Celebrity gossip: Has the media gone too far?

Celebrity gossip. It’s listed as one of my interests on my Facebook and MySpace profile. Gossip sites like Perez Hilton and TMZ are marked in my faves on the Web. Magazines like People and US Magazine are the only ones I read. I would say that I am obsessed. But I’m not alone.

Most days of the week I can tell you what stars like Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan are doing. I usually know who’s dating who and who’s gone kaput. I know who’s off or on the wagon. The age old argument is that when someone puts themselves out there in movies or on television or record a record, they put themselves in the public eye to be scrutinized. They might not expect for the love lives to be scrutinized but it happens. It’s not always right but it does.

The question is has media gone too far? I would say yes and no. I agree with the argument that by being public figures, celebrities open themselves up to being public fodder. Being gossiped about goes along with being in the limelight and many celebrities feed off this kind of attention. In fact, many celebrities think that if they’re not being gossiped about, they’re being forgot.

The whole celebrity media frenzy became heightened and spiraled out of control recently when Paris Hilton was temporarily sent to jail for a DUI. More media coverage was paid to Paris Hilton than the war in Iraq or other news happening around the world. Even legitimate news sources like CNN jumped on board the Hilton wagon. Although it was a popular topic, as a former journalism student, I have a hard time making the jump to calling it news. Paris Hilton in jail was intriguing but certainly should not have been the most popular news item any day of the week.

At times, the media has gone too far. Britney Spears can’t get a coffee without being surrounded by paparazzi. Paris Hilton was petitioned out of her neighborhood because paparazzi were making it dangerous for neighbors to live there.

Just recently media has taken an evil turn. Celeb gossip sites like Perez Hilton wish for recovering stars like Britney Spears to get a DUI or Lindsay Lohan to fall off the wagon. Magazines like US Magazine, In Touch and OK magazine consistently report on the downfall of Brangelina’s marriage or other breakups that aren’t true. It’s as if the media WANTS celebrities to fail so that they have a great story.

I don’t think the media has gone too far in reporting on celebrities but I do think they have gone to far in making judgments on celebrities and wishing for them to fail. Public figures or not they are still human and when you see awful things written about you it still hurts. In the future, stick to the facts or at least the fun gossip. Don’t wish for anyone to have a drug addiction.