This might sound a little silly, but I was pretty upset when Princess Diana died.
My fascination with the People’s Princess started when I was just a little kid, already obsessed with frilly dresses and all things fanciful. Her televised wedding was the ultimate viewing pleasure – the Super Bowl for my entire youth. I worshiped her to the extent that every single one of my Barbie dolls was named Diana – even if the scenario called for playing with multiple dolls. Diana, Diana, Diana. All hell broke loose in the house of dreams the day my sister tried to borrow the name for her own doll (but then again, all hell broke loose any time my sister did anything to copy me, so perhaps that is not the best example).
It was a fascination I didn’t grow out of. TV specials, books, magazine articles – if it was about Princess Di, I had to get my hands on it. I cheered her on as she ditched weasily Charles and began showing up in public with handsome strangers looking like a total knockout. If I didn’t feel like it would be disrespectful, I might mention how knuckle-bitingly attractive her sons turned out. She was beautiful and flawed and big-hearted. And then she was dead.
And I had contributed to her death. Honestly, when you get down to it, it’s pretty simple. If it didn’t pay to document her every little move – even and especially the most private ones – there wouldn’t have been that nasty crash in the tunnel. There wouldn’t have been photographers climbing on the car wreckage taking pictures while she was dying in the back seat. How absolutely gruesome.
These days, I have a pretty firm policy about such things. I don’t watch tabloid entertainment shows or buy magazines that use paparazzi photographs. Same goes for websites; I don’t click on links to stories that obviously invade the private lives of public figures. It isn’t always easy. I mean, do you know how much I love Go Fug Yourself? So much. Love, love, love the red carpet rundowns (public appearance = fair game) so admittedly, I spend some time in the gray area, on a site that has its fair share of paparazzi images. Hey, I’m human and I like pretty dresses.
But when it comes to Britney Spears, I am unbending. Because that shit is pure schadenfreude. And it’s every where. I was pretty disturbed when CNN had a Britney story in their “Latest News” links, as though her most recent mishap were legitimate news. Really, CNN? REALLY? The girl’s obituary is already written (not all that uncommon, from what I understand), and I don’t think the media is going to be satisfied until they’re running it as their top story. And personally, I don’t want any part in that.
When I sat down in her chair on Friday, my hairdresser brought up Britney. “Have you heard the latest?”
“No,” I said. “And I don’t wanna. It makes me sad.”
So, instead we talked about her wedding. Which, let’s be frank, I was much more interested in anyway, if only for the fancy dress factor.
Preach on! I saw the Britney link on CNN, and I rolled my eyes so violently that they almost stayed that way.
I’m with you. We can say “How sad!” until we are blue in the face, but we are all contributing to it if we “buy” into the media coverage!
i could not agree with you more. all those young hollywood girls whose lives are wrecked and who seem to have NO ONE caring at all about them just make me sad.
Oh props to you! The whole thing is sad–I don’t care if she chose to be a public figure or not, she (and everyone else) is entitled to some privacy.
Sharing a name with Diana was pretty tough, until I started work and a gentle, quiet man named Joe affectionately started calling me ‘Princess’. When Diana died, Joe stopped calling me Princess and a little bit of light left the world.
Her sons ARE handsome and it’s right of you to say so. As for Britney? It is sad and good on you for trying to stay on the right side of decency.
I’m with you to a degree, though my refusal to participate in viewing the lives of the flavor of the month has less to do with contributing to the paparazzi culture and more to do with my disdain for the whole “celeb as news” culture. (I know; I’ve exceeded the acceptable use of the word “culture” not preceding “club” in a blog comment; sorry.)
That said, it is generally accepted in the industry that those celebs/notables who are followed/stalked/harassed tend to give the heads up to the pap corps. Those who want to be left alone keep their business to themslves.
Case in point: what award-winning, almost definitely lesbian actress with two children by unknown means of conception never seems to be stalked around town? For the sake of slander/libel issues, let’s just call her Clarisssssse.
The restaurant where I work at night keeps CNN on all the time and they will run Britney stories as long as there is something to talk about. When the kid sister got knocked up I only knew because while trying to catch a minute of news at work I was bombarded about all the Spears girls and their lives. News what?
i don’t think britney will die a young tragic death. honestly, there are too many people surrounding her 24/7, and the way the traffic moves in LA i don’t even think it’s possible to get into a fatal car crash. i think she will eventually run out of money and disappear. now lindsay lohan… that’s a different story.
Kudos on this post from someone in the biz. And believe me when stars want to be noticed it is a well choreographed situation. People in the media know the difference between lunch at the Ivy and a helicopter with a spotlight over someone’s house. They either respect that or they don’t. The latter is not cool in my opinion – much like publicly outing someone in the comments section of a popular website.
well said
I admit to being rather addicted to certain celeb gossip sites (lainey.com and the aforementioned GFY), but I tune out completely when it comes to the Britneys and Lindsays and Amys of this world – I’m a sucker for good hair and a fabulous dress but the rest of it is just sad and more than a little depressing
“BRTITNEY: DEAD – exclusive at 11″ is not far off I’m afraid
Me too about Princess Diana. I’ll never forget the moment I heard it on the radio driving home that night.
Same thing about Britney and all the celebrity gossip. I spent some time on a gossip community yesterday and walked away very depressed about the world. Ugh. I’ve sworn off.
I feel the exact same way regarding Brittany. I’m sick of reporters and photographers taking advantage of her problems to advance their careers, but it is the public’s fault. Because if we weren’t so interested, they wouldn’t be able to sell the pics. I don’t watch the entertainment news, but I can’t avoid going to Go Fug Yourself and Perez Hilton sites once in a while.
As for Diana, I always thought of her as a beautiful fragile woman. And wow, you aren’t kidding. She definitely added great looks to that family!!
I’m with you, Fish. Britney is not news; she’s someone who has never known how to live life out of the spotlight, and my firm belief is that when you have a spoiled brat of a child who is throwing a tantrum, they need to be ignored.
Britney needs to be ignored by the paparazzi and media. Photogs shouldn’t be paid for taking photos for her, and there should be a movement of people who refuse to renew subscriptions to magazines or watch so-called entertainment programs which feature her downfall… because all we’re doing is adding to the insanity, giving her more reason to act out in rebellion.
Yeah, this is where I get so frustrated … having to filter through the trash on what are supposed to be news sites. I’m trying to make the switch to the BBC … at least it’s a more international perspective.
(Because I know y’all wanted to know where I get my news these days.
)
Thanks. I really appreciate this.
Remember when the media boycotted Paris Hilton for being irrelevant? I hoped a trend might start…no such luck.
Wow… you are a bigger person than I. Because I can’t seem to look away. I tell myself that I want her to get better, and a part of me does, but another (more evil) part can’t wait to see what she’ll get into next. But when you put it in terms of “her obituary is written on the wall” it definitely makes it more of a dangerous pasttime to indulge in. Thanks for being my Jimminy Cricket today.
Don’t get me started. I couldn’t agree with you more. And one thing that’s been glossed over until very recently is that this girl is MENTALLY ILL and needs help.
Furthermore, it’s not just celeb coverage and paparazzi that make me cringe about the news. As a former reporter, I’m disgusted at some of things I had to cover because they were “newsworthy.”
I give you a lot of credit – sometimes I just can’t stay away from that kind of stuff. It’s so bad that you just can’t look away, you know?
I remember when my Mom called to tell me about Princess Diana. My heart just fell and I cried to think about such a great humanitarian, not to mention someone who knew how to dress like a lady, was gone from this world. The only time I have had a more disheartening moment was on 9/11. I’m not trying to make light of the tragedy, just stating that my heart fell further then than it did for Diana.
As for Britney, if she would just make an effort to show that she has some feelings for someone other than herself, I might be interested in what she is doing. If you go shopping after finding out that your kids are not coming home like it was any other day,I have no sympathy…
My Mom has sayings for these situations: “When children act like children, adults should act like adults” & “Every child needs a *healthy* dose of neglect” (Loving emphasis on healthy) Unfortunately, there are far too many brats on both sides of the lens in this world.
Right on sister friend (wow, I really did just quote Rosie O’Donnell). I couldn’t agree with you more. This country loves to bring people up to watch them fall, it’s sad that so many people get so much enjoyment out of someone else’s heartache – which clearly, this girl has going on. Britney needs some time out of the spotlight to get her life together. I can’t imagine having my 26 y/o self on display for the whole world to see. Pretty frightening.
I agree about Diana, it was a sad day in the world when Diana died.
The entertainment shows, so-called reality shows and the people that can’t seem to mind their own business, irk me. That’s one of my biggest pet peeves, nosiness. I’ve seen traffic backed up in 4 lanes during rush hour because a car is on the side of the road with a flat tire. It’s unbelievable, poeple craning their necks to see for themselves.
I remember crying when watching Diana’s funeral on television, I must have been eight or nine at the time. All this Britney news is ridiculous. There’s a war going on, not to mention what’s happening in Darfur!
I’m with you. I mean, who gives a damn to Britney? It’s not like she’s the first incompetent mother and decadent singer in the world, so why is her idiocy newsworthy? I just don’t get it. Especially because I often feel that even though she complains about the paparazzi, she craves the attention.
I’m completely with you on this one. I used to be the girl who bought magazine after magazine … sometimes spending as much as 20 bucks in one shot. Now I could care less about who’s wearing who and who’s doing who or what. Never mind the fact that if these celebrities take a **** then it makes the front cover. Enough is enough.
Great post.
i feel guilty when I listen to “gimme more.” like I am enabling her behavior by buying her music. i know my 99 cent download probably only bought the whipped cream on her starbucks, but still.
I’m guilty of reading those celebrity gossip sites. Next time, I’ll think twice.
I’m terrified for Britney, really. I hope she gets help soon.
I’m guilty of reading those celebrity gossip sites. Next time, I’ll think twice.
I’m terrified for Britney, really. I hope she gets help soon.
One word – Dodi
The first time I flipped past Extra TV using the term “Brit Watch” I felt sick to my stomach. To chronicles someone’s life as if it were as hopeless as an impending natural disaster, and then to do nothing to help the victim just reminds me of…our government.
But I AM with you on the affinity for fancy gowns. Bring back old Hollywood in practice, not just in vintage coture!
10 points for using “schadenfreude”. Could that be used during a Scrabble tournament?
Totally ditto here – the same thing is happening to Lindsay Lohan, too, and it makes me sad that there are so many people with so little going on in their own lives that they have to feed off the misfortune of the glitterati.
On the other hand, I was thinking that there are plenty of stars who are able to keep the paparazzi away, and I think the way to sum it up is that they just don’t give the photogs anything worth shooting. They lead relatively boring lives, and they don’t go out in public without undies. Hm.
I loved Diana as well. I remember thinking, when the news flash came on that night, that SNL had crossed the line with that one. Much to my horror, it wasn’t a skit.
Bravo to you & anyone who boycotts this medium. These are people’s lives they’re tearing apart & plastering all over. Perhaps someday we’ll learn how to cherish & be thankful for what we have.
I agree completely with you about Britney. I admit that I was catching up with all the gossip just like anyone else but the night I saw those pictures of her in that ambulance I thought to myself that it had all just got too sad and that we now need to leave the poor girl alone (yes I think there is something about her that makes her a girl rather than a woman). We need to let her get help and heal. Maybe we are making things worse for her. Being on the front page of all the magazines may in some way validate what she is doing in her own mind.
I don’t know… it’s just too sad.
Hey Heather, is there any way that we can contact you besides leaving a comment? I need to you take my old blog off your links list (and possibly add my new one?!)
THANK YOU!
I’ve wanted to write a post on Brit Brit for so long but have thought better of it. The child needs psychological help, not media coverage and unfortunately I can see what happened to Diana, happening to her (although she doesn’t seem like she would ever have the grace or poise of Di).
what really pisses me off is these ‘legitimate’ news organizations claiming this is real news… Fox News, CNN, MSNBC… WTF? This is not news, it’s gossip and it needs to stop before something really bad happens b/c no one cares about the kids, just about the money. There was an article in the NY Daily News about how much ppl are making off of pics of her, stories of her, in 2007 alone they made millions off of her wacky behavior, it’s sick.
Sad and scary…I totally agree. Seems the media won’t be satisfied until they’ve killed her. Until then, they’ll settle for blatant exploitation (with Momma leading the charge). Ah, the hell of fame.
Makes my normal, boring life feel pretty darn good.
You’re a better person than I. I can’t turn my head from it all. But I do avoid stories about the kids of famous people- they didn’t volunteer to be paid millions and thus chased 24-7.
Yeah what you said. I think we all know that CNN is crap. Fortunately, in Canadia we have the CBC to filter out the garbage. It’s like the BBC without an accent
As for the red carpet/GFY stuff, I think that falls under a separate, non-tabloid category. I would like to think that celebs go to those events to promote their careers and it’s part of the business. So if you’re going to put that much effort into your appearance, GFY criticism is not out of context. And let’s face it, women like Fergie and Bai Ling dress that way because their image sells and that is clearly their intention. Now, if GFY started bashing kids like Miley Cyrus aka Hannah Montana, yeah that would be trashy. And you know those two ladies over there would never do that.
As a parent, I refuse to listen to or read any information on Britney (and here sister) since it enrages me that her parents are not doing more to help their children.
i can’t help but love the trashy british windsors (although i am a big “royalist” in general…check out the danish royals on the web, GORGEOUS and CLASSY). regarding princess diana, she had big ties to england’s reporters, etc. she knew how to play their game and wasn’t about to let herself be poorly portrayed by the press, not if she could help it.
anyway, re: brittney spears, i think you’re very ideal, but boycotting these things won’t stop the evil paparazzi. i think laws need to be enacted to keep them a safe distance away from celebrities. i actually think it infringes on their constitutional rights, but that’s another story.
it’s truly sad the way ms. spears’ life has unraveled, that she’s lost custody of her kids and that she’s a total train wreck. if she wasn’t so famous, people would just dismiss her as white trash. the whole thing is just sad. and the saddest thing of all is, i don’t even own a t.v. and i know about this crap, too!
I actually never thought of it that way, but you’re right. Kill the paparazzi!!!!
I agree with you 1000%. There’s glamour and trash.Britney Spears [trash] is crazy like a fox she has made the paparazzi alies.She is showing her true side and trying to mainatain the media and public good grace. I was at first concern that she was haveing about of the baby blues that was not being treated now when I see her on TV. It’s clear she is seeking public attention. She really needs to fad into the sun set and learn how to care for her children not just her career or herself . She will be rember as a unfit mother and a tramp and drug out crazy and I really hope that this not what she is going for.[IF YOU REVEIW THESE ON LINE REMARKS HERE IS SOMETHING TO PONDER] Ms Spears slow down your talent is there what you need to do is rest and think a come back will not be hard. If you act according you may have to face the fact of growing up and appealing to a more muture crowd which at the rate your going may not want to give you the resepct you want to recieve.
It was obnoxious to turn on the Today Show this morning to see what’s going on in the world and the story they were covering was Britney in the ambulance. Come on. I turned it off.
Britney’s a really troubled girl, and I think media figures *cough*Dr.Phil*cough* should be ashamed for exploiting her even further.
As for ‘Go Fug Yourself’, one of the girls, Heather, is, at least used to be a recapper for Television Without Pity. Her handle was Heathen, and I’ll goddamned if she didn’t write the funniest recaps. Whenever I’m in a bad mood, I’ll go back and read her recaps for ‘Band of Brothers’. Laughing. So. Hard. I. Can’t. Breathe.
Kudos to you for this entry! I was just watching an E True Hollywood Story about her the other day, and it just broke my heart. I think we should do our part to stop setting up these celebrities for tragedy. It just awful.
It’s a shame!These people can’t live a normal life as you and I–It sickens me too.Diana was a wonderful, beautiful person inside and out.The paparazzi and her X could have made life worth living, I feel like they took her life away from her and us-WHAT A SHAME!
Bravo! (’nuff said)
I started to cut down on my steady diet of celebrity gossip after I realized I knew more about who Lindsey Lohan had dated than I did about the presidential hopefuls just entering the ring about a year ago, but the whole Britney thing has me cutting the gossip cold turkey. And, seriously, there are better things, like wedding dresses, to discuss!