Spigot Lips

Tuesday Knight asked:


Celebrities are people too, or so we’ve been told. Whether or not it’s true, Americans love to think of them as something more than just people. We are fascinated by them. Fascinated by the choices they make, the company they keep and whether or not they succeed or fail. We watch them on the way up and watch them even more closely on the way down. We scrutinize them in every way, mindful of the mistakes they make even more than we are of the successes they create.

So why are we are so fascinated by celebrity culture? Certainly part of it is the media, which reports on their actions as though the world’s fate depended on it. But on the other end of the stick, isn’t it us who decides that People magazine sells more copies than Time or that Inside Edition gets better ratings than the local news?

Yes, we are indeed the ones responsible, and no one seems willing to apologize for it. Why should we? Celebrities, because of their status, have the ability to do, see and experience things we simply can’t. How many posh beachfront homes in Malibu do you own? Same here. How many starlets or Hollywood hunks have you taken out for a night on the town? Ditto on this end.

But there’s more to it than just the money, the cars, the mansions and the parties. Part of it is that we do want to believe they are just like we are. We’re looking for kinks in the publicist armor. When we find it, we generally sympathize. Take Jennifer Aniston’s split with Brad Pitt, for example. How many of you sympathized with TV’s “Rachel” and bought into the theory that Angelina Jolie was a home wrecker? Now how many of you who answered affirmatively would care as much if it happened to your next door neighbor?

The reason for that is simple. We watch them. We grow up with them. We invite them into our homes every night and more often than not, they never fail to entertain. It’s natural for us to care about these people we’ve never met, because in a way, we have met, and through their acting, songwriting or performing, we feel we know them well.

bringingbloggingback asked:

Recapping the world of celebrity with a touch of bad lighting. Get caught up on Britney Spears, Angelina Jolie, Jewel, Mandy Moore, Oprah, and more.

Lisa James asked:


Popular celebrity weeklies such as Star Magazine and In Touch Weekly explore and report on the glamorous world of popular entertainers and celebrities. It is difficult not to harbor any envy when glossy magazines and popular television shows provide picturesque layouts of palatial estates, and reports of multi million dollar pays for earning a living at something that many do not consider to be work. In addition, celebrities also receive special treatment in most instances and often do not have to pay for things though they can afford to.

While it may difficult to begrudge them their exulted status, there are some things that are positive about celebrity and fame. You may turn a lighter shad of green when you realize that celebs:

Inspire Us to Work Harder

Some may consider this negative, but in a culture full of celebrity worship, we want what our favorite entertainers have. We work harder at trying to attain the perfect body because Beyonce Knowles and Jennifer Lopez possess it. We want to own at least one Porsche like Jerry Seinfeld, or platinum Jewelry like Sean Combs.

Though the perfect body may be unattainable, and to be fair celebrities enjoy airbrushing, personal trainers and personal chefs to help them attain either the illusion or an actual perfect body. They make us work harder at being our best self, and most of us figure if he can do it I can do it too.

Teach Us about the World

Not every person blessed with fame is shallow and self involved. Often celebrities use their fame as a platform to increase awareness about national and global problems and events. Whatever the consensus is on Angelina Jolie as a home wrecker, the fact that she has raised awareness of the importance of adoption is indisputable. Jolie, adopted two children from third world nations bringing an awareness of the plight of children in poor and developing countries. Other celebrities such as Meg Ryan, and Madonna have followed her lead and countless others will undoubtedly follow.

George Clooney may someday run for office, but is currently using his celebrity status to raise awareness of the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. Clooney has helped raise money, and introduced many Americans to a part of the world that is often not discussed on their local news.

In addition to world events celebrities also help to raise awareness and money for foundations for rare and incurable diseases. Both Michael J. Fox and Muhammad Ali suffer from Parkinsons disease, Christopher Reeve was an outspoken advocate for people with spinal disabilities. Celebrities make it cool to do charitable activities such as doing a walk for cancer or encouraging women to be tested for ****** cancer and men for prostate cancer. Celebrities such as Fran Drescher, and Rudolph Giuliani tell their stories and share their fight with the diseases which undoubtedly saves lives.

Though it is quite easy to look at most entertainers as overpaid and egotistical, remember there are two sides to the equation.

Lisa James asked:


Popular celebrity weeklies such as Star Magazine and In Touch Weekly explore and report on the glamorous world of popular entertainers and celebrities. It is difficult not to harbor any envy when glossy magazines and popular television shows provide picturesque layouts of palatial estates, and reports of multi million dollar pays for earning a living at something that many do not consider to be work. In addition, celebrities also receive special treatment in most instances and often do not have to pay for things though they can afford to.

While it may difficult to begrudge them their exulted status, there are some things that are positive about celebrity and fame. You may turn a lighter shad of green when you realize that celebs:

Inspire Us to Work Harder

Some may consider this negative, but in a culture full of celebrity worship, we want what our favorite entertainers have. We work harder at trying to attain the perfect body because Beyonce Knowles and Jennifer Lopez possess it. We want to own at least one Porsche like Jerry Seinfeld, or platinum Jewelry like Sean Combs.

Though the perfect body may be unattainable, and to be fair celebrities enjoy airbrushing, personal trainers and personal chefs to help them attain either the illusion or an actual perfect body. They make us work harder at being our best self, and most of us figure if he can do it I can do it too.

Teach Us about the World

Not every person blessed with fame is shallow and self involved. Often celebrities use their fame as a platform to increase awareness about national and global problems and events. Whatever the consensus is on Angelina Jolie as a home wrecker, the fact that she has raised awareness of the importance of adoption is indisputable. Jolie, adopted two children from third world nations bringing an awareness of the plight of children in poor and developing countries. Other celebrities such as Meg Ryan, and Madonna have followed her lead and countless others will undoubtedly follow.

George Clooney may someday run for office, but is currently using his celebrity status to raise awareness of the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. Clooney has helped raise money, and introduced many Americans to a part of the world that is often not discussed on their local news.

In addition to world events celebrities also help to raise awareness and money for foundations for rare and incurable diseases. Both Michael J. Fox and Muhammad Ali suffer from Parkinsons disease, Christopher Reeve was an outspoken advocate for people with spinal disabilities. Celebrities make it cool to do charitable activities such as doing a walk for cancer or encouraging women to be tested for ****** cancer and men for prostate cancer. Celebrities such as Fran Drescher, and Rudolph Giuliani tell their stories and share their fight with the diseases which undoubtedly saves lives.

Though it is quite easy to look at most entertainers as overpaid and egotistical, remember there are two sides to the equation.

Dror Klar asked:


Celebrities can not help the fact they that are so popular. We see them all over television on network television and cable and satellite channels. It is us after all, the adoring fans that create them and make them popular in the first place. If we did not care about what was going on in their lives, they would not become so famous. It might seem to most of us average unknown people that celebrities seem to be really full of themselves, and some defiantly are, but not all of them.

If we keep up to date with the news, not the celebrity stuff, but important world event news, we should realize that there are celebrities that have made room for more things in their lives besides themselves.

So many of the celebrity entertainment programs that we watch, whether they come on network television or on cable or satellite channels, often do a lot more reporting on the latest scandals that the most currently hot celebrities are immersed in. Many of us can not resist interest in who has done what and to whom. It is human nature to want to listen to gossip, especially if it is true.

Something more important about human nature is hopefully a common desire to help others and in some way make a substantial contribution to the society we live in. Sometimes the stir that some celebrities cause by what project they are working on or what trouble some have gotten themselves into, can overshadow the tremendous humanitarian works that many other famous ones are involved in.

The musician known as Bono, who has been the lead singer and lyricist of the famous group, U2 has become known world wide not only for his music, but also for his humanitarian efforts in Africa. He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and was given the status of honorary knighthood in the United Kingdom.

Other celebrities following his lead, especially concerning Africa, are Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and George Clooney. They are using their status to promote attention to the deplorable conditions of the people in Darfur in Sudan, Africa. Pitt and Jolie have adopted one orphan child from Cambodia and one from Ethiopia. Oprah Winfrey has recently started an all girl school for underprivileged girls in South Africa.

It would not be fair to leave out a lesser known actor and comedian that constantly encourages a greener and better world. Ed Begley Jr. has played characters in several television shows and has become an outspoken activist for all things green or things good for our planet. He promotes all kinds of environmentally friendly products and currently has a show on HGTV called Living with Ed.

So the next time you think some celebrities are just more pretty faces, look a little closer and you might see something a little more substantial.