The Latest: Do we thrive on celebrity tragedy?

Today, in the early hours, I joined The-Latest.com after seeing their promotion on HoldTheFrontPage. As I cover sports on Atomic Sports Media and all things daft on The Twaddle (when I get time!), I wanted an outlet to give me chance to write about somewhat more 'regular' news. I am running a daily blog (time allowing) to discuss current events and popular issues.

After reposting The RacCommies, I wrote this short article about tragedy and celebrities. You can read it below, or click here for the direct link. You can also access my page by clicking The Latest's logo in the top right of this blog.


WHAT would celebrity news be without constant tragedy?

I would like to think that I am not seduced by the cult of celebrity, but with websites like TMZ.com, television channels such as E! News and several hundred magazines akin to Heat, Closer and OK!, it can be hard to resist the temptation to revel in the woes of any person in the limelight.

It seems to stem from a mixture of jealousy and natural hatred of those better off - a potentially worrying combination.

The scariest thing is that now, with the advent of round-the-clock news, media outlets such as Sky and the BBC will pounce on any developments in so-called “news” to keep people watching.

G2 columnist Charlie Brooker, on his brilliant BBC Four show Screenwipe, highlighted this approach when Sky reported the death of opera legend Pavarotti, at one point pushing the big red Breaking News button to report that yes, his kidneys had indeed failed.

And at the moment, it seems impossible to escape the trails, tribulations and falls of pop divas.

I’ve never liked Britney Spears, Amy Winehouse or Girls Aloud, yet I know everything about Britney’s breakdowns, Amy’s drug habits (destroying a once beautiful woman) and Cheryl Cole’s overpaid, oversexed boyfriend.

And why? Because it interests me. Media bombardment aside, it feels like magazines thrive on tragedy, without even considering the effect one tiny factor of what they are reporting could potentially have on their own lives. This also makes us forget how they would affect us.

As a trained journalist fully knowing the importance of a consistent source of news, I worry that the direction and angles the media can take on the problems celebrities have not only shows their enjoyment of them, but actively encourages other people to enjoy them too.

And I do. We all do. Apart from our selected favourite celebrities we will defend to the grave (most likely theirs, with paparazzi pressure), the overall morality of socio-cultural outlets and their audiences is going downhill.

Sadly, we’re all along for the ride.