I’ve been half listening to all the hoopla concerning Britney Spears’ latest appearance in the media. I say “half” because I’ve quickly grown fed up with the ridiculous way in which we are bombarded with celebrity “news”. It’s truly disgusting to see how the masses circle over the news like vultures waiting for a starving man to die. I’ll be the first to admit that when I first started this blog that I too visited some of the usual suspects like TMZ, and some other blogs that cater to gossip and such. At first there was the tingle of being one of the first to read a new snippet of info, or see a video, or read someone’s snarky commentary on the celebutard of the week’s behavior. Now, it makes me sick to see a celebrity hounded like a murder suspect.
I have come to a realization.
We have turned into Ancient Rome…at least partially.
We have become spectators at the Coliseum, packing the benches and baying for blood as the gladiators (celebrities) are paraded out one after another in order to distract us, the public, from our own lives. They hack and slash, fighting for their very lives as we secretly pray for their death. The reward for survival? Maybe a bigger opening weekend for their new movie, higher sales for their new album, or an interview with Larry King, and then they are thrown back into the ring the very next week. We shower the winner with praise until they make the fatal mistake of displeasing us (by being human) in the slightest. All the while Caesar (Harvy Levin) presides over it all, deciding who is newsworthy (lives), and who is not (dies). When the public becomes bored, he will send out his mindless entertainer (Perez Hilton) to renew their bloodlust.
We have become bloated on the carcasses of our famous, yet we still reach out our hands when a new dish is brought out to us. We’ve exchanged decency and the right to privacy for soundbites and voyeurism.
Does anyone remember what happened to Rome?
14 comments:
You seem to have a Roman theme today--very interesting.
But I have thought of exactly what you're talking about, every single time I see a celebrity/gossip show on TV.
Well said!!
Its true.. its like a bad train wreck you just can not look away... I too am sick of it, but to be honest eat it up as well... At least when things get bad for me I can think of "poor" Britney and think to myself "Well its not that bad!"
With everything else going on, I'm sorry to say I spend even a few minutes reading the celeb gossip.. maybe because it's so much easier to look (and judge) some other person's misery than concentrate on important things.
Unfortunately, most of us despise ourselves for it but we still do it. To be honest, I enjoy the feeling of superiority by reading people who are fucking up. I did it and now I sit in judgement. It is completely hypocritical and yet I still do it. I need help.
I see your point, but truly these celebrities have a bit more control over their public lives than gladiators. Poor Brit happens to be the victim(?) of bad parenting and capitalistic cannibalism.
Still, it's a machine that thrives on monstrosity, and there is nothing to do but let it eat itself, I suppose.
happy new year manny!
GWCH - I can't even look at online clips without feeling ill.
Random - I force myself to look away by reminding myself that any enjoyment taken from this would be me taking joy in the suffering of someone else.
DD - It can be.
Harry - Harry, you ignorant slut. (j/k)
Boo - Happy New Year to you, too. I'd be content to let it consume itself if that were the case. Unfortunately, we feed into it with every hit.
I've been thinking along those lines for quite a while.
Seems like the planet will soon have had enough of the human race.
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!
Suki - Even if it does get tired of us, most of us wouldn't know or care unless Perez Hilton drew a picture of Earth with cum stains on North America.
TK - I shit you not, that was going to be the title of this post, but I thought the Gladiator pic on the previous post was enough Russel Crow love. Hand to God and foot in Your ass.
I'm with you. It's disgusting. Did I spell that right?
Yes it is, and yes you did! Woohoo!
I deserve a cookie for that. I really, really do.
That's a damn good analogy. I can't get down w/all the celeb stuff either. Some of it's okay - but for the most part? Shuddup!
Becky - One cookie on it's way.
Deutlich - I'm right there with you.
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