My interest in the antics of stars and starlets (and total wannabees) began when I moved to the mecca of all things celebrity, the United States of America. Prior to that, I think I had a healthy level of knowledge about actors - mostly what country they were from, and what projects they had worked on over the course of their careers. I guess I also had a handle on who the hot celebrity couples were, because that knowledge was simply unavoidable.
Things changed when I moved to the States. I blame boredom, really. I went to graduate school in a really small town in the middle of the rural Midwest - my own personal hell. I love nature, but this was not summer camp or a nice holiday. The bottom line is this: If I have to live somewhere for an extended period of time (i.e. a year or more), it has to be urban. That's just who I am.
I've previously mentioned that my grad program was also very small, so I saw a LOT of my classmates. That was cool for the most part, but I also needed an escape of my own - a quiet place to retreat to and just veg out. Sadly, I found myself plopped down on the couch in front E! and Style. If you had said the name "Ryan Seacrest" to me in June of 2006, I would have had absolutely no idea who you were talking about. Now I know all kinds of random shit about the guy, as well as many of his colleagues. Why? I don't care about any of them; they've not enriched my life in one single way. And yet...this is where I am.
I don't remember which reality TV show sucked me in first. It might have been The Hills. I think I was turned onto it by some American friends, and we used to watch it together and laugh. That felt ok - we weren't engaging with the characters, we were making fun of them. Totally safe. Right? Wrong. The Hills was like a gateway drug for The City, and then Kell on Earth. One spin off begat the next spin off. At some point I became aware of the Real Housewives franchise, and became a fan of the New York crew. Sure, they were superficial and ridiculous, but at least they had jobs. Well, for the most part - I still don't understand what the "Countess" does all day (other than look down on other people). RHONYC led to Bethenny Getting Married? And Bethenny Ever After. I also started watching the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. I don't watch all of the others on a regular basis, but I have definitely seen an episode or two of them all (except the Orange County one - I can't stand the look of those gals. It's like Madam Tussauds come to life. Yeck).
Are you nauseous yet? It gets worse. E! News. I used to watch E! News followed by The Daily 10 before it was axed and E! News went to a 60-minute format. Fashion Police. (I looooooove Joan Rivers.) How Do I Look? Ohhhh - What Not to Wear. THAT I have been watching FOREVER and will never give up. I even watch the original British version (which may be the only example I can think of in regards to something the Yanks stole and actually made BETTER). What else...Project Runway, another fabulous show I will always love. The Voice. X Factor (which I may never watch again, but we'll see). An Idiot Abroad. It goes on.
The only redeeming thing about my reality show tendencies (if there is one at all) is that I do have standards. NO Kardashians (YUCK!!!), Jersey Shore (thoroughly disgusting), Celebrity Rehab, or people eating disgusting things.
Moving to Australia has been very helpful in breaking these addictions, I must say. We just get the basic television channels, and none of them broadcast this shit. Excellent. But, now I'm completely obsessed with My Kitchen Rules, and can't wait for the next season of The Block to begin. One thing for another...
One thing I haven't given up since moving here, and which is directly related to my time in the States, is celebrity gossip. Sure, most people glance at the headlines when they're waiting in line at the shops, or maybe even pop open the cover and have a browse, but when you find yourself looking at each mag disdainfully because their hot new headline is SO three days ago, you know you have a problem.
This I can trace back to a single person. He encouraged me to start reading people.com, etc. I'm not sure how, but at some point I discovered thesuperficial.com, which I still find wildly entertaining. But really, this obsession has to stop.
It used to be all in good fun. It's "light" news - completely frivolous, a nice escape from the doom and gloom of the real news (which, as a journalist, I follow daily). But then I noticed that some of these sites were allowing readers to leave comments (as has become the standard for legitimate news items as well), and I discovered how truly shocking and depraved people in the first world are. The comments are unfailingly negative, and just dripping with malice. Even something as light as a pregnancy announcement is seen as fair game for viscous attack. It really brings out the worst in people.
A logical person would just stop reading the comments. But I can't. It's too tempting. Especially when it's a story about someone I really can't stand (Jessica Simpson, the Kardashians, Paris Hilton, etc.). I LOVED what Jon Hamm had to say about "fucking idiots" being rewarded in America's celebrity-obsessed society. I couldn't agree more!! And yet, I'm part of the problem because I watch the shows and go to the websites. I'm a willing contributor to something I claim to hate!
The bottom line is, "celebrity" gossip used to be a fun and light activity to engage in, but now it's crossed the line. It seems mean now, and that's the last thing I need/want in my life. So while Facebook and Pinterest can stay, I think this is an area of my personal inventory which needs a serious overhaul.
What are your online vices, and what do they really bring to your life? Is there anything you really feel it's time to let go of?
Things changed when I moved to the States. I blame boredom, really. I went to graduate school in a really small town in the middle of the rural Midwest - my own personal hell. I love nature, but this was not summer camp or a nice holiday. The bottom line is this: If I have to live somewhere for an extended period of time (i.e. a year or more), it has to be urban. That's just who I am.
I've previously mentioned that my grad program was also very small, so I saw a LOT of my classmates. That was cool for the most part, but I also needed an escape of my own - a quiet place to retreat to and just veg out. Sadly, I found myself plopped down on the couch in front E! and Style. If you had said the name "Ryan Seacrest" to me in June of 2006, I would have had absolutely no idea who you were talking about. Now I know all kinds of random shit about the guy, as well as many of his colleagues. Why? I don't care about any of them; they've not enriched my life in one single way. And yet...this is where I am.
I don't remember which reality TV show sucked me in first. It might have been The Hills. I think I was turned onto it by some American friends, and we used to watch it together and laugh. That felt ok - we weren't engaging with the characters, we were making fun of them. Totally safe. Right? Wrong. The Hills was like a gateway drug for The City, and then Kell on Earth. One spin off begat the next spin off. At some point I became aware of the Real Housewives franchise, and became a fan of the New York crew. Sure, they were superficial and ridiculous, but at least they had jobs. Well, for the most part - I still don't understand what the "Countess" does all day (other than look down on other people). RHONYC led to Bethenny Getting Married? And Bethenny Ever After. I also started watching the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. I don't watch all of the others on a regular basis, but I have definitely seen an episode or two of them all (except the Orange County one - I can't stand the look of those gals. It's like Madam Tussauds come to life. Yeck).
Are you nauseous yet? It gets worse. E! News. I used to watch E! News followed by The Daily 10 before it was axed and E! News went to a 60-minute format. Fashion Police. (I looooooove Joan Rivers.) How Do I Look? Ohhhh - What Not to Wear. THAT I have been watching FOREVER and will never give up. I even watch the original British version (which may be the only example I can think of in regards to something the Yanks stole and actually made BETTER). What else...Project Runway, another fabulous show I will always love. The Voice. X Factor (which I may never watch again, but we'll see). An Idiot Abroad. It goes on.
The only redeeming thing about my reality show tendencies (if there is one at all) is that I do have standards. NO Kardashians (YUCK!!!), Jersey Shore (thoroughly disgusting), Celebrity Rehab, or people eating disgusting things.
Moving to Australia has been very helpful in breaking these addictions, I must say. We just get the basic television channels, and none of them broadcast this shit. Excellent. But, now I'm completely obsessed with My Kitchen Rules, and can't wait for the next season of The Block to begin. One thing for another...
One thing I haven't given up since moving here, and which is directly related to my time in the States, is celebrity gossip. Sure, most people glance at the headlines when they're waiting in line at the shops, or maybe even pop open the cover and have a browse, but when you find yourself looking at each mag disdainfully because their hot new headline is SO three days ago, you know you have a problem.
This I can trace back to a single person. He encouraged me to start reading people.com, etc. I'm not sure how, but at some point I discovered thesuperficial.com, which I still find wildly entertaining. But really, this obsession has to stop.
It used to be all in good fun. It's "light" news - completely frivolous, a nice escape from the doom and gloom of the real news (which, as a journalist, I follow daily). But then I noticed that some of these sites were allowing readers to leave comments (as has become the standard for legitimate news items as well), and I discovered how truly shocking and depraved people in the first world are. The comments are unfailingly negative, and just dripping with malice. Even something as light as a pregnancy announcement is seen as fair game for viscous attack. It really brings out the worst in people.
A logical person would just stop reading the comments. But I can't. It's too tempting. Especially when it's a story about someone I really can't stand (Jessica Simpson, the Kardashians, Paris Hilton, etc.). I LOVED what Jon Hamm had to say about "fucking idiots" being rewarded in America's celebrity-obsessed society. I couldn't agree more!! And yet, I'm part of the problem because I watch the shows and go to the websites. I'm a willing contributor to something I claim to hate!
The bottom line is, "celebrity" gossip used to be a fun and light activity to engage in, but now it's crossed the line. It seems mean now, and that's the last thing I need/want in my life. So while Facebook and Pinterest can stay, I think this is an area of my personal inventory which needs a serious overhaul.
What are your online vices, and what do they really bring to your life? Is there anything you really feel it's time to let go of?
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