Flipping through the channels on my hotel room television over the last few days I was bombarded with images of Paris Hilton being released from jail.
Perhaps the most absurd aspect of this all is watching reporters, on several networks, camped out in front of the jail making comments like “In addition to traditional media like us, Bob, the place is crawling with paparazzi.”
Cue footage of crowds of media outside the jail. And photographers chasing Paris Hilton’s SUV. And helicopter footage of the newly-release Paris Hilton playing with her dog at home. Etc.
Any line that may have existed between “paparazzi” and “coverage of paparazzi” has disappeared, and that the irony of this is lost of “traditional media” is depressing.
And by watching, I become part of the spectacle. I turn away, but then turn back.
The truly sad thing is that when coverage of her antics pushes coverage of actually important news down the schedule (“and on a more somber note, Bob, 13 soldiers were killed in Iraq this morning”)
I think it might be time to turn off the TV.
Comments
The continuing massive influx of media surrounding stars and their lives makes me physically ill. This was best observed when the media frenzy over Anna Nicole’s death made me call into work sick 3 days in a row because CNN covered the investigation for something like 8 hours straight. Is the daily show and colbert report the only places left that we can actually somewhat get real news?
I was disappointed and a bit irked to see this woman-named-for-a-hotel-spectacle covered by CBC TV.
It may be that there needs to be a whole-sale firing. Start with Rabinovitch, take out every one of his supporters/minions, eliminate all senior producers, and tell the rest to smarten up, quit the bullshit, and stop with the Barbi-pandering.
And then I’d put Radio on notice that a sweep is on its way if they can’t stop the brain-drain-drift.
Bring back and update shows like 7 Days, Quentin Dergen (sp?) MP; do a TV version of Quirks & Quarks, Writers and Company, and perhaps Tapestry. 5th Estate, Marketplace, etc… should be given long term assurances, and that dreadful piece of crap “The Dragon’s Den” should either find “meat” that’s not quite so rancid when they don’t agree with someone or just close.
The 500-pound Gorilla of which no one seems to want to speak is named Dumb Ass. It seems The Corp is trying to appeal, more and more, to a larger and larger audience by consistently being below their average. Good strategy if ratings is all that matter, but ratings is just about the only thing that doesn’t matter.
[end of rant]
But, on the lighter side, if Ms Hotel is that much of a pop-culture phenom, then this is our solace: http://www.funnyordie.com/vide…
My are you human question was “ditto” who appropriate.
The time to turn off the tv for me was during the first gulf war. The day to stop buying any major daily newspaper was 9/11.