Celebrities RIP

As the internet buzzes along at a kabillion miles an hour, we all dropped our jaws for a moment or four over the past few weeks reading about various celebrities who have now gone on. Some deaths were not particularly surprising, while others seem to have come out of nowhere. Yet, the hype that each has received demonstrates emphatically America’s obsession with morbidity and paparazzi. 

 

American media seems to care about one thing and one thing only – is the story flashy? It doesn’t matter if the news is good or bad. It doesn’t matter if it crosses the line of journalistic integrity. Heck, it doesn’t even seem to matter if the news is accurate. Privacy is not considered. Getting both sides of the story is an afterthought. Ultimately, the only thing of importance is maximizing the controversy. Is there a politician in the middle of an alleged sex scandal? Focus on that! Was there a famous actor seen coming out of a hospital looking like #$&$? Focus on that! How about the family mourning over the loss of their late celebrity relative? Let’s ask them questions to bring on the maximum amount of tears.

 

Ugh!

 

While celebrities are alive, the media seems to do everything possible to bring out the weird and generate the controversy. And when they die, the media mourns, focusing in on the good memories and tributes. Hypocrites!

 

Maybe I’m just a naïve little simpleton, but what ever happened to sincerity and simply treating people with respect? A little humanity, anyone?