I have a confession to make. While from my postings you might surmise I am a deep person with profound thoughts on religious subjects, in fact I am an entertainment news addict. While I have never actually bought a celebrity news tabloid, when I am listening to the radio I am more likely to tune into and actually retain the lastest celebrity gossip about Madonna than I am to pay attention to and understand the significance of Stephen Harper's latest political appointment. When I open the Hamilton Spectator I feel an irresistible pull to the tabloid-like page of celebrity news and gossip. A few weeks go I made a deal with my sister Rachel that we would no longer read this page upon penalty of two hard slaps, one on each cheek (of our face). I have been slapped about three times, but that only constitutes a fraction of my actual offenses. I still read it almost every day, only surreptitiously. I know it is a waste of time and I shouldn't really care about what Paris Hilton said about Nicole Richie's alleged eating disorder, but I just can't break the habit. I could be reading about something that actually matters like world events or politics and learning something of value. Instead I contemplate the latest celebrity romances, marriages, births, and divorces. Will Jude Law and Sienna Miller get together again for the fourth time? Is Lindsay Lohan dating Leonardo Dicaprio? Will Eminem's marriage end for the second time?
I first realized the seriousness of my problem when I felt inordinately worried and upset about Katie Holmes' relationship to Tom Cruise. I mean here was a Catholic girl, who had professed her intent to remain a virgin until marriage, who gets involved with a much older actor and is introduced to Scientology and eventually becomes pregnant. Scientology is a very strange, twisted religion that does something called auditing to cleanse you of your past painful memories, and takes in alot of money doing it. I followed each painful stage of their relationship from the couch jumping antics of Tom Cruise to their engagement to the announcement of Katie's Holmes pregnancy to the birth of Suri, their daughter who supposedly had a silent birth as per Scientology teaching. Why was I so fascinated by the story? I don't know, but I felt the same sick fascination with any story about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Should I care that Brad Pitt made the top 100 unsexiest list due to rumoured poor hygiene? No, but I do, otherwise why would I retain this trivial, useless information?
Clearly drastic action is required to break me of this disgusting habit. Is an intervention called for? Perhaps a deliverance session? I am hoping a public admission of my problem will encourage accountability and force change. I wonder if there is an entertainment addicts anoynomous I could join?
6 comments:
My Mom tells me it sounds like I am rather unrepentant and on a sin/confess cycle rather than really seeking to change. I have decided I will no longer seek the vicarious thrill of keeping up with celebritys' lives and be free of feelings of the emptiness this addiction causes. From now on I will avoid the tempting tabloid-like page in the Hamilton Spectator, tune out from radio gossip, and avoid web-pages about celebrities personal lives. I will spend this time instead reflecting on God's goodness and meditating on his promises or learning about the world. If you ever see me paying attention to celebrity gossip, I hope you will hold me accountable. Maybe it is not a very damaging addiction or as serious as alcoholism or drug addiction, but it is controlling my life to some degree and wasting my energy and it is something I want to change.
Good for you Suzanne. I wish I could be a zealous as you are with my coffee adiction. Although not really time consuming, I know the caffine is not that good for me. Maybe I'll try and work on it.
Jen Lougas
OMGoodness, Suzanne, no way have Jude Law and Sienna Miller been together four times! three, at most!
I'm not listening Rachel!
Jenn if you gave up coffee, I would feel challenged to give up chocolate and I wouldn't want that to happen. :) Maybe we could just limit our intake. I'm sure that's all you had in mind.
Sorry for spelling your name wrong Jen.
You are such a sweetheart. I didn't even notice the spelling;)
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