Celebrity Gossip

Monday, January 14th, 2008

My latest obsession is celebrity gossip. I have always been interested in famous people and have been known to pick the longest line in the supermarket in order to read the latest people magazine. I also arrive early for my regular dental cleanings, and for my monthly pedicures I gather a stack of trash that last till the final coat dries.

It is not a coincidence that all of these excursions are without my children. The childless errands are a break but the gossip itself is a total escape from my reality. Well, most people’s reality. I find the world of the rich and famous irresistible and almost hypnotic.

But now I have discovered the ultimate distraction and I do not need to go to the supermarket or have my teeth cleaned. Celebrity gossip Websites. I have several sites that I check first thing in the morning and they succeed in grounding me in a way that the “real” news does not.

I argue that these diversions are the ultimate in self-help; they really do make me feel better about myself. When I read about Britney Spears’ latest antics I feel like the best mother ever. When I read about famous marital breakups I am thankful for my own loyal and loving husband. When I see some scary plastic surgery, I am grateful that I still look young for my age.

These sites are also my absolute favorite form of procrastination. When I am stuck on something and staring at my screen I quickly check out what Perez Hilton has to say. When I start to ponder the name of a particular actor and what he has been in lately, I click over to IMDB. Before I know it fifteen minutes have gone by and I remind myself I have work to do.

I now use it as a treat for myself for completing a task. As soon as I balance my checkbook I can look. Just one more load of laundry and then I can see what is happening.

It is tricky because if I look too often it is not as special or exciting. But if I wait too long, I find myself reading about a couple who has just broken up before I knew that they were even together!

By Cathy Burke

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ABOUT THIS AUTHOR

Cindy Bailey

Cindy Bailey is a freelance writer who has written for Glamour, The Washington Post, City Sports Magazine, and other publications. She is also editor-in-chief and co-founder of LitRave.com, a webzine for literary San Francisco, and has taught workshops in creative nonfiction. She’s read her work to audiences at various venues, including San Francisco’s LitQuake festival, and is currently completing a novel.

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