What is 'Celebrity Bashing' Really About?

I don't get it. What is behind the public's incessant need to bear witness to and publicly criticize celebrities.

If you follow supermarket news, tabloids, magazines, entertainment television and at times regular television, you are most likely on the leading edge of celebrity chaos stories.

You can't help but know about Marie Osmond's family woes or her Dancing With The Stars fainting episode.

You probably heard about a 'fan' grabbing Tim McGraw's crtoch in concert and Faith Hill losing her cool.

We've all watched the sinking of the 'Titanic' (metaphorically speaking - one of pop culture's biggest stars) as well as numerous public incarcerations, drug busts, arrests for drunk or impaired driving and physical/domestic violence. Not to mention the scads of headlines devoted to 'outing' celebrities physical flaws - cellulite, stringy hair, bad breasts and plastic surgery flops - too many wrinkles or too much botox.

What, do you think, exactly is 'our' problem?

Why is it that an overweight, hyprocritical public passes judgement on someone in the public eye?

Is it that it makes us 'feel' better? What is the obsession with celebrities period?

Please understand, I am a self-professed magazine junkie. I've done my share of fashion watch, celebrity admiration and emulation in my day. I love the clothes, I love ideas, I love new products. But somehow we've taken a turn from media gossip to media murder, every story is brutally mean or highly embellished to sell, sell, sell. And it works.

So maybe less blame on the media industry and more self examination. Why is it interesting? Why do we care? What fixates us on celebrity flaws and demise? If I was totally honest I'd say, 'I think it makes me feel better knowing that famous actresses/models/people aren't as perfect as I thought they were.'

There is a little part of me that takes small pleasure in seeing how normal Pamela Anderson (with the exception of her gi-normous silicone breasts) looks without make up. Remove the breast implants, the make up and cut the hair and where is the playboy model? (See Celebrities without makeup here: http://seehere.blogspot.com/2006/08/celebrities-without-makeup.html - they're JUST NORMAL WOMEN) But picking on celebrities is like witnessing a bad accident... you don't want to see it, but you're compelled to move in closer in case it's graphic!

It's addictive in it's own right. As long as I am looking at them and pointing fingers at someone else... ANYone else... then I don't have to look at me.

Jennifer Love Hewitt (click here to see the pictures: http://flickr.com/search/?q=jennifer+love+hewitt+bikini&m=text ) was photographed on a beach not long ago and the photos were displayed on the internet. Comments posted by the websites viewers (881 people commented on her photos) ranged from "That's a nasty butt." and "I'll have nightmares for life!" to "Leave her alone, she looks fine." She, my friends... is a size 2.

One more YOU MUST SEE site: http://homepage.mac.com/gapodaca/digital/bikini/index.html

Be sure to click on the photos at right (the blonde model)

It becomes clear that we are brainwashed (our daughters included) into viewing these flawless, perfectly shaped women as authentic, real women. In comparing ourselves over days, months and years to photoshopped images of 'perfection' it is no wonder that we long to be validated - "No, you're not ulgy/fat/less than."

We feel the need to have our suspicions confirmed.
"AHA! I was RIGHT! They AREN'T perfect afterall!"
See! They're nothing special.
I am prettier than I thought I was.

It's all about 'ME' really.