Media and Privacy

There is a fascination between the media, an audience and someone [celebrity or well-known person] else’s tragedy. As many of us have heard, this week Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver are getting a divorce. Apparently Arnold fathered another woman’s child (who worked for him) over 10 years ago. At first all the news channels talked about the split alone. Then we found out there was infidelity. Then we found out there was a love child. Then we found out the mother was someone that worked for him. There is this continuous cycle of information as though you are watching a movie. None of us know these two people, but because they choose to be in the spotlight we can know their most intimate secrets. Media does not have emotion. It is simply a way to showcase entertainment, whether at the expense of someone’s privacy or not. When a “juicy” story like this comes to light, no one is a fan. The celebrities become subjects for our for us to watch. I think this story is another reminder of how media consumes all aspects of life. There can be a story about the world supposedly ending, a cheating star or the newest popular song, we will hear about it on TV, the radio and the internet. Media knows everything.

Kristin and Robert Sitting in a Tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G

The top story today for People.com is the fact that Kristin Stewart and Robert Patternson were seen kissing in a car – REALLY?! The main gist of the article explained that although Stewart did not join Robert at the red carpet for his latest premiere, “… she certainly seemed to show her support after the party, as the two shared a smooch – and a smile – in a car before speeding off.” (Shira 1) –not exactly the story of the century. Although People.com is not known for educational articles by any means, the articles on People seem to be getting shorter in length and less important in context. In addition, it’s upsetting to see that this story, rather than the film reviews or fashion tips, has received the most hits. Why is the public so obsessed with personal lives of celebrities, in particular, their romantic lives?

Perhaps we (we being the public) obsess over the relationships of A-listers because we crave the so-called perfect relationship that we often see in pictures; we’d love to attend formal parties and club events with our significant others, and since we cannot, we choose to watch the relationships of the stars. Then once the public relationships fall apart, we take comfort in the fact that although A-listers may have everything, they certainly do not always have love. Is this it? Do we soothe our own emotions by bashing the failed relationships of actors?

I find it especially interesting that the American public is so quick to judge A-listers based on their relationships. Many people complain about how celebrities are so bad at maintaining relationships and marriages, but have they ever stepped back to think about why? I believe part of the reason relationships are so difficult to maintain in Hollywood is because the paparazzi, as well as the rest of the country, is constantly watching A-listers’ every move. We analyze every photo and every move that the stars make within their relationships, we tear them apart, judge them, and define them, yet once the relationships falters, we wonder why.