Why Are We Obsessed With Celebrity?

I had a bit of trouble sleeping last night and was surfing the 'net. I came across several sites detailing the (assumed) facts in the Chris Brown/Rhianna incident not long ago. Now, I'm going to be perfectly honest with you and tell you that I know nothing of the music of either one, and wasn't aware that they even knew each other, let alone that they'd been an item for more than a year, now. I can't even say with certainty that I knew who Chris Brown was. I was struck, though, by the familiarity with which so many people wrote about the two. "My Chris would never do that," one commenter wrote. "It must be Rhianna's fault." Really?

How is it that we, as a society, have become so involved in the lives of people on the screen or the radio? Why are some more interested in what a socialite is up to than they are in their own families? Does it really matter in the long run who this celeb is dating or what that starlet is wearing? How does it affect the general public if Kate & Owen are on or off again? Shouldn't I be more concerned with my own relationships?

I'll not get into right-wing or left-wing politics, but it amazed me how many people voted last November based on something other than policy. In a previous hub (very well done, by the way), we see a photo of a certain candidate at the beach, sans shirt. This made the news, along with how much was spent on a certain V.P. candidates clothes and a future first lady's fashion sense, but remarkably little was said concerning the intentions of Barack Obama or John McCain and where they would each like to lead this country. This election may as well have been modeled after Miss America pageants. Obama won the swim suit competition, McCain perhaps won the talent competition (he did survive the POW camp - that takes talent!), but ultimately, the swim suit carried it.

Celebrities complain about the paparazzi, or maybe they'll take the high road and passively say that they're willing to tolerate the gossip mags because it comes with the territory. We, as voyeurs, complain when the stars request privacy or demand boundaries. After all, we buy those movie tickets and CDs that made them rich and famous! Can I offer an alternitave? Instead of getting so utterly wrapped up in the lives of Ashton & Demi or Brad & Angelina, couldn't we try just getting our own?

Reality shows offer another way to satisfy our sometimes morbid curiosity. Most recently, we have seen the deterioration of Jon and Kate Gosselin's marriage. With magazines and entertainment news shows giving us all the dirt - real or imagined - on the couple, I have to wonder, was it worth it? Rumor has it that Jon and Kate Plus 8, like many "reality" shows is scripted and anything but reality for the Gosselin family.  Does the network's desire for ratings, our desire for entertainment, and Jon and/or Kate's desire for recoginition and money justify the potential harm done to eight innocent children?

Do people who sign up to be on these shows really think they'll beat the odds? I know the divorce rate is high among us average folk, too, but it seems abnormally high among those who choose to live their lives in front of the camera. Nick and Jessica, Travis and Shanna, Hulk and Linda have all gone their separate ways.

A lot of people have taken it to heart, as if these celebrities were members of their families. Someone had to explain to me the "Team" shirts that have been floating around. People were on either Team Paris or Team Nicole. I saw people with Team Lauren and Team Heidi shirts. For those of you who have no idea who these people are...Congratulations! For those of you who do...maybe you can explain to me why we are so consumed with the rich and famous.