Celebrity Obsession
They act. They sing. They dance. They give award-winning performances in dramas and comedies. Magazines glamorize them. The public envies them. Off screen, they marry, have children and get divorced. Some get arrested, or take on a political voice. They adopt, fight poverty or combat the spread of AIDS. Actors become directors. Musicians become actors. Singers become authors. Sports superstars sign movie contracts. There are seemingly no limits or bounds to what celebrities can do. The media buildup surrounding these “beautiful people” is like nothing else. Magazines report the latest celebrity news, and the internet is swarming with it. Their lives are on constant display.
The dawn of the internet has changed entertainment news. Websites report the latest on who divorced whom; who gained weight; who was seen where; who is pregnant. Celebrity news feeds are everywhere. When I check my email, their faces surround my homepage, not by choice. America craves the media; they use it as an escape from their own lives. When they see that even celebrities gain weight, they are reminded that even the rich and famous are not perfect. They can relate to someone who is above their social class, and that is what makes them feel good.
Fascination with celebrities is nothing new; it has only grown more relentless. The public cannot seem to get enough of every elaborate detail of their lives—and from an assortment of sources. Incidents in a celebrity’s life often make international news. When a highly popular actor is arrested for driving under the influence and let’s loose a drunken outburst, the reports minimize other news coverage of vastly more important world events. Other celebrities are interviewed about their opinions of the actor in question. Even politicians are asked for their opinion. Media personnel ask, “Is his career over? Will he be able to bounce back?” We hear about celebrities, read about celebrities and watch celebrities in virtually every medium. Why do so...
View Full Essay
