If I see another picture of poor little pregnant Jamie Lynn Spears having dinner with her boyfriend at Ruby Tuesday, I’m going to rip off my left ear. Honestly, what lucky paparazzi got that assignment? Hanging out in Louisiana, battling mosquitoes and humidity, waiting for a pregnant 17-year old to surface at the local Wal-Mart.

My question is…who cares where she buys toilet paper and how big her baby bump is getting? Well…somebody does, because these photographers aren’t down there for the fun of it.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m guilty of flipping through the pages of People magazine in the checkout line on occasion and browsing TMZ.com when I’m bored. But after the whole Britney meltdown a couple of months ago and a seemingly prolific season of nip slips, crotch shots and sex tapes, I’ve decided enough is enough. Frankly, it’s both bizarre and unseemly to be so interested in a stranger’s life. It can screw up your perspective and if you’re not careful, you may lose sight of what really matters (hint: it’s not who Paris Hilton is dating).

It’s not that I’m a big sympathizer of the celebrity crowd. In fact, I find it irritating when one day they court public attention and the next they complain that their privacy is being invaded. In my opinion, if you’ve chosen a career that lands you in the public eye, you’ve made the decision knowing full well what the potential upside can be, as well as the potential downside. And if losing the ability to walk down the street in anonymity is part of it…then deal with it. If you don’t like it, go back to school and get another career. Hell, I’m sure being a teacher, a doctor, or a bus driver has some shitty aspects to it as well.

No, it’s more a self-preservation technique. Getting wrapped up in the latest antics of your favorite celebrity can be addictive, and before you know it…you’ll be wasting precious time of your too-short life getting worked up about people you don’t know and when you’ve put down that magazine or logged off that website, you’re no better off than you were before you read it.

So why do we do it? I’ve heard some say that reading about other people’s drama takes the focus off their own. But Dan Pence, Professor of Sociology at California State University, says people don’t focus on celebrities when they are successful or happy. So stop focusing on them and start focusing on becoming successful (in your career, raising your kids, in your relationship) and get happy.

America’s love of celebrity voyeurism isn’t going to be thwarted any time soon and I’m not gonna lie, it can be tough to give up your favorite obsession, but it’s worth it. My advice, go cold turkey.

Now, that doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy a good movie or watch the red carpet telecast to see what gown Nicole Kidman chose to wear and how Ellen Pompeo did her hair (because, let’s be honest, it’ll probably be interesting), but when it comes to seeing pictures of them taking their kids to school or strolling the aisles at Target…no thanks. I’ve got better things to do (like taking my kids to school and strolling the aisles of Target).

~tcb

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