The TNT Column

In this column, the TNT columnists tackle the topic of celebrity and the mass increase in the fish bubble in reality TV – should we care, why would we care, and does it hurt us to devote such admiration or exploitation of them.

Celebrity Has, Is and Will Always Be Here

Everybody will be given their 15 minutes of fame, and whether we like it or not their fame is a result of us giving it to them. Great philosophical question of our time – if nobody was paying attention, would anyone be famous? Aristotle, eat your heart out. All joking aside, if nobody gossiped there would be no inclination to gawk like we’re watching a train wreck. Am I talking as if I’m above it all? Nope. Guilty as charged with no shame.

I love celebrities, reality TV and the increasing media surrounding the delivery of Hollywood gossip. But it’s a love-hate relationship. As I watch shows like MTV’s The Hills I will scream in a one-sided conversation with my TV “these people are so stupid.” This will cue my husband to raise an eyebrow, inevitably questioning why I continue to watch it. Of course, I have yet to produce a valid response to him.

Gossip and scandal were around before our time. It will be around after we’re gone, despite our best hopes that the world revolves around us. Novelists of our past, like Jane Austen and Edith Wharton, illustrate to us conversations of scandal, marital prospects and rumors among ladies of the elite were treated like our pastime of reading weekly tabloids.

Psychology studies show as our world becomes more globalized, we as individuals also become more isolated. Isolation lends itself into a need to feel connected. Following celebrities fulfills this void. Cameron Diaz once stated celebrities are like the cool kids in high school. For as much as the woman can’t act her way out of a paper bag, she couldn’t be more right. We obsess about celebrities‘ personal lives, cry with joy if we meet them in person, and when they fall in scandal we follow every gory detail while slyly smirking to ourselves in delight.

Reality TV has only paved the way for more devotion, sometimes 24/7. Our devotion to watching the Hollywood fishbowl has overlapped now into real people sometimes thousands of miles away. To keep up with the demand for salacious real-world drama, the very definition of reality has been molded into basically scripted scenarios. Do we care? Of course not, we’re still watching. The only time we’ll care is when somebody reveals the truth and then we’ll only shoot the messenger as we continue to watch to see what‘s the latest “drama” with Speidi. Reality TV has become like the Santa Claus of broadcast television.

Celebrity devotion has come to define Western culture, underlying the fabric of our society, and thus, will probably will never go away. People claw their way to be in the public spotlight only to then preach about their right to privacy instigating eye rolls from their adoring public. And with every scandal we’ll clamor to pick our sides and proclaim “Team What’s-her-face!” We’ll continue to shake our head at the walking contradiction of Lindsay Lohan who poses for the paparazzi while she complains about them intruding on her shopping spree paid for by club appearances she wouldn’t be able to book without the prospect of people paying to get a glimpse of her at the same club.

Some of us may have enough drama in our lives, but I have no doubt that we’ll continue to gossip about celebrities. Is that healthy? Eh, probably not. More importantly, where will the next level of addiction to celebrity go to? I for one will most likely be there in that addiction, like Britney Spears and her venti, triple frosting, extra syrup frappacinos. Celebrity gossip – hmmm, tastes good.

Celebrities: Why DO We Care?

As far as celebrities are concerned, I am generally COMPLETELY out of the loop. I choose to be. But what is it about Reality TV?

Once upon a time, it all started with Starsearch and MTV’s Road Rules. In the beginning, it was fine to have a few shows of this genre. From time to time, as new shows they provided diversity to more traditional programming. But now almost every TV show is some type of reality show from Wife swap, America’s got talent to “Dance your ass off”, and “Fear Factor”, “The Biggest Looser” and on and on and ON… Good grief.

When will the reality TV and celebrity addiction end?

Essentially, it’s Human National Geographic without anything enriching to learn. When you watch Animal Planet, or any nature television, the enriching part is because you are taking in information about another life form and its life that is totally different from yours. In the shows about animal life, we as humans take in information about other species, their survival techniques, mating, feeding and breeding tactics. When you look at it like that, maybe animal life programs are not that different than Reality TV after all.

The only thing that can be encouraging adults to take in Reality TV chronically is that they are unsatisfied or lacking drive in their own lives or are just hateful people. Talent focused Reality TV like “American Idol” is chronically highlighting how people’s dreams get crushed and rude judges are celebrated. At the same time, I guess it can be somewhat fulfilling to see people actualize their dreams along the way. But wouldn’t you rather put that time and energy into fulfilling your own?

I am my own celebrity…

Okay, okay, I have a few faves of my own. But almost all of them are classic actors like Sidney Poitier, Paul Newman, and Elizabeth Taylor. I admit, there are a select few that are more recent artists, which I particularly like to support because of their talent, and message, and yes some, only because they sound good. But I’ve never purchased an US weekly or anything like that.

What is so engaging about someone else’s life, when you have your own?

Of course at different points growing up, I occasionally picked up a Word Up magazine and posted more than my share of posters on my wall. As a young person, learning about the world and creating your vision and perspective on life; these types of magazines and music video consumption has its place as a person shapes who they are. Their style and colors a vision for who they aspire to be.

However, the present overwhelming prominence of adult reality television, and adult celebrity magazines and shows are a manifestation of a mindset trend of society. It is that is evident that we are in a celebrity addicted culture absorbed with living vicariously through the rich and famous. Insecure, dissatisfied with their lives and plight to personal success. As far as I am concerned…why would I need to watch someone else’s reality? Trust me, I am my own celebrity, and I have enough ‘reality’ of my own.