Many celebrity names are instantly recognizable. Examples include Bon Jovi, Cher, Elvis, Madonna, George Clooney, Paris Hilton, Julia Roberts, and Tom Cruise. Celebrities have fascinated American citizens since the silent movie era. Silent movie stars such as Charlie Chaplin, Lionel Barrymore, John Barrymore, and Lon Chaney brought movies and movie stars to fill the public’s leisure time. Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby are two singers from the 1940s who have left a legacy of music with the American public. The 1930s and 1940s brought movie stars such as Kathryn Hepburn, Cary Grant, Joan Crawford, and Barbara Stanwyck to the attention of movie fans. Ever since then, Americans have craved news about their favorite celebrities.
People are fascinated with celebrities for many reasons. One reason is physical attraction. Females like handsome celebrities such as Channing Tatum, Bradley Cooper, and Zac Efron. Males like gorgeous female celebrities such as Natalie Portman, Rachel McAdams, and Emma Stone. Another reason celebrities fascinate the public is they have the money to buy expensive designer clothes, handbags, accessories, and shoes. Celebrities can afford to travel to places most people only dream of such as Monaco, Greece, Italy, and Egypt. Many celebrities have perfect bodies that normal citizens envy. Of course, many people do not realize that celebrities exercise for hours daily and eat a strict diet to maintain their figure.
Members of society are more interested in the lives of celebrities than world news because world news is depressing. No one wants to think about the murders of innocent children, the poor economy, the lives lost in the wars in the Middle East, or lives lost in natural disasters. People want to escape the reality of their news and of their daily lives. Most people do not have enough money to do everything they want to do. Many people do not like their jobs. This means many citizens are unhappy. Individually, and as a society, following the lives of celebrities is a form of escapism. By focusing on celebrities, people can forget about their own problems.
The media feed this fascination by providing twenty-four hour news channels such as CNN and Fox News. The internet also provides twenty-four hour a day access to news. Much of this news repeats itself. Much of the news is not really news. News outlets interview self- proclaimed experts who actually have no connection with the actual story. For example, when Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson died, doctors who never treated these celebrities speculated on Houston’s and Jackson’s medical problems and drug use. Much of the “news” is pure speculation and people listen to this speculation and accept it as truth.
It is too late to draw the line between harmless entertainment and unhealthy obsessions. The twenty-four hours a day news channels are here to stay. The internet is not going away. As long as the media feeds society’s obsession, the cycle of America’s fascination with celebrities will continue. Each reality show contributes in its own way to America’s obsession with celebrities. Shows that focus on the rich such as The Kardashians, Gene Simmons Family Jewels, and The Millionaire Matchmaker cause Americans to want to be rich or to think that they deserve to be that rich. Reality shows such as Survivor and Big Brother make celebrities out of ordinary people. This causes the public to believe they can also be celebrities. Shows such as the The Bachelor and The Bachelorette manufacture romance. This distorts America’s perception of true love. The only way to stop this is to turn off the television and choose a healthier activity.
Works Cited
Pearson, David B. Silent Ladies. 2010 Jan. 26. Web. 24 Mar. 2012. http://silentladies.com/.
Reality TV World. 2000-2012. Web. 24 Mar. 2012.
http://www.realitytvworld.com/realitytvworld/allshows.shtml.
Bettyvillain. Top 100 Hottest Female Celebrities. IMDb. n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2012.
http://www.imdb.com/list/OEjyQNxc-Bg/.
Bettyvillain. Top 100 Hottest Male Celebrities. IMDB. n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2012.
http://www.imdb.com/list/DXRhQdZTAnc/.
