A few words about the non-stop cable news coverage of Paris Hilton today - CNN, Fox, MSNBC - interrupted only when the Secretary of Defence announced that he was going to replace the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff... and even then, just for a precious few minutes....
First, I of course think that all people should be treated equally before the law. But, second, I think that a 40-day sentence reduced to a 20-day sentence may be a little excessive for anyone who violates probation on a drunk-driving conviction by driving drunk again....
But here's what I'm 100% sure is excessive: this wall-to-wall, cable-to-cable coverage of this case.
Sure, news is what the public is interested in. No doubt this Paris Hilton story warrants some coverage...
But non-stop? At least O.J. was fleeing from double-homicide charges - not drunk driving - and he was a sports hero and a movie star.
Paris is someone who pretty much has become famous for being famous - publicity about publicity - and the media are just fueling this with their nonstop coverage.
I suppose I shouldn't be writing about this either ... but, hey, I like publicity, too...
PS - On the bright side, I did learn a new phrase from the media today - "sally port" - I think I've heard it at least 294 times already...
and a bit a comic relief - Sopranos' Bobby Bacala's advice to Paris!
Ha ha! Honestly, I've stopped watching television news. Its full of so much garbage anymore. I had no idea about the Paris drama until a coworker Instant Messaged me (yes we have IM at work) to tell me: "Paris is going back to jail!".
ReplyDeleteI don't want to be AJ, but um, why is CNN spending time on Paris in lieu of covering the war?
Have you seen the movie Idiocracy?