Thursday, January 17, 2008

It's not newsworthy

One of the first things I learned in High School journalism class was, "What is newsworthy". If I go to the store for a loaf of bread or a pregnancy test, it's boring. If Britney Spears does the same thing, it's news. Now, don't get me wrong, I know that celebrities gave up their right to private life when they decided to be famous. But did they give up their right to privacy? And even if they did, are the mundane routines of life newsworthy when they are being performed by a celebrity? Personally, I don't find it any more interesting that Gwyneth Paltrow went to the hospital than anyone else. I hope she is alright and I think that she is amazing. I also think that if she wants to make a press announcement about her hospital visit, there are some people that would be interested and if not, it is none of our business. What is our business and what we have the right to know is what movie she plans to do next, how she got the role, who wrote and directed it, etc.
I just think that the paparazzi and the reporters need to spend efforts, time and airways talking about movies, scripts and the art of acting.
Now, for a moment, back to Britney. She goes to the store to buy a pregnancy test and it makes the news. One of two things is possible here. One, she can afford to have an assistant go to the store for her and get the test so it doesn't make national news and she just didn't think of that. Or, she has been famous since she was a fetus so she did think of that and is trying to use the media to create a buzz about her being pregnant so that her name stays in the headlines.
You might think that she is a crazy, mixed-up, dumb blond. I think she fooled everyone and played this just the way she wanted to, not because I am a huge fan of Britney but I am a fan of Ockham's Razor.

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