Why Are People Obsessed With Hollywood?

I was wondering why so many people are obsessed with Hollywood. And why people are so concerned with what all the actors/actresses are doing. You always hear on TV and in the papers what they are doing, where they've been, and practiclt everything else about them. So what is with this big fascination people have with Hollywood and its actors/actresses. Is Hollywood just a big distraction. A way for the media to distract people from whats going on? I enjoy watching movies and have seen quit a lot of them but I never really understood this fascination with Hollywood. So I think that they just plaster all this stuff about Hollywood and the actors and actresses on the news and in the paper as some kind of big distration.

"Blue smoke and mirrors". That is, the powers that be, use Hollywood and celebrities to distract people from the real issues of the day. Thus, "blue smoke and mirrors", a magicians term for the art of distraction, is the ideal term to describe what is happening.

People watch those television shows that are modeled after news broadcasts to bring us the latest info on Brad Pitt's relationships with Angelina Jolie or whatever Jennifer Lopez is doing instead of foucusing on "real news" from Iraq or Capital Hill.

I can't believe how people can mistake the difference between "real news" and the phony news about the lastest Tom Cruise story or the latest movie release. This is news?

No wonder most American kids can't even find Iraq on a map of the world or have trouble spelling or working with math.

I saw this bit live on news years eve. At the end of it I was just shaking my head. That Lin character had it right, but still didn't give the actual reason why. The actual reason is that the people are constantly being conditioned/trained by the media to be hungry for celebrities.

CARSON DALY, "LAST CALL WITH CARSON DALY": I hope 2006 brings us a little bit less of infatuation with celebrities, you know. I hope, I don't know if that's going to be the case.

LIN: OK, Carson...

DALY: It would be nice.

LIN: ...do you know that number one -- as we speak right now, the number one story on CNN.com is the fact that Tori Spelling just got engaged. All right, that's what America's interested in right now.

DALY: I don't -- I cannot believe that. I -- that's what I'm talking about. I mean, there's got to be a news story at CNN.com that's more important than Tori Spelling getting married.

LIN: Well, America is hungry for celebrities. So if you had -- your own prediction for 2006, what would it be?

archives.cnn.com...

Hollywood celebrities are kind of an American royalty...we follow their lives, build them up, tear them down, etc...

Mainly a distraction, yes.

Did you see? Wassername is pregnant! Isn't that wonderful?
I can't remember her name, if that gives an indication of how little I care.

Yes, Hollywood could very well be used as a distraction, just like sports and politics is, or it could be a sympton of a sick and dying society.

Originally posted by djohnsto77
we follow their lives, build them up, tear them down, etc...

Mainly a distraction, yes.

Uhhmmm.. We???

You mean Jane Doe!!!

I couldn't care less about them. The onliest thing is that I usually have msn.com as my homepage, and celebrity section is right there on the frontpage (I'm just too lazy to customize the page hehe). So without wanting to know, I know.

I most humbly disagree. I do not believe there is a concentrated overt effort by media to condition people to be hungry for celebrities. That stuff is out there because that's what sells. People watch it and buy books and magazines about it by the truckload. We're a society obsessed by personality (among other things). "Jennifer Anniston eats sandwich. Looks at squirrel. Film at 11."

Why? Maybe because it's one way to live vicariously through someone else. Much like wearing a favorite player's jersey or a stock car driver's signature cap. A form of identity mixed with a little escapism. The media give us what sells. The markets in general give us what sells. Crap sells, whether it be fast food or junk news. We'll get better when we demand better.

Like that'll happen.

I agree with the comments on distraction, but I also think to an extend it goes one step further to the point of influence. How many young people model their physical look after their favorite celebs? In a way it seems to give the more impressionable of society (see also: vast majority) something to emulate and strive to be like ("be like mike" anyone?). And by setting a goal of looking like Brad Pit, Jennifer Lopez, etc it sets people up for an unending pattern of striving and failing to come close to the idol in all things one does. So perhaps its more than just a distraction from issues but a way to dope up and keep the busy buyers of the nation buying right along instead of realizing wtf is going on and turning their blown dollars on crap into votes of power...

Some of us were discussing this phenomonon as a control mechanism..on the board here in education and media titled " how to control people"

As one poster aptly stated ..they do the same with sports et al...to keep you on the treadmill while seperating us from our moneys and votes.

Like Thomas Crowne .. I could care less who is pregnant or such. I am happy for them if they are pregnant and can do well for thier child but this is not the pivotal issue in my life. Nor is sports or sports gods..hollywood gods...Idols...lol lol lol..very appropriate term..Idols.

All of this drivel is like the continued dumbing down of us as people. My life is not so droll and dumb that I need others in Hollywood or Detroit. or Nashville to round me out.
What really turned me off to Hollywood was when Hollywood "experts began moving into politics as if they has some kind of free pass to play through in this arena. Mind you now ..not all hollywood peoples are doing this but the most vocal and emotional seem to want to lock this arena up for themselves and their partys. Its a real turn off.

Anyway ..I hope some of you will understand the gist of that to which I am alluding.
Hollywood is not a default setting to automatically represent everything American to me. Hollywood is the very last place I would consider going to learn anything of value about being American. One has to go to school to be educated in this to get this dumb.

Thanks,
Orangetom

It's a good question, and of course, I can't say why people are obsessed with Hollywood, only why I am. The main reason that I love films, or Hollywood, is that its escapism, last week I had a crummy week at school, so at the weekend I visited Skull Island and became an Arms Dealer. For me, I love it because it can give what we don't have, for some I guess they are just obsessed because they want to be as close to celebrities as they can be. Which I think, is a bit sad. Just leave them alone, sure some like the publicity, but they are human beings and don't need to be poked and prodded all the time.

[edit on 12-1-2006 by Zanzibar]

Another method of how to control people. But you have to rember that the Tabloid industry is a multimillion dollar business. So they will continue with such splashy and gossipy stories.

I AGREE WITH YOU ON THIS ISSUE.

Why do 'we' care who is marrying whom?
If you don't know them personally, who gives a crap, anyway?

I think it is a weird social prob we have as a society, as a whole group.
We use common people( i,e, MOVIE STARS) and empower them and idealize them. They are the NEW GODS for some........

We need to get MOTHER EARTH in the Movies. Then, we might have a chance....

Originally posted by yeahright
I most humbly disagree. I do not believe there is a concentrated overt effort by media to condition people to be hungry for celebrities. That stuff is out there because that's what sells. People watch it and buy books and magazines about it by the truckload. We're a society obsessed by personality (among other things). "Jennifer Anniston eats sandwich. Looks at squirrel. Film at 11."

Why? Maybe because it's one way to live vicariously through someone else. Much like wearing a favorite player's jersey or a stock car driver's signature cap. A form of identity mixed with a little escapism. The media give us what sells. The markets in general give us what sells. Crap sells, whether it be fast food or junk news. We'll get better when we demand better.

Like that'll happen.

Ordinarily, I'd agree with you...BUT...consider that now, the newscasters themselves are celebrities! I mean, who cares about Carson and Lins predictions for 2006 except for the people filling airspace between commercials?

But as far as Hollywood itself is concerned, it's wierd. Hollywood is like a perpetual motion machine. We stare at them...they react...we applaude...they react...we walk away...they react.

Let's face it, Movie and TV stars HATE being ignored. This might explain half the bizarre crap they pull to get in some of those supermarket tabloids. It also explains some of their bizarre political viewpoints.

"Stop the (insert political cause here)...and pay attention to me!!"

I think it's fine to be a fan of movie and sports and have a favorite actor/actress/team. Paying a bit of attention to whats happening in Hollywood may be fine. But I think the problem is when people start to become obsessed and want to know everything that is happening in Hollywood. Does it really matter who's marrying who and who's doing what? No it does not. If only people would start paying less attention to Hollywood and start paying more attention to what is actual going on would be a good idea.

Originally posted by Toelint
Ordinarily, I'd agree with you...BUT...consider that now, the newscasters themselves are celebrities!

I think we probably do agree. The effect of all the media celebrity hype is distracting, but it's driven by what the public wants and not, IMO, some sinister plot to distract. Most people, at the end of a frustrating work day are looking for mindless diversion and not more reason to rail at the tides of iniquity. And attention spans seem to be waning. It's sensory overkill.

Pretty soon, you just shut down. How much "hard news" can you absorb before you just throw your hands in the air and walk away? Especially since more and more people are coming to realize that big media news is all run by the same band of elites and you're never going to get the straight "spin free" poop anyway? So where's the truth? Might as well check to see who Nicholson took to the Lakers game.

Of course, I could be wrong.

Originally posted by yeahright

Originally posted by Toelint
Ordinarily, I'd agree with you...BUT...consider that now, the newscasters themselves are celebrities!

I think we probably do agree. The effect of all the media celebrity hype is distracting, but it's driven by what the public wants and not, IMO, some sinister plot to distract. Most people, at the end of a frustrating work day are looking for mindless diversion and not more reason to rail at the tides of iniquity. And attention spans seem to be waning. It's sensory overkill.

Pretty soon, you just shut down. How much "hard news" can you absorb before you just throw your hands in the air and walk away? Especially since more and more people are coming to realize that big media news is all run by the same band of elites and you're never going to get the straight "spin free" poop anyway? So where's the truth? Might as well check to see who Nicholson took to the Lakers game.

Of course, I could be wrong.

No, you're very much right. It's not so much a "sinister plot" as it is the nature of the beast. The Hollywood elite absolutely must have our attention, and of course, the local and national celebrities (i.e. news at Six and Eleven) are all too happy to provide that.

Of course, not everyone has CNN or Foxnews, much less the E! Network, so they can't flip back and forth between "real" news and Hollywood news. The that end, the broadcast networks have to cram it all into thirty (sometimes sixty) minutes.

Maybe that's not so bad, considering thirty to sixty minutes is all the free time I have.

maybe so you forget the real problem around the world and to worry what celebrities are doing

its an obsession that is pointless..they are like the mythical greek gods of today..people idolise them...they arent nothing but normal people. Most of them wierd and stuck up. Most hollywood females arent any thing for the gusy to look up to either..they are all fake. so many of them slept their way up or only got recognised through adult films. Hollywood is corrupt feeding the public fake heroes.
Hollywood is anotehr branch of the gov't.

I see celebrity obsession as a sign of an unhappy and unsatisfied popualtion.

People are not happy with their own lives, but instead of doing anything about it they live vicaresly(sp) through other people. And this is perpetuated to our detriment by having it fed to us in our living rooms.
People are confused, they don't know how to be themselves, so they have to find someone to model themselves on.
If you are happy with yourself and content with your position in life why would you need to so desperately look for yourself in other people.

This may be Human nature to a point, but it is a part of our nature that is unaturely expanded by hollywierd and whole game. (like the conditioning to be overly competitive).
We used to look up to our parents and great people who actualy helped society, but now it is easier to look up to the latest 'face' on the TV, no effeort required.
All presented in front of you, and explained for you, and your life is no longer really your own but a carbon copy of that face.

People think they have their own unique character, but how many david schwimer or joey (friends) clones do you see everyday?

Hollywierd has almost taken over the control of how people dress, think, act, even if it's not designed to it does.

If you can't talk about the latest TV show you're asked "where have you been?" like TV knowledge is a requirement to be part of 'normal' society.

"Frank I don't like our new neighbours, they don't even have a TV, how weird"

"Where do you point your furniture?" Joey friends

We are not free anymore and big brother aint watching you mate, you are watching him!

ANOK has hit the nail on the head!

well said

i don't watch any TV and wen people ask me have i seen this show, and i say i neverheard of it before.
they look at me weird and go u been living under rock?
my response i been living in reality.
theres only crap on TV now anyway/

[edit on 22/1/06 by voodoo child]