Travis Vail / Roundup
The 21st century can be a very trying time for a journalist.
On Sunday, Staples Center played host to the Grammys, and the world couldn’t help but stop turning.
Sure, one of the largest Arab nations in the world was in the process of liberating itself at the same time, but how could that possibly stand up to “Fashion Police”?
While the notion and spectacle of celebrity is nothing new, the American people are developing a taste for stupidity in their news.
For example, Monday’s edition of the Daily News dedicated, or rather, had no choice but to dedicate their entire front page to the country’s biggest award ceremony…of this week.
“Lady is the champ,” heralded a headline in honor of Lady Antebellum’s record of the year win, and then it was on to whatever crazy outfit you already know who came up with this time.
Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj might end up putting decent journalists out of work one day.
What I mean is, when a sociological lottery winner (because she’s not an artist) like Lady Gaga arrives in a giant egg, it actually surprises people.
I would love to see that woman go back to where she came from, but not if her “clever, edgy” representation of that receives any attention.
Moving on to Minaj, why is that woman famous?
If she can’t sing or dress herself well, then she must be satisfying some need in her audience, because all I get out of her is an interest in psychology.
But herein lies the problem that all journalists share, which is that the public gives celebrities the same attention they try too hard for.
That’s right; there is literally a demand for stupidity in this country.
It should absolutely infuriate people to know that they can earn a doctorate and still never approach the earning power of a steak-dress or a leopard-print onesie, which by the way, made Minaj look fat. (Gasp!)
Awards ceremonies should be about honoring the countless and infinitely talented artists that go unnoticed in the days of Drake, but who would watch that, right?
The fact is: I’m not necessarily setting the world on fire with this idea that celebrity idolism is silly, because all hope would imply that you already knew that.
However, this infatuation with nonsense affects more than celebrities; it affects journalists.
A newspaper or television network can’t survive without an audience, which is why it’s sad that said audience isn’t looking for actual news.