Media Reaction

Running Head: MEDIA REACTION

Media Reaction

Lisa Midori

Obsession With Celebrities

The purpose of this paper is to discuss and to illustrate how diversity in the media is portrayed. American culture is obsessed with celebrities. Obsessions can be anything from celebrity gossips, clothing, cars, and many more. Bruce Horovitz (2003) states in his article, "America is enmeshed in a harmonic convergence of celebrity infatuation. Celebrities fill our magazines and our TV screens. Celebrities tell us what books to read. What shoes to buy. What perfume to wear. And, of course, celebrities seek our votes. The nation's new manifest destiny is a non-stop celebration of all things famous. It is good. It is bad. And it is ugly" (p.01b). These days, every move a star makes is a major event. I always thought people need to something to look up to. Maybe people are usually bored with their daily routine that they want to see something extraordinary. They look up to celebrities. Some of them project themselves into the situation. "I wish I was a celebrity." Some want the glory and some just want the power.

Martha Falconi (2006) details the arrivals of Katie Holmes and her baby to her wedding with Tom Cruise in Holmes Arrives for Wedding to Cruise. Fans and photographers surround the front of the castle. Then another article by Martha (2006, 2) details the arrival of Tom Cruise to the wedding Cruise Arrives to Wed Holmes in Italy. I guess everyone must be aware from the moment a celebrity wake-up and up to the time when he or she walk down that aisle and ties the knot. Why would someone care if that were not his or her friend or family member getting married? Hardly a week goes by anymore without some momentous celebrity breakup anyway. The most recent divorce was Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe, Britney Spears and Kevin Federline. How far behind are Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise? Is it all right to portray that Americans are more likely to get divorce and that is ok to do this when things do not work out? I'm not saying there is something wrong with getting a divorce, but the media portrays that it happens all the time and also within a short period of marriage.

To get the latest celebrities news in the entertainment industry one can tune to the television news program such as Extra, Entertainment Tonight, and Access Hollywood. It becomes a fierce competition especially when celebrities walk down the red carpet. Celebrities are paid by designers to wear their clothes and jewelries. Celebrities proudly show off the expensive cars, outfits, jewelries, and many more. Celebrities are either criticized or admired especially on what they wear to different occasions. Seems to me for the female the more cleavage the better. In an article by Alice Cuneo (2006) "Fashion watchers say a number of underlying social trends have led to more cleavage. More and more tastemakers