Daily Skiff

What crazy thing is Britney doing? Did you hear about John Travolta's son and his Scientology beliefs? Can you believe how fat Jessica Simpson has gotten? Can't she afford a personal trainer? Did you see the Brangelina baby pictures - adorable!

Our infatuation with celebrities has gone overboard in recent years.

Magazine editors and paparazzi have crossed any line once forged, worried only about getting the next "money shot." Paparazzi can get thousands and sometimes hundreds of thousands for shots of celebrities and/or their children. They rent helicopters, follow them around the world, and even trespass and act illegally to catch the celebrities in awkward situations.

But the fact is the media wouldn't be doing it if we, as Americans, weren't always hungry for more and more hot gossip.

We are constantly on blog sites, looking through magazines, and watching television shows; shrines to the lives of celebrities.

Their lives are ostentatious, and we want to be like them, know all their personal secrets, and fantasize about being able to spend like them, taking the jet from New York to Turks and Caicos or going on a spending spree at Barneys.

And for the most part, many celebrities don't mind the pictures splashed across every media source. It's free publicity for their next movie, CD, book, clothing line, restaurant, or the million other random things they are involved in to make money.

It is difficult to determine where to draw the line when both sides are at fault. The paparazzi want the shot at any given time, and the starlet only wants to give it when she needs the publicity.

According to Perez Hilton's blog site, many celebrities feign anger at having their lives continually photographed when they, in fact, encourage it by tipping off the paparazzi to their schedule.

This cycle is never going to end, unless we as consumers decide to draw the line on what we are going to participate in, and what we are not.

Next time, when you're reading about Britney's mama drama or laughing at a celebrity who has gained a few pounds, think about what's really going on.

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