Have we become a world of wimps and sheep- all of us? I ask this when I see how easily we accept people as “celebrities.” I was thinking about this as a mate of mine was to appear in the British version of “I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Outta Here” but who, wisely, backed out of being on it and making an arse of himself along with the other losers paid to play various roles. The show is the graveyard for has-beens and never-beens. It’s desperate, it’s contrived and an insult to one’s intelligence- yet, we let in to our homes and some television executive Fat Cat green lights crap like this as it’s come from the fertile mind of Mark Burnett, the King Of Television Trash.
Remember an American episode of this series which had a bunch of B Grade “reality” actors, plus the Indian kid from one of the “American Idol” seasons- Sanjay?- Lou Diamond Philips and one of the Baldwin brothers? These were “celebrities?” if so, where are they today? Their 15 minutes of “fame” was up- that’s what.
Where are “Kate” and her eight children and loser ex-husband? Or Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag? Remember when they were everywhere- talk shows, covers of magazine, the red carpet?
Seriously, who ARE these people today and why did we and still do “let them in?” Last week, a Hong Kong fashion company paid some big bucks for Nikki Hilton to attend the opening of one of their stores. Thankfully, she didn’t get much press as she wasn’t PARIS Hilton, but she still pocketed a tidy appearance fee, took her knobby knees and fucked off.
Of course, one also has to question the “celebrity” status of Paris Hilton. What’s she or Kim Kardashian ever done other than have a sex tape leaked?
Aren’t all these leaked sex tapes so passé and not even worthy of a rise today?
Elsewhere, America has a “celebrity president”.
Why do so many people like Barack Obama? Look who he is up against- again- The political Punch And Judy Show starring The Mitt and The Newt.
The younger, cooler, reasonably good looking black guy just HAS to win- again- as, again, look at the competition. And it’s ALL about ‘looks’.
Again, America will have this “celebrity president” for four years and which a “world leader” who seems more keen on having photo opps with Hollywood “royalty”, gets bogged down with the small things, sings snippets of Al Green songs and which is just so showbiz, corny, rehearsed and contrived it makes me convulse like a rabid dog in its death throes.
To his very Right is Sarah Palin who, like a bad smell, refuses to leave the room, is still as dumb as ever but has been elevated to being something like The Grande Dame of the Conservatives by Fox News. Why was she let in and why does she remain a “celebrity?”
Same with Donald Trump, a failed businessman- and someone needs to reveal his awful business dealings and failures in Dubai and China which he now picks at- but who is a “celebrity.” Why? He is a bloated, self-indulgent, self-appointed commentator of America- but someone let him in.
Jimmy Iovine was a fine record producer who has now parlayed his recording successes to being head of Interscope and is a “celebrity” of sorts by being a “mentor” on the “Idol” franchise. Or perhaps all that was just to help him sell more of his Beats product which he owns with Dr.Dre. Let’s hope he doesn’t make a return this season as the tracks produced under his auspices of last season’s “idols”- Pia Toscano springs to mind- were abject failures. Remember when Miss Toscano was a “celebrity” for around 15 minutes? Click the link below. They still have goofy women like this around and talking of their “Rock Star Moments??? Oh, dear, dear.
Then, of course, there is Simon Cowell, a shrewd businessman and music executive who made full use of his opportunity when recruited to play “Mr. Nasty” on “American Idol” and made it “mandatory” for all these now-boring television talent shows to have a British Mr or Ms “Nasty.” Boring and passé stuff and only bought by the very gullible. As Piers Morgan is proving, having an English-accent is as old-fashioned as Herman’s Hermits conning America with their “Cockney” version of the hideous “I’m Henry The Eighth, I Am”. Perhaps “Herman” aka Peter Noone was the “inspiration” and start for all this “Britishness” which has been lapped up by gullible television audiences. Then again, the Beatles used their Liverpudlian accents to win over America, too- but that was fab.
I still remember some hack in the South China Morning Post quoting Perez Hilton about what advice he would have for failed Hong Kong Chinese celebrity Edison Chen when he was caught in “online pictorials” doing the jiggy with equally failed singers and actresses.
Why ask Perez Hilton? What would he know about Hong Kong or damage control? This walking disaster is a one-man self-promotions company and only interested in flogging the Perez Hilton “brand.” But someone let this gossip-monger in who has taken the opportunity to be something of a bitchy gay icon who has the ear of all the quasi celebrities flaunting their wares and tears in Hollywood.
What else does this guy actually DO other than hype mediocrity and fawn all over people like Beyonce???
It just goes on and on and on- this seemingly endless list of “celebrities.”And when “celebritydom” is welcomed in to the now-theatrical world of politics and bona fide causes are swept under the carpet, it makes me think that a country like America- and which can be a tin-pot template for other countries- should just bring in a few actors and actresses, forget all this election nonsense, save the tax payers time and money and just have a President George Clooney, a Queen Oprah, a Vice Presidents Matt Damon, Halle Berry for Secretary of State, Angelina Jolie as someone with something to do with the United Nations and Kiefer Sutherland as Secretary of Defense.
At least, these are real celebrities and the world can sleep easier knowing America is being run by Hollywood and not Wall Street. Right now, we’re letting in the dregs and which is no doubt why the world is in the mess it is in and going down the crapper each day these mortals strut around being legends in their own lunchtime and with only us to blame for, yes, letting them in. We let them it, now let’s kick them out.’
© Hans Ebert
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