Why Celebrity Praise Sometimes Bothers Me

I don't read celebrity gossip much anymore, although I will read magazine headlines once in a while. Tonight while I was waiting in a Kroger checkout line, however, I actually picked up this week's issue of People and skimmed the pages. I came across an article about how amazing Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are, and for the first time in the last two or so years, I was able to articulate why I was bothered by all the positive media attention they get.

Now, let me just say that I don't dislike them for any good reason, but I just get tired of the praise they get from media all of the time. People say things like, "I love them!" "They seem like such nice people!" Or "Wow -- they are such great parents!" There's nothing wrong with sentiments like these, but when I saw the article tonight, I realized that people think they're exceptional because they're rearing three children together, and they often get photographed personally taking them out without a nanny in tow. I guess it's a good thing for people to recognize this as model behavior, but it makes me wonder: Shouldn't they be doing this anyway? Isn't it their responsibility to have and rear children -- on their own? The American public gushes over them for taking time out for their kids -- but that's what they're supposed to be doing. That's what millions of Americans do on a daily basis. Why are celebrities revered more than "ordinary" people when they are seen doing what people are supposed to do?

I don't know what I mean by this post, really . . . I guess maybe I think celebrities should be viewed as regular people, and they should be expected to do most of the things non-celebrities do. Why not highlight the truly extraordinary things people commit? Or talk about why a person's actions do not merit a full-length magazine article?

What are your thoughts, readers?


Thing I'm thankful for: national holidays.