The other day when I left work there were emergency vehicles about a block away. A landmark Kenosha restaurant/hall was on fire. Traffic was blocked from going anywhere near it. Even though my car was parked facing north, I made a u-turn to go take a look or get as close as I could to taking a look. I was compelled to see what was going on.
I recall last summer, I was driving to Racine, a city just north of Kenosha, and there was traffic stopped on Highway 31. We were slowly diverted past a car accident where there were ten squad cars, three fire trucks and two ambulances. Clearly, it was a very bad accident yet, as I made my way past it, I couldn't help but look to see if I could see what happened. There's something fascinating about accidents and fires and whatnot. Our human nature makes us have to look.
Thus it is with the Kardashians. Or the Snooky's or any other of the so-called "stars" that take up space in our weekly magazines, newspapers and nightly news shows. If we step back and ask ourselves, just what is it that these people do anyway, the answer is...nothing. There is no discernible talent there. They don't sing. They can't act. They're not particularly bright. They are just there. The product of some remarkable marketing and P. R. wizardry that make them as compelling as a car wreck. We don't want to see it, but we can't help but look.
A few weeks ago, Kim Kardashian got married. It was all over the news. Her smiling face peering back from the magazine racks at the grocery store. Hurrah! She got married. This week, she is getting divorced. Again, all over the news. (Hey, isn't there a war going on somewhere? A financial crisis? Something??) Her mother is on TV talking about how strong Kim is and how hard this is on her. Her sisters are on TV talking about how she'll get through this because they're so close. Kim Kardashian is getting divorced. Hurrah!
Those who know me know that I love reality TV. I am a huge fan of Survivor! I watch American Idol. I confess...I have been known to sit through several episodes of Big Brother. For the life of me, I cannot see the attraction of the Kardashian's or any of the so-called "stars" of her ilk. (Yes, I used the word ilk...) To me they are useless reminders that we - the collective we - are not rich enough, pretty enough, go to enough or the right parties, can't travel enough, will never have enough money to open our own businesses, will never have enough money to care if those businesses fail. We will never be Kardashian. For some people, being Kardashian becomes an unachievable goal. Especially for those girls who idolize her. Maybe she is a nice person and wants love and caring like the rest of us. But, maybe living her life on TV and pushing her life into ours might not be the way to go about it. She, and others like her, are a train wreck and we are all craning our necks to see it.
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