Celebrity Fascination!

Why are we mere mortal humans so enamored by the rich and famous? Why are the TV shows about these celebrities most watched? And why do we care so much about them?

I was asking myself these questions this morning as I was reading the TIME magazines article on Prince Charles and his concubine Camilla Parkers's engagement and the impending wedding. On Feb 14th when Windsor Palace announced this, there was no news except this news. How would I care if a snobbish, stiff upper lip, 'I am a royal your a mortal' , philandering prince weds a nymph whose claim of fame is 'my great grandmother was your great grand father's mistress'. I am not joking, this is how she introduced herself to Prince Charles 34 years ago.


Prince Charles with Camilla


Remember the Diana obsessesion we collectively endured a decade ago? She was followed everywhere she went, her every activity was reported for example when did she take a shower and for how long? And what brand of cereal she served. Such a worthy information I dares say. She paid the ultimate price for this status, she got killed while trying to get away from the paperazzi.

The million dollar question right now is, why is this society so hungry for celebrity news?

• Is this because our lives so empty and dry, so that we need some spice, even if it is from someone else's backyard?
• Is it because we need to know how these people are so rich and famous, so that if we follow these people's daily routine we some how become celebrities?
• Or to make ourselves fell better by reading about Jennifer Lopez vapid love life?

All the three reasons seems to very plausible to me at least. May be sociologists have a better researched and more scientific reasons. For me the first reason sounds more interesting than the other two. This is the reason why we watch soap operas, read novels and the natural extension to these activities is our curiosity on how does others dirty laundry smell.

There is this new show on ABC called "Desperate Housewives", which is a very big hit. This soap follows the lives of five suburban housewives. The name leaves nothing to imagination about the content of the show. This show had more ratings than the Grammy awards ceremony and ABC is preemting this show for the Academy Awards ceremony this Sunday.

Well I guess, this celebrity infatuation has a brighter side. It decreases the depression rate and suicide rate. I would rather watch Michael Jackson court trail rather than spending time on answering my collection agency's phone calls! What else are celebrities for?