I knew it was only a matter of time before I wrote a blog about a blog.
Indeed there are many enlightening, artistic and educational blogs out there in the so-called "blogosphere." Web surfers can take advantage of the opinions and insights of intellectuals and swap stories with people who share their hobbies. Public discourse is now a clickable comment away.
But I'm not here to talk about those blogs. I'm here to talk about what's really important — Hollywood gossip. And Internet bloggers have this topic covered even more thoroughly than the war in Iraq or the North Korean missile crisis.
My two favorite spots for all the weird news fit to upload are perezhilton.com and dlisted.com. (A word to parents — these sites sometimes fall on the raunchy side. And that's almost a necessity in order to report about people like Pamela Anderson and Paris Hilton.)
Perez Hilton (AKA Miamian Mario Lavandeira) averages 700,000 readers on his site each day. His blog rose in popularity after he published some of the first paparazzi pictures of lovebirds Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt together. Like most other celebrity blogs, most of Hilton's information comes from weekly magazines (and he somehow manages to get the scoop before they even hit grocery store shelves).
Recent topics include the birth of actor Russell Crowe's second baby boy, a fire at Ozzy Osbourne's mansion and speculation that "Scrubs" star Zach Braff could be dating newly-single singer Jessica Simpson. Not to mention Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' mysterious baby girl Suri, who's now nearly three months old and has apparently never left Cruise's home.
There's the familiar obsession with naming celebrity couples (do Bennifer, Brangelina and TomKat ring any bells?). Hilton's readers' latest suggestion is "Minnillo BlahNick" for Simpson's ex Nick Lachey and MTV VJ Vanessa Minnillo.
Hilton also attempts (sometimes unsuccessfully) to start language trends.
His last buzzword, "peppered," roughly meaning "really cool" was quickly taunted by readers.
He's buddies with his namesake, Paris, and he also hangs out with troubled young actress Lindsay Lohan. And even though the former journalist claims everything on his site is true, his recent omission of Paris' hit-and-run accident shows where his loyalties lie. (With the money, of course.)
If you've ever wondered who that strange chubby guy was commentating on VH1 or E!, it was probably Hilton.
Then there's DListed, which is put together by New Yorker Michael K. What DListed lacks in "culture" (if you can call a pink layout and digital graffiti on paparazzi photos "culture"), it makes up in sarcasm. Michael K offers the "news" along with his no-holds-barred commentary. It's usually scathing.
DListed also features celebrity birthdays and news on films currently in production. (I learned that July 6 was both President George W. Bush and the Dalai Lama's big day, so maybe these blogs aren't totally useless.)
Michael K's nickname for Paris Hilton is "Parasite." And while he doesn't have any ties to real celebrities, I think his distance from Hollywood makes him a true celebrity observer. He's just like any one of us looking in from the outside, just with better sources. And while that might cost him a few of Hilton's sought-after "world exclusives," I think it makes him more credible.
As credible as a gossip monger can be, that is.
These days the definition of "real news" is expanding, thanks to 24/7 cable news networks, blogs and the public's apparent need to be entertained. Hilton and Michael K are only two of the hundreds of bloggers out there, and with a few clicks, anyone can join their ranks.
These men have made entire careers out of being shameless and adept at finding, stealing or creating information. It also helps that they're not afraid of being sued, but that's another blog altogether.
So go ahead and enjoy the fluffy stuff. With all the depressing things going on in the world and especially southeast Louisiana, I think we all deserve to be entertained by the news every now and then. The great thing about celebrity news is that entertainment is exactly what it's supposed to be.
Renee Allemand should not be held responsible if you actually end up liking Paris Hilton's singing voice. She gets calls at 254-7817 and e-mails at webmaster@hammondstar.com.
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2 comments:
Yes yesterday in the paper. We don't upload everything to the Internet.
Dear Calaf - Uh, yes. And if you would read the Daily Star, you would know this made major news just yesterday.
Now last week, we had one other manic poster criticize these blogs because they are about entertainment, as opposed to the Iraq/Afghanisatn war coverage. I let the comment slide, but now I've decided to step up to the "mic".
These are ENTERTAINMENT blogs, nothing more, but certainly nothing less. They are not blogs that are in any way meant to deter or forget the tragedy that occurs every single day in our city or the world in general. You, along with another anonymous poster, are sorrily mistaken, seriuosly misguided, or both if you truly belive we ignore this harsh reality.
Do you know the first time I heard criticizm about Americas enthusiasm with the entertainment industry? When a representative of Syria appeared on Larry King Live just days after 9/11/01. Do you know what his comment was as to why we DESERVED this attack? His comment, and I quote almost verbatim as it was nearly 5 years ago, was "For as long as America is paying more attention to Hollywood, and who Ellen and Anne Hesche are dating, you will always be under attack". Look it up in Larry Kings archives, for I am sure those transcripts still exist.
As far as I am concerned, there is nothing about this Syrian dignitaries comment, let alone anonymous, or even your own post Calaf, that will change minds or any other posters view on entertainment. And in case it has not occured to you, we also "criticize" the downfalls of the entertainment industry for as much as we have criticized the tragedies we have witnessed to begin with. This is what we can do, as long as American freedom in America will exist. Let's hope and pray that it's FOREVER.
Calaf, I am not positive your post is meant to insult those who read the entertainment section, but posting this young students tragedy in an entertianment blog leads me to believe this is true. But if it is in any way shape or for meant to deter the reader or belittle this blog, or have a guilty feeling because we read her column religiously, I have one response for you. TOUGH.
This is America. It is MY America as it is yours. There isn't one day that goes by where I do not look at our citys disagreements and tragedies combined. And if I took them to my deepest conscience and allowed them to consume my daily life to the point of trolling a blog, then what a sorry life I would lead. So would most everyone else. But we don't.
Calaf, and Anonymous, if you really believe such tragic news of this young students suicide after being raped will deter my thinking, or anyone else who reads entertainment, is going to make us "think twice", or suddenly feel belittled over the tragedies of the world, then I am sorry my friend. It simply won't work. Not for me, and clearly not for most anyone else.
Rather than be a screen name on a blog, don't you think it would be more courageous and fruitful to send some words of encouragement or sympathy to this young students family? Much of their information can be found in the FIRST SECTION of Wednesdays Daily Star, June 12 issue. Page 4A to be exact. But if you come to an Entertainment blog that many enjoy and try to deter the "fun" we can have in life by questioning the papers coverage of a judged ruled suicide note that will not be admissable, then I must question your intentions as not sincere, but merely to start a controversery, revolt, or this long gone "rebel without a cause" impression. It didn't work.
All criticism aside (thanks to our U.S. Military I can do this, and so can you :-), my suggestion for you is to please write the editor of the Hammond Daily Star. You will find they are fair and just, even when one just down-right disagrees with the Daily Star and it's coverage of news. The editor will print your letter regardles of your disagreement of news coverage as I have witnessed myself. But I would highly suggest you take a look at Wednesdays Daily Star, as it has answered the very serious question you have decided to post in the "Entertainment Blog". It's there - even though you question if it was ever covered to begin with. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Calaf, please know your facts before invading an entertainment blog.
Quite honestly, I think it revolting and sickening you would take this students life cut short so tragically and refer to it by a nameless, faceless, once sentence question on an entertainment blog. Unless you find tragedy and suicide as a form of entertianment, I would suggest you use your writing skills to make a difference - and not troll a board as though we are to be impressed or change our minds about the entertainment in America we look forward to.
Write the editor of the Hammond Star, Calaf. Her email is open anytime. And if you would read the newspaper, you would know that too, just like you would have known the suicide of this student has been covered several times - yesterdays ruling being the most recent. Good Luck Calaf. You can dot it.
If this has not been your intention, I do sincerely apologize to you personally. But I absolutely will not apologize to nameless, faceless posters bringing heartbreak and tragedy to an Entertianment blog as though we are supposed to be impressed, or made to feel bad about our reading choices. Just some food for thought Calaf. Take care.
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