You watch a really great movie.
The two leads had amazing chemistry. I’m talking, amazing amazing chemistry.
The movie ends and you experience that giddy, falling-in-love, floating-on-air feeling.
You gush to your husband, who looks at you like you’ve sprouted a third nostril. So you gush to your girlfriends. They get it. They’re right there with you.
Later, you’re standing in line at the grocery store and lo and behold – there, on the cover of Star, are the two leads. And oh my goodness. He has his arm around her.
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You grab the magazine. Frantically flip through the pages in an attempt to find the article. But it’s impossible, because those magazines don’t put the table of contents where it’s supposed to be (in the beginning). And the one time you actually want the person in front of you to have an item without a bar code, the line disappears. You have to put the magazine back in the rack.
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Drat.
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No worries. You go home and Google them and get swept into a frenzy of are-they-or-aren’t-they-dating speculation. Nobody’s quite sure. And it doesn’t really matter. Because just the possibility makes a million women squee.
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The men don’t squee. The men don’t care.
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My husband may watch Vampire Diaries with me, but he could care less if Elena and Damon are dating in real life or that they were holding hands in Paris.
Anyway, when you finally disengage from the computer screen, slightly dazed, you realize you’ve just wasted thirty minutes of your life that you will never, ever get back again. All because two well-known people were caught holding hands on camera.
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What is that about?
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Why the intrigue when it comes to celebrities? And why does this epidemic strike the female population, but overall, leave the male population alone?
I don’t know too many men who got up at 4:30 in the morning to watch Prince William marry Kate Middleton. But I do know two 5th grade girls who did.
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Let’s Talk: Do you ever get swept up into a celebrity romance? Which ones have you followed? Do you love them or hate them? Do you still follow them, even though they make you roll your eyes? Why do you think we are so intrigued?
Egads, I totally get swept up. I am currently quite into Kate and William. I didn't get up at the crack, but I did watch the entire wedding re-run till midnight that night.
I remember, to, when Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise broke up. I was unnaturally devastated (mostly because I love NK). I think I have a problem.
This is an interesting phenomenon, and so true. I did not get up early to watch the royal wedding. I don't care at all. I'm always amazed when a celebrity marriage seems to last. Take Goldie and Kurt. They're not even officially married, but have been together longer than most stars.
Maybe we're all starved for romance.
Yep, I do pick up the magazines at the checkout counter.
Ahem…and yeah, okay, sometimes I buy them. There I said it!
I LOVE celebrity romances (and break-ups) and I too have pondered the absurdity of it. But I don't think its anything new.
Before there was this new brand of 'celebrity,' people like us were probably just gossiping about our neighbours instead of people in Hollywood. The interest in other peoples lives has and always will exist. At least reading magazines is a little more socially acceptable than peering through the neighbours windows with night vision goggles. (What? I don't do that.)
P.S. I laughed out loud at the third nostril comment.
I think deep down, we all realize we relate to "celebrities," who are truly just ordinary people. We want to know them as our best friends we see on the big screen all the time, we want to have a close, but intangible relationship with them, and the ones we like we want to see happy. I think that's why. That's how I see it, anyway.
You know Katie, there is something I find puzzling as a romance writer. There is obviously a huge interest in celebrity romance, but as I recall, many publishing houses have in their guidelines that they don't accept stories based on celebrity romance, and some how-to romance writing books I've read have recommended steering away from this topic as well. I can understand not using real celebrities in a fictional story, but it would seem even a fictional celebrity couple would make for an interesting story. maybe that's just me.
IDK, for all my speculation, I'm not actually a follower of celebrity romance myself. Sometimes I wonder if some of them don't just get together for publicity, then again, break up for the same, since many of these people seem to have a revolving door policy when it comes to relationships. I really don't buy into the consensus that their lives are just so different from that of the common man that the general public just couldn't understand the dynamics.
Yeah, and I've got tiger blood.
I like to hear about them, but figure they won't last. They met under crazy, pretend circumstances so they don't have much basis in reality. :O)
You most definitely don't need to say more. That's one of my all-time favorite romances!
I don't really pay attention to celebrity couples. I suppose I'm skeptical, thinking they'll break up sooner or later. On the other hand, fictional couples can really get my attention whether they're in books or movies. Yet I feel so silly. They're not even real! But oh, my heart throbs! Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth – need I say more?
Ok–sometimes I do but mostly I try not to. I don't trust the magazines anymore to tell the real story:)
I just keep waiting to see a pic on the front page of PEOPLE with me and Kiefer Sutherland from 24. Alas. It won't happen for numerous reason …
LOL
WAIT a minute–hold up!!! I had NO idea Elana and Damon (sigh) were dating in real life!!!! I can not wait to get home and tell the hubby!!! haha.
Yes!!! See, I told you this was totally going to be their season!!!
Oh, dear. Since I rarely watch modern movies, I don't get caught up in the celeb romances. Just keeping myself focused on my own life takes all the brain cells I have left!
I think we females are relationship oriented more than the males, and that's why we go nutso over romances.
Morning Katie,
I try not to get too immersed in celebrity romances for the exact scenario you mentioned. If I allow myself, I'll flip through the magazines and watch Extra on TV but really, what's the point? All I get from it is a loss of time and disappointment when I read a few weeks later that so-and-so broke up. Although I do admit to watching the royal wedding…not at 4:30 am though. 🙂
Hi, I'm Cathy, and I'm a recovering People addict. :0) I stopped buying the magazine a few years ago. Don't know why. Basically because I just couldn't justify spending money on it, but more for the fact that I couldn't justify being so caught up in 'celebrity'. I mean, really? Why? They're just people. Pretty people. Some of them are pretty stupid people. But they're human. They do good stuff, bad stuff, weird stuff, but so do I. I don't have a bazillion dollars in my bank account and I'm not a movie star. Does that make me worthless? Ok, I'm going to stop now before I highjack your blog completely. But YES I did get up to watch William and Catherine tie the knot, and I do still buy the occasional People when nobody's looking…
Laura – I really think you hit it on the head with Prince William and Kate. What little girl doesn't want to be loved by a prince? Thankfully, we all are!
So much fun reading the comments. Heather – you know I'm right there with you girl. Only…I like Elena with Stefan too! Oh, confliction!
Wendy – me too! I get sad too, when marriages break up. Even though statistically, a Hollywood couple is almost impossible.
I surely did get up at 4:30 to watch the Royal Wedding! I was hooked on their romance since they announced their engagement. For me I think it was because I was fascinated that Kate Middleton was a commoner. Almost every little girl dreams of becoming a princess some day, all the while knowing it won't come true. But for Kate it really did!
Katie, I am all over the celebrity couples. I've been a subscriber to UsWeekly for years. Years! And I sometimes want to buy Star too, because come on, I need to see Best and Worst Beach Bodies and Stars Without Makeup.
I just read last night about the royal honeymoon. Yeah, I will waste 30 minutes to find this stuff out!
Oh, yes, I do. And yes, I'm all for Elena and Daimon being together off screen, on screen, whereever they are – TOGETHER.
Hi Katie,
I have a lot of respect for couple that have stayed together for a long time…like Paul Newman (before he passed away), Denzel & his wife, Kevin Bacon and Kyra, etc.
It's rare in Hollywood so I salute those kind of relationships.
I also get oddly sad when folks who've been married for a long time split up.
(And we're not even going to mention The Bachelor…nope, not even going there.)
Hope you had fun w/ friends yesterday!
~ Wendy
Well, lately I haven't had time to really follow celebrities BUT…I admit the whole Brad/Angelina/Jen think (when it first came out) did have me flipping pages at the checkout stand. LOL
I always like Jennifer Anniston. I guess b/c she seemed like an every day person.And I loved Friends. But I don't really follow them too much.
Though, Stephen Tyler was spotted in our grocery store a while ago b/c he has a lake home near here.