Gossip Is Taking Over The News

Let’s take a look at just SOME of the issues facing us as Americans and citizens of the world:

The Economy
Two Wars-Iraq & Afghanistan
Health Care
Education
Iran-Nuclear Development
Swine Flu
Unemployment
Global warming
Identity Theft

Am I missing anything? Actually, I’m probably missing A LOT of stuff. Point taken. The above topics have made their share of headlines, but the tonnage based on merit is tilted towards that which is not vital to our health, security or welfare.

Now, let’s take a look at what has consumed the media of late:

Jon and Kate Plus 8
Michael Jackson
The extra-marital affairs of ________members of Congress
Rihanna and Chris Brown
Britney Spears
Kanye West & Taylor Swift

And now…..David Letterman

WHO CARES??
What is the fascination with all this celebrity gossip? We as consumers of media are spending an inordinate amount of our free time watching the distorted representation of deeply flawed celebrities. We are enjoying in a perverse way how the mighty can fall. Of course, after “piling on”-as we did in the pathetic case of Britney Spears, we then allow for complete rehabilitation-and restoration to the front page of the Enquirer when a new scandal starts the roller coaster ride anew.

Perhaps we derive some satisfaction from watching those whom we envy for their talent, wealth or success fall from grace or become publicly embarrassed. If any one of us had a camera crew filming our every move, God help US as well!

It’s not just celebrities.
It’s plain old everyday people whose exposure in a national reality show (Jon and Kate Plus 8) has VAULTED them to celebrity status. Their dirty laundry is being flaunted to a mass audience-and we are eating it up.

Not me.

It is the visual/aural equivalent of junk food. I refuse to watch reality TV and refuse to give any significant measure of my time and attention to trivial squabbles among trivial people.

I like TV-and I like entertainment and news. It’s just hard to separate the wheat from the chaff. When the “Today” show—which I’ll tune to for news—includes the scandals of celebrities AS news, I am dismayed.

It was on this date in 1962 that Johnny Carson began his stint as host of the “Tonight Show”. Maybe a simpler time, but I enjoyed Johnny for his talent-without giving a HOOT how his personal life was going. Here’s a clip of Johnny narrating that first night-from the broadcast of his final show:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUOvkKRjKW4

I’m sure that every celebrity-then and now—has skeletons in their closets—in fact, we probably ALL do…..

How about we focus on the IMPORTANT things? And find our “entertainment” somewhere other than in other people’s misery or humiliation.

If you’d like my blog in your box weekdays, let me know! Tim.moore@citcomm.com