Opinion
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Do we really need to know these people?
Modern times give us characters who are famous for being famous
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Published: November 15, 2009
"The public have an insatiable curiosity to know everything, except what is worth knowing."
Jon & Kate Plus 8 was a reality television show featuring the Gosselin family (Jon & Kate, their fraternal twins and sextuplets) until Jon decided he wanted to "man up" and stop using his children to make money. I didn't know the show existed; that is until Jon and Kate started showing up on every program (the Today show, Larry King Live and Entertainment Tonight) talking about their issues -- money, divorce, running around on each other, who is right, who is wrong, and on and on and on.
Enough already. Who cares?
A family with eight children is famous, popular even, because they have eight children. That's their claim to fame and their reality show was one of the highest-rated programs on television.
They immediately came to mind after a conversation with a friend recently. I don't remember the nature of our discussion, but a comment he made struck me as true: "There are some people we should not know."
I also thought of Levi Johnston. Why should we know him? Sarah Palin is tapped for vice president, her daughter is pregnant and Levi, all of 18 years old and the baby's daddy, stands with the family on stage. That was the beginning. Now, he is writing a book, posing for a magazine and being interviewed on Entertainment Tonight. And he is featured in the current issue of Vanity Fair magazine: "Me and Mrs. Palin."
I asked several people recently: "Who are some of the people we should not know?" I expected some of the answers and was surprised at others.
"I love this concept. Great idea!" one person wrote. "I am writing my list below, people just popped into my mind for no apparent reason." Her list includes Monica Lewinsky, Tonya Harding, anyone who asks you to compromise who you are to have a relationship with them and police officers who drive unmarked cars and set those silly speed traps.
"The list could go on and on, but here are a few," another person commented. Nicole Ritchie (I would add Paris Hilton), Amber Rose (Kanye West's girlfriend), Kato Kaelin, the Roloff family (Little People in a Big World, another reality TV family) and Jerome from the group, The Time. "What did Jerome do other than hold up the mirror for Morris Day?" she asked. Why should we know Jerome?
There were a few common names on the list, like Jerry Springer and anyone on his show. "No explanation needed," the person added. And, another person added to the list has an entry on Wikipedia: Nadya Denise Doud-Suleman Gutierrez, also known as Octomom. The international spotlight brought her fame and attention after the birth of her eight children (she had six already).
So, why should we know her? Maybe it's because she struck a deal for a reality show, or signed an agreement to have each of her children earn $250 a day to star in another reality show. Or maybe because she was the focus of a two-hour special on the Fox network entitled, "Octo-Mom: The Incredible Unseen Footage."
"How many people do you want us to list?" asked another person who had more than 20 suggestions, including Dog the Bounty Hunter, people who have to one-up you on every story, know-nothings disguised as know-it-alls, retail people who don't say, "thank you," and "that guy on that show about the thing with the stuff." I think he is talking about The Guy Show.
Here is a tongue-in-cheek response -- anyone whose hair, clothes, finger/toenails, car and dog match -- unless it's Halloween. This person, I should add, offered to write this column for me.
There is always one person who sees the positive in it all. "Remember the old saying," he said. "Nobody is completely useless -- if nothing else, you can always serve as a bad example."
"So, there is some value even if we shouldn't know you?" I asked. "Yep, I need to know what I don't want to do," he responded.
Maybe there is some value in knowing something about the people we shouldn't know.
Nigel Alston lives in Winston-Salem. He can be reached at nalston1@triad.rr.com.
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