Mother Talkers

Mamas, don't let your babies be pop stars

by NJmom

Sat Jan 05, 2008 at 07:56:42 AM PDT

I admit it.  I watched the recap of the Britney Spears coverage last night.  

It's one thing to read celebrity mags or blogs, following who these folks are dating, what they are wearing. But to watch this desperately ill young woman being dragged out into an ambulance with a helicopter hanging overhead, filming it all, for the world to watch, over and over and over.  Her bewildered, disoriented face, that vacant stare. Her small children being taken away by court monitors.

Many people would say, well, when we watch it, we give the media what they want, ratings, money. So, that's what we get, more of this. But where's the line? What is "too much" to show?  When is it so sad that even the media will say, THIS, THIS, we won't show?

A young woman who is afflicted with mental illness, addiction, a combo of the two, possibly dying right in front of our eyes on the television. And what is it to the big media folks? Cash.  Money.  Dollars. I often wonder, will they finally be happy if she dies? What a windfall that will be.  But then it will be over. They'll have to find someone else to follow, to embarrass, to degrade, to call fat when she tries to resurrect her career on stage in front of millions while battling her demons.

And they will.  

I guess it's true, we really have to stop watching it, stop giving them their bucks. Because they certainly won't stop showing it.

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Tags: Britney Spears (all tags)

Permalink | 25 comments

  • I do think this is on all of us (0 / 0)

    When do the TVs buzz 24/7?  When Dennis Kucinich gives a speech or when Britney forgets to wear underwear?  Do we stay up all night to find out who the Seimens (used to be Westinghouse) Science Fair winners are or to hear even more about Anna Nicole?  What sold more copies last week - Jamie Lynn's interview with OK! magazine or The Nation's analysis of Barack Obama?

    Yes, I think media outlets could and should show more sense and compassion, but bottom line is they are businesses and we (the American people) are avid consumers of the crap they dish out.

    by Sue in Queens on Sat Jan 05, 2008 at 08:44:29 AM PDT

  • bold request? (0 / 0)

    i know many of us are tempted and sucked into the whole BSpears drama. but couldn't we set the example, do our part, and just not participate in any way? i feel bad fueling not just this drama, but the entire mindlessness of the trash media. don't get me wrong, i scan the headlines at the grocery store and have been known to buy the magazines when bored to tears sitting in an airport. i always feel bad succumbing to the lure of the gossipy headlines.

    by parentalunit1 on Sat Jan 05, 2008 at 08:51:31 AM PDT

    • tried (0 / 0)

      I tried not to watch, I really did.  I couldn't stop myself and told myself that since I was on the treadmill it was justified because what else am I going to do on there.

      I felt sick after watching it, and guilty.

      by NJmom on Sat Jan 05, 2008 at 09:18:36 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

    • Already do that... (0 / 0)

      I'm not one for celebrity gossip at all anymore.  I never watch Entertainment Tonight or Extra.  I never read Entertainment Weekly or People.  I simply can't be bothered.  What Britney Spears does doesn't impact my life in any way.  

      I don't know why, but I find the whole gossip thing just mind-numbingly boring.  I've felt this way ever since my 30's.  

      I agree.... if we stop people stop paying attention, then maybe this sort of news will go away.  But I doubt it'll happen.  People hear this stuff about Britney and think... hey... at least I'm not THAT screwed up.  Maybe it makes them feel better about themselves.  I don't know what the fascination is, frankly.

      American Son ~ Wes Clark

      by 1plain1peanut on Sat Jan 05, 2008 at 10:49:35 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  • I'm in! (0 / 0)

    No more train wreck tv for me. I also watched a few minutes of the BSpears coverage last night-- might have watched more except the 3 yo needed help with something. It's the equivalent of the neighborhood busy-body who spreads gossip around to the neighbors about what's going on in each house on the street.  When I grew up I found out all the rumors about her house:  cheating husband, kids ended up being less than stellar examples.  If only that woman had spent her efforts on her own household?  Maybe trash media allows us to downwardly compare?  Or to live vicariously at times? We should come up with a slogan for the mothers against trash media movement.

    "We've GOT to make noises in greater amounts! So, open your mouth, lad! For every voice counts!"

    by progressiveinky on Sat Jan 05, 2008 at 09:13:54 AM PDT

  • My daughter loved Britney (0 / 0)

    I admit, I am following this tragedy.  My 19 year old daughter was a big fan when she was in middle school.  My daughter is a singer/musician but she has now gone the classical route in college as a voice performance major.

    But when my daughter was in middle school, she was voted by her peers in those end of the year contests for the annual, "Most Likely to Become like Britney Spears."  I cringe at the thought now but she was flattered beyond belief at the time.

    How sad that Britney's life as turned in this direction!

    by janetle on Sat Jan 05, 2008 at 09:40:52 AM PDT

  • Blah.... (0 / 0)

    I saw a clip over on current.com, and I almost clicked on it to watch, but then my stomach turned. Reading a line about it was enough.

    Tragic character, that Britney.

    by tarantula on Sat Jan 05, 2008 at 10:10:07 AM PDT

  • 'twas ever thus (0 / 0)

    Sordid gossip has been around since the cave days, I'm sure.

    But it's up to you to decide if it's something you want to participate in.

    Miles and His Favorites: The World As Seen By an Eight Year Old

    by Hillary on Sat Jan 05, 2008 at 11:00:32 AM PDT

  • I don't think Britney (0 / 0)

    should count on the media or the public to care about her personally.  She is a commodity.

    But friends and family?  Where are they?  I don't want to judge, because we don't really know, but it is time someone intervened here.  

    Let your life be a counter-friction to stop the machine. Henry David Thoreau

    by half dozen on Sat Jan 05, 2008 at 11:41:19 AM PDT

  • It's too sad now (0 / 0)

    Yesterday I read that Britney Spears was hospitalized here on MT. I only read the NYT and MT for my daily stuff, so I hadn't seen the news or other coverage.

    So last night I googled to see why she was hospitalized. When I saw that it was an involuntary psych admit, and that there had been video of it happening (which naively never occured to me) I was disgusted and also ashamed. Never again will I look up celebrity gossip out of idle curiosity. You never know what you're going to get.

    Whoever told the media that it was a 5150 should be sought out and fired. If it came from K-fed, well, even an exhusband is not privy to that information. Did it come from the court filing??

    by RachelD on Sat Jan 05, 2008 at 05:00:56 PM PDT

    • asdf (0 / 0)

      I was wondering that too, also what about HIPA laws?  It seems like a lot of medical information is getting out too.

      The word of 5150 did not come from the court papers, just a "source."  

      On the psychologist front, she released herself yesterday or was proven not to be a danger.  And here's the gross part, DR PHIL came to talk to her and escort her to her car.  He's planning a show on her this week.  He's the worst.

      by NJmom on Sun Jan 06, 2008 at 11:23:44 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

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