Few stars have mastered the tricky feat of bowing out gracefully and leaving the audience wanting more. Take Jamie Lee Curtis and Meg Tilly, both of whom have been making the interview rounds this week to promote their books and to assure us that they’ve given up acting to take up lower-profile careers as authors. Indeed, Tilly hasn’t acted for over a decade; I’m betting Curtis’ retirement will last about as long as Jay-Z’s, but who could blame her if she’d rather not make Christmas with the Kranks II?
At the other end of the spectrum, we have Kevin Federline, who, despite the lack of any discernible demand for his presence, won’t leave. Sure, it may prove satisfying to watch him get coldcocked by George Eads this Thursday on CSI (YouTube has a preview clip that will also double handily as Federline’s Emmy highlight reel next fall), but beyond that, he’s not much fun, even as a punching bag. His lone talent, of course, consists of being Kevin Federline. That’s also his job, and every press mention of him marks a successful day at the office. So here at PopWatch, we’re only making the problem worse.
I was indifferent to the gossip columns of Lloyd Grove, who submitted his last ”Lowdown” item to The New York Daily News yesterday, but I admired his policy of banning mention of boldface names he thought were a waste of ink. (Pariah No. 1 was Paris Hilton; No. 2 was Brad Pitt, who, despite some actual evidence of talent and achievement, apparently struck Grove as a trophy husband and a frivolous, superfluous person.)
So I’m wondering if PopWatch shouldn’t embark on a similar policy. Are there some folks who should be banned from further mention on this blog? If so, should a certain husband of Britney Spears be the first person we shun, or is someone else more deserving? Or should we let Sir Popozao and others like him stay in our good graces, in the hope that someday, someday, they’ll do something remotely entertaining and worthwhile?
I’m all for never reading about Paris Hilton again.
I was actually starting on a similar mission of never reading another article that included the following people: Paris Hilton, Jessica Simpson, and Eva Longoria. (I already pass over any mention of Britney and K-Fed, because they aren’t even worth the energy of double-clicking.) So thank you, PopWatch, you would make my mission a lot easier by ceasing to mention these non-talents (although I know Eva Longoria can act, her desperate attempts to claw her way into the spotlight any chance she can annoys me).
Don’t ever mention Paris Hilton ever again, please! Just writing her name gives me the dry heaves. Also, no more Jessica Simpson please. She and her Daddy plant “news” stories so she’ll remain in the spotlight. Please resist the urge to report anything about her. Unless she and Paris die in a fiery crash off the side of a cliff. Thank you.
I’d be all for a ban on Paris Hilton, Kevin Federline, and both Simpson sisters.
Finally. Basically, anybody whose celebrity far exceeds their talent needs to be banned. Paris Hilton having a hit record doesn’t matter. Brad and Angelina will at some point make quality movies again. Although a partial embargo should be levied against them, Tom and Katie, and J. Lopez.
Perhaps a policy of Equal And Opposite Coverage might serve here. For every article about someone on the overexposed list, a corresponding article about someone as underexposed. For instance, The Decemberists, whose major-label debut bowed last week?
This is the website for ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY. Has Paris Hilton ever done anything entertaining (besides getting punched in the face, and I never got to see that)?
Meg & Jamie “given up acting” = Hollywood isn’t interested
PLEASE ban:
Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Kevin Federine and Britney Spears (until she actually records a new album), Anna Nicole Smith, Star Jones—that’s a great start…
wow, is this a serious possibility? THIS is the only way to stop the madness, by having the media tempt fate (and readership) with experiments in ‘chosen lack of coverage’…Imagine a world where people who deserved recognition for accomplishment were rewarded with airtime, screentime, whatevertime…
sigh
I don’t want PopWatch to give up talking about anyone. When you guys write about Paris, Kevin Federline, Simpsons, etc. you’re usually making fun of them. And I enjoy it. The “exchange” between Paris and Shanna Moakler was one of the funniest things I’ve ever read. I think that as long as you know and respect your audience, and know what we would enjoy reading about and not, then you shouldn’t put down a blanket restriction.
Now, if you were a gossip site, like Perez or PTNB, I would be begging you to never ever mention Paris, K-Fed, Simpsons, Brad, Angelina, Tom, Katie, Linsday Lohan or Brandon Davis again.
Whitney Houston, Jessica Simpson, and Ryan Seacrest. I’m tired of all three. Ban them ALL!! Sorry Slezack
Definitely Paris Hilton and Kevin Federline, along with Mrs. Federline. Nick and Aaron Carter, too!
I can’t believe that one guy refused to talk about Brad Pitt. Has he seen any of his movies?! 13 Monkeys? Snatch? Fight Club? Brad knows how to act (certainly a lot better than Jennifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie)! Brad should never be classified with Paris Hilton, that’s just insulting!
I don’t think any one should be banned completely, but definitely there needs to be less pointless stuff. Thus, a Tom Cruise meltdown on Oprah’s couch might be worth a blog, but then came so many other needless posts about Suri sightings, etc. Leave that for those other blogs, unless it’s absolutely hilarious (a la the Paris-Shanna “exchange” that Sarah pointed out). I also agree with brandonk, Brad Pitt should never be in the same league as Paris. Brangelina, on the other hand…