OPINIONS

SHAPSHOT CULTURE

May 10 2013
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By Robert Turner
PAPARAZZI AND CELEBRITY WORSHIP MAKE FOR AN ABUNDANCE
Oh internet, the endless bounds of information I can gather from you with the strike of a keyboard and click of a mouse…you are there when I want to watch people hurt themselves and when I need some research data for that 10 page term paper. But from time to time, I enjoy going to my local news website, since I don’t watch television at home, and seeing what’s up with the world. And almost every time I log on to that front page, I hang my head in dismay when all they can talk about is Michael Jackson’s death (still!?!) followed by an exploit of whichever NFL or NBA star decided to lift his finger that week. Now I know plenty of other things are happening in the world right now, like Hungary’s fall of democracy, or even those lost hikers up in some Californian forest, yet all we care about is our dearest celebrities. 

Of course I cannot fully blame the publishers for all this, for many journalists and reporters are simply going for the gold of the media industry (let’s just call them sell outs for now). Celebrity gossip is in high demand, since the American public just can’t keep their nose out of their hero’s or idol’s personal business. From STARZ magazine and TMZ to televised court cases, we just can’t get enough of them. All we want to read about is Lindsey Lohan’s drug abuse and failed rehabilitation attempts and how Amanda Bynes flashed her tits all over her Facebook page. Oh Ryan Gosling has a girlfriend now? Better tell his gigantic fan-girl base the big news over every media publication out there. You were trying to keep it secret from the public, Ryan? Should have thought of that before you became an actor.

What is most screwed, in my opinion, are the lengths these reporters are going to dig up these celebrity hot spots and scandals. I understand you have to pay rent, but sneaking along Hollywood Blvd to find your story hidden behind a pair of expensive sunglasses and baseball caps? Call me what you will, but that is some dirty work. These people have cameras in their face already for their career, and now must face a world of hunters with even more cameras which gladly bombard every aspect of their social, mental, emotional, physical, and even spiritual life! Axl Rose may have been a dick, but who can blame the man for socking that paparazzo? I’m sure if I followed you around with a camera in your face butting in on your business, you wouldn’t take kindly to my method. 

Like I said earlier, I cannot fully blame them; they are doing their job and making a living. The finger is pointed right at the audience, the ones demanding to know why Lil Wayne lost his endorsement from PepsiCo (not that I minded that one). Maybe if we paid attention to real news and focused on our own lives, we could go one day without ranting about how stupid everyone is, and maybe even hinder affluenza when we aren’t surrounded by jealously of luxury and stardom. I for one am tired of seeing them all flaunt their hardly hard-earned bucks all over my computer screen.
 

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