Pop Goes the Culture

Okay, this really won't take long, and then I will feel better.  Maybe you will, too.  An item in this morning's paper sort of set me off.  It stated something like this: "Angelina Jolie snubs Stacy Keibler on Private Jet".  This caused me to stop chewing my cereal and ponder who in the world would need to read beyond this headline.  Does anyone need the deep facts behind the snub?  And how far has American journalism come when some editor decides to devote precious ink to this breaking, unfolding story?  This, in the age of the shrinking newspaper, where fewer stories are picked up, and fewer paragraphs are devoted to each story.  Right now, some editor is probably pondering: "Hmm, Europe's economy teetering on the brink of collapse, or, no..wait a minute!  Pretty sure that's a new hair color for Justin Bieber.  Run with the Bieber!"

I am aware that the National Enquirer and its ilk have been around since I was a small pup, and TV shows like Hollywood Extra or TMZ or whatever it's called populate the pre-primetime hour, and enough people turn in their Arbitrons or Nielsons saying they watch this stuff to generate advertising dollars and keep the shows running.  I am also aware that there has always been this fascination with our glamorous Hollywood "royalty", and the lives of the millionaire celebs.  I get that.

What I don't get are the objects of our fascination.  I will grant that the aforementioned Angelina Jolie has some acting acumen and in some quarters she is viewed as a humanitarian for taking on half the third world as her personal family.  So I am not so much pointing this discussion at her (except to note, again, that I do not understand why anyone would care who she snubs on a private jet, unless maybe it is the Pope, and even then, actually, I don't really care, although I may be a tad curious about the booking of THAT flight). 

Back in the olden days, people were fascinated by the like of Grace Kelly, who gave up a pretty distinguished acting career to marry a Prince and become the Princess of Monaco.  Now, to me, that is interesting on several levels.  What movies did she appear in?  How does one throw that heady lifestyle and one's home country away?  Where is Monaco and how does an entire country exist mainly by providing a gambling venue for James Bond? 

Now, however, the masses appear to follow a different breed of celeb.  I offer as Exhibit A the picture at the top of this post.  These people I understand to be known as the Kardashians, a seemingly solid Armenian surname.  I also understand that millions of people follow their nearly every move.  I have yet to understand the nature of their contribution to human progress, or the arts, or philanthropy, or the sciences.  I don't get out to the movies much, but have I missed some cinematic magic in which one or more of them appear?  Someone may say: "But the mom married Bruce Jenner."  Okay...THAT provides some basis for much further discussion and fawning!

Here is what the Kardashians have contributed, as far as I can research it:  They have partially averted America's thirst for celeb news away from Paris Hilton. And for that, I'm here to offer my teensiest bit of gratitude.

I would go on, but it would inevitably lead to a discussion of the whole "Snooki" thing, and I'd rather just not go there.