Who cares about celebrities?

[Windbreaker]

While siting with my friends in our living room flipping the channels we flip to E (Entertainment) channel and on the screen is a show somewhat like any morning and evening NEWS show except the girl is talking about nothing but celebrity happenings throughout the globe. Immediately the girls in the room shout "leave it here!" and for the next half hour I'm left pondering why anyone would be interested in the daily life of a celebrity unless something eventful is happening?

Here is a snippet from a article on socialitelife.com

a picture of Nicole Richie buying coffee would probably fetch only $1,000. A picture of her eating might go for $10,000 or $15,000, either as an exclusive or sold to five different magazines for $2,000 or $3,000 each. Likewise, Nick Lachey: By himself, maybe $1,000 if you’re lucky, but with another woman, such as Kristin Cavallari, if it’s exclusive it might fetch as much as $100,000. Same goes for George Clooney

Would any of you pay anything for a picture of Nicole Richie drinking coffee?

This to me is disgusting and I want to know what others think. Any idea on the demographic interested in such events? Links to studies? If you enjoy celebrity gossip, why?

EDIT: Is a picture of Nicole Richie drinking coffee actually bringing a profit from anyone other then the guy selling the photo? How?

[CSflim]

If I had three wishes they would be; to have celebrities shut the fuck up, to have people shut the fuck up about celebrities and, um, world peace or some shit like that.

[CSflim]

Originally Posted by Windbreaker

EDIT: Is a picture of Nicole Richie drinking coffee actually bringing a profit from anyone other then the guy selling the photo? How?

A rag that calls itself a newspaper might need a photo to illustate their latest, ahem, 'article' about Nicole Richie's latest UNBELIEVABLE SHOCKING SCANDAL!!!

[ash]

i find it interesting that more people would find jlo and ben more interesting than reading a book or watching the news, not like the news is that great anyway, fox being "fair and balanced" yeah my ass. celebrities get more airtime than anything that ever mattered in the world, its bullshit

[Willravel]

If celebrities were worth paying attention to, we wouldn't need all those entertainment news shows shoved down our throats to keep us interested. If you like an actor or actress, go watch their movies. Don't stalk them. If you like an athlete, go to their events and cheer them on, don't have naked pics of them on your computer along with personal information about their lives.

Society rarely pays attention to people who better society. We often praise the beautiful and scandelous. It has a lot to do with our primal urge to follow the head of the pack, I suspect. Some people like to be lead, and others like to be leaders.

IMHO

[JumpinJesus]

Isn't the conventional wisdom that more people voted for the last American Idol than voted in the last presidential election?

I'll pay to watch Jude Law get an oar across the face from Matt Damon in a movie theater, but I don't give a damn if they're walking topless in Cozumel.

[analog]

Originally Posted by Windbreaker

Would any of you pay anything for a picture of Nicole Richie drinking coffee?

This to me is disgusting and I want to know what others think. Any idea on the demographic interested in such events? Links to studies? If you enjoy celebrity gossip, why?

EDIT: Is a picture of Nicole Richie drinking coffee actually bringing a profit from anyone other then the guy selling the photo? How?

They're not talking about private purchase, they're talking about magazines and such- US weekly, tabloids, entertainment weekly- bullshit mags that need candid photos. And yeah- if they sell X number of copies because of a pic of celebrity A on the cover, then they're making lots of profit.

[MSD]

I would love a paparazzi career; it would allow me to combine my loves of annoying worthless members of society and making money off of stupid people. Plus, a nice, long telephoto lens makes me feel like more of a man

Originally Posted by CSflim

A rag that calls itself a newspaper might need a photo to illustate their latest, ahem, 'article' about Nicole Richie's latest UNBELIEVABLE SHOCKING SCANDAL!!!

I'm wouldn't be particularly shocked to hear that she drinks coffee between llines of coke. I'd have to have multiple pics of her eating before I'm convinced that it happens.

[lindalove]

Originally Posted by Windbreaker

Would any of you pay anything for a picture of Nicole Richie drinking coffee?

What about dedicating a whole website to celebrity weight loss and weight gain?

http://theskinnywebsite.com/site/

[maleficent]

Originally Posted by MrSelfDestruct

Plus, a nice, long telephoto lens makes me feel like more of a man

How many times must we go over this... SIZE DOESN'T MATTER!!!

[little_tippler]

I have to be honest and say that though I don't buy that sort of newspaper or magazine, sometimes I am curious. It's no big deal. Why wouldn't I be curious occasionally about those good-looking people who earn shitloads of money and do outrageous things with it? The curiosity lies in trying to discover why they got there, and how. We may also particularly like the work they do in their chosen career - although that seems to be less and less the case. Also, there is an element of familiarity. We know their names and faces, but little about them as people. The fact that they become familiar, makes us want to know more, and "care" to some degree, about them. It's just human nature.

[Meditrina]

I don't buy tabloids and I don't watch those kinds of shows either. But, I have to be honest, while I am standing on line at the supermarket, I look at the headlines. It keeps me occupied while waiting and that is all. I laugh at them all.

[Ustwo]

While I enjoy making fun of them for their asshattery, I'll never understand the cult of celebrity.

[stevo]

I'm not a celebrity gossip consumer, but I do like www.thesuperficial.com Its a pretty funny site, the author really rips into everyone, and all the happenings are up-to-the minute and verifiable (except for the authors personal comments). Since learing of this site I find myself rather well versed in the celebrity happenings, its not that I care as much as my brain soaks up useless junk like that.

[raeanna74]

This is such a relief to see that there are other people who see celebrity news and just roll their eyes. I've never understood who would be interested enough as to spend good money on crap like that. What can ever be accomplished by being nosy about other peoples lives who are surreal because of the money they possess. The truely talented artists are only a small portion of who those rags publish stories about. What's even more amazing is that people believe what is printed. I doubt the truth of about 99% of the news given in those stories.

If people are wishing they could be like these celebrities wouldn't it be more profitable to ignore the news about them just as they probably ignore the news about other celebrities? Why waste your time on that unimportant crap.

[jth]

I find it rather funny to be honest. When I first moved to the US 8 months ago I was interested to see the celebrity crazed society that I heard about when moving down.

"American's worship hollywood" was what I was told by Americans who were perhaps a little bit overly liberal. I found it perhaps in a 'mob mentality' point of view to be true. How many Entertainment news shows can there be on TV from 6 until 9 on television?

When a top story on even a station such as CNN or MSNBC is that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes had a baby together I scratch my head and wonder.

I subsquently checked online papers back home... similar stories although in the entertainment sections. It's splitting hairs but it makes me wonder.

People who want to be seen will be seen and splayed all over the scream sheets until they die. Some people claim they want to be left alone but you know that they're just doing that to try and have some sort of control. The Celebrity media is a lumbering Monster holding a camera trying to snap a shot of anyone remotely famous. But 15 large for a picture of Nick Lachey with some woman is insane. Send me the 15 grand to pay my tuition and put it towards something usefull for another human being.

[Bill O'Rights]

Originally Posted by willravel

If celebrities were worth paying attention to, we wouldn't need all those entertainment news shows shoved down our throats to keep us interested.

That's just it. Those entertainment news shows aren't being shoved down our throats. We eat this shit up, and beg for more. Now, I suppose that the argument could be made that all of the interest is artificial, and put out there by a self promoting entertainment industry, to give the illusion that we actually care...thereby generating a modicum of real interest. Do you think that no one really give a rat's ass about Brad and Angelina? Tom and Katie? Paris and Nicole? Of course they do. But, it's more about rubbernecking a car wreck than it is interest. We want to watch as icon after icon slips on the banana peels of life. It makes our own lives seem...maybe not so out of control?

[Windbreaker]

Originally Posted by Bill O'Rights

That's just it. Those entertainment news shows aren't being shoved down our throats. We eat this shit up, and beg for more. Now, I suppose that the argument could be made that all of the interest is artificial, and put out there by a self promoting entertainment industry, to give the illusion that we actually care...thereby generating a modicum of real interest. Do you think that no one really give a rat's ass about Brad and Angelina? Tom and Katie? Paris and Nicole? Of course they do. But, it's more about rubbernecking a car wreck than it is interest. We want to watch as icon after icon slips on the banana peels of life. It makes our own lives seem...maybe not so out of control?

That sounds right on for me. I often thought there was no real interest in celeb life but the media wants us to believe there is. I honestly know only a handful of people who enjoy watching celeb gossip shows. Closest I get to hearing about there lifes is Conan'O brian show and I often change the channel unless hes doing a interview with a commedian and it looks to be funny.

[BigBen]

Originally Posted by ash

i find it interesting that more people would find jlo and ben more interesting than reading a book or watching the news, not like the news is that great anyway, fox being "fair and balanced" yeah my ass. celebrities get more airtime than anything that ever mattered in the world, its bullshit

Hey, I am fucking interesting, BTW. I wouldn't call myself a celebrity, but I would say that I am more interesting than reading a book or watching the news.

[Bill O'Rights]

Originally Posted by BigBen

...I would say that I am more interesting than reading a book or watching the news.

Well...more interesting than watching mold grow, anyway.

[snowy]

I like to read about celebrities sheerly for the entertainment value of being able to laugh at them. I enjoy laughing, and celebrities are a frequent source of comedy.

[Sweetpea]

i'm mildly interested... and I watch those shows maybe one every three weeks and read those mags. maybe once a month... but mostly it's because I just like to look at the mega hot women.

sweetpea

[guthmund]

Like BOR said, the general public eats this shit up and begs for more.

The problem is nobody wants to admit it. Nobody wants to admit that they dig watching Extra or reading the National Enquirer because it's considered a little low brow, but millions of people tune in and millions of people pick it up. There are dozens of celebrity gossip sites and celebrity 'news' has managed to infiltrate mainstream news programs.

If no one is drinking the Kool-Aid, why are there so many different flavors on the menu?

As to the OP...I visit all these sites. Sometimes I'm genuinely interested, sometimes I want to laugh, sometimes I'm bored out of my skull, but most times it's to check out those Hi-Res celebrity pictures because some of those celebrities are hot and deep down....I'm just a big ol' perv.

[Coppertop]

guthmund nailed it right on the head.

[Lasereth]

40 year old white trash families keep this crap in business. I can't stand celebrity news, even if it's something big. Celebrities are ordinary people put in extra-ordinary situations. Nothing more, nothing less. They are <I>regular people who get paid a lot</I>. Many people "look up" to celebrities as the leaders of our culture and society, giving them an almost heavenly view. I really don't care about what Jessica Simpson ate last night.

[fightnight]

Originally Posted by stevo

I'm not a celebrity gossip consumer, but I do like www.thesuperficial.com Its a pretty funny site, the author really rips into everyone, and all the happenings are up-to-the minute and verifiable (except for the authors personal comments). Since learing of this site I find myself rather well versed in the celebrity happenings, its not that I care as much as my brain soaks up useless junk like that.

This is the boat i'm in. I read it at work as sheer entertainment. They don't go after the celebs who keep to themself and wish to keep their private life private. He focuses on the insane shit celebs do in their free time, and then proceeds to rip on them. I am all for a celeb's right to keep their private life private, but if they're going to parade around like douchebags, hit people in the head with telephones, pick fights, and generally act like they are more important than the rest of humanity... then it's worth laughing about and using for its entertainment value, IMO.

[Rodney]

Originally Posted by Bill O'Rights

TBut, it's more about rubbernecking a car wreck than it is interest. We want to watch as icon after icon slips on the banana peels of life. It makes our own lives seem...maybe not so out of control?

Many "celebrities," actors, ballplayers, politicians, models, and so on would agree with you. One minute the great American public thinks they're great... and they make one goof and everybody thinks they're shit... or worse, a joke.

I don't think I could be a "celebrity," even if that were possible. Think about it: your livelihood depends on your ability to please and fascinate a bunch of narrow-minded, thick-witted couch potatoes. No matter how good the money, there are better ways to spend life.

[ash]

Originally Posted by BigBen

Hey, I am fucking interesting, BTW. I wouldn't call myself a celebrity, but I would say that I am more interesting than reading a book or watching the news.

maybe you should take a second look in the mirror

[albania]

I do not like to pay any attention to that type of entertainment. It's not that I find anything particularly wrong with it, it's just that I do not find it interesting. I am certain that for various reasons others might like it, perhaps it's the voyeuristic aspect of it.

[Cynthetiq]

sheer waste of time.

We make the shit, and you guys buy it, over and over and over. not only do you buy it in this size, but are willing to buy it again, supersized, minisized, and even regurtized.

understand it doesn't take all that much to make something profitable, only about 1-2 million households need to consume a program, book, magazine, object to make it worth making.

these things for celebs are cheap to make, like the fast food of media.

[percy]

Well the facination for some people regarding the lives of celebrities or anyone else in general usually paints a picture that they are unfulfilled in their lives and should maybe spend more time thinking about themselves rather than others. But I don't know and really don't care how people spend their time. It's their time, not mine.

Now someone brought up reading a book. Great, whatever it's your time. But I saw this tv show about people who had read the same book and were dicussing it. Wonderful.It reminded me of some of the English Lit classes I attended in university.

But all of a sudden they were discussing the characters in the first person as if the characters were real and could have changed the plot line. In other words these people were saying,.."Don't you think X should have left W then hooked up with Z." And the next person says,.."Well Z couldn't have because she wasn't single,",...."Yes but she could have if it wasn't for Q",..."Oh yes well Q was trying to ",......you get the point.

I guess I was expecting the panel to discuss why the author did what he did rather than taking the characters out of make believe land and treat them as the ones who could have changed the plot. Thought the show was pretty retarded. Maybe i'm missing something.

[Ample]

I pay attention somewhat. When I look at the news online. I look at all sections including entertainment. I think it's amusing and it makes for good conversation with others sometimes. And sometimes it is interesting. The one think that I HATE and wont read is celebrity fashion especially if its red carpet crap.

[percy]

And I forgot one also. Not intending to offend anyone here but along side celebrity watching I just don't get reality shows. Again if people like them, good for them.

But isn't there something peculiarly misguided with people who, say for instance consume themselves with a show like Survivor, then have a Survivor party to coincide with who wins the the prize at the end. I just don't get it. Are people so socially bankrupt that they need a tv reality show to get together to have something to talk about. Anyways, maybe it's me.

[Zodijackyl]

I only find it entertaining when I can laugh at other people's misfortune. It's also amusing that people think it's shocking news that Paris Hilton may have herpes. Anyone who follows this stuff should be able to figure that out.

[doncalypso]

Originally Posted by maleficent

How many times must we go over this... SIZE DOESN'T MATTER!!!

[SteelyLoins]

Originally Posted by guthmund

The problem is nobody wants to admit it. Nobody wants to admit that they dig watching Extra or reading the National Enquirer because it's considered a little low brow, but millions of people tune in and millions of people pick it up. There are dozens of celebrity gossip sites and celebrity 'news' has managed to infiltrate mainstream news programs.

We stock the lobbies of my offices with People magazine, and it makes my day when I open one, go to the "letters" page, and read something like "Oh thank you, thank you for posting your article on xxxx. He's the hottest hunk ever! My life is now complete!"

Like this person HAD a life.

[Cynthetiq]

Great minds discuss ideas;
Average minds discuss events;
Small minds discuss people.
- Eleanor Roosevelt

someone had this pasted to a file folder at work ....

[CSflim]

Originally Posted by SteelyLoins

We stock the lobbies of my offices with People magazine, and it makes my day when I open one, go to the "letters" page, and read something like "Oh thank you, thank you for posting your article on xxxx. He's the hottest hunk ever! My life is now complete!"

Like this person HAD a life.

So, you admit that you read People magazine then?

[Gatorade Frost]

I admit I read people magazine when it's sitting in front of me.

I see a lot of hating in this thread towards people who read up on celebrities and the like. A lot of it seems a little unfounded to me.

[ShaniFaye]

I like to follow what projects my favorite actors have coming up and I follow deaths of famous people, but thats about it. oh...wait....murder trials....I follow celebrity murder trials too.....as far as watching shows on E! and things like it....the only kinds of shows I like are the "where are they now" kind of things