As the year winds down, I have noticed that our news media has been pulling the wool over our eyes and creating “big news” out of nothing. While the debate over healthcare is being tossed around in congress, hundreds of banks collapsing, and the deficit growing, the news media has steered us clear of important events and pushed us towards items that shouldn’t even be given a by-line at the end of the newspaper. Here are the five most ridiculous stories of the past year that were given more news coverage than they deserved.
Celebrity Infidelity
This item covers the infidelity of every celebrity that the news commented on more than a couple of days. Within this umbrella I include: Tiger Woods, David Letterman, and Jon and Kate Gosselin. He’s cheated on her or there is some hanky-panky going on over there – why is this news? Why are there panels of people discussing whether the digresser wanted to be caught or not and what if a love-child is involved? People cheat. It’s a fact of life. When it is someone we respect or think is beyond cheating, there is a need to know, but after a week of such “news”, why is it still relevant?
The Balloon Boy
This is the story of a father (Richard Heene) who wanted some notoriety, so he used his six year old son, Falcon Heene, in an elaborate story of flying away in a homemade helium balloon. The balloon traveled 12 miles and closed down an airport. There was worry that the child fell out of the balloon, but it was soon discovered the father made the whole thing up. He wanted to start a reality show and even had made a theme song. Even though this story was in the media way too long, the good news is that the parents are facing felony charges at the end of this month. Great! It will be in the news again.
Stupid Celebrity Stunts
This category includes all of the hoopla over Kanye West interrupting awards shows, party crashers at the White House, and pictures of Michael Phelps smoking a bong. These stunts or claims prove nothing more than give unwarranted attention to people who don’t deserve them. Additionally, it promotes others from ruining people’s careers. In fact, by keeping these knuckleheads in the news, we are rewarding bad behavior. This is sad. We know not to do this with children, but we admire it when it comes to celebrities.
The Death of Michael Jackson
Before you jump all over me, I think Michael Jackson was a great entertainer and contributed greatly to American culture. I also think he had a life filled with problems that detracted from his image. His death shocked a lot of people, but why was it necessary to run: every detail about his funeral arrangements, what each member of his family was thinking, who his kids were going to live with, and build a mystery around the circumstances of his death? Some people die at young ages. It is a sad turn of events, but why does mystery and scandal have to surround his passing? The stories never seemed to stop. I feel bad for Farrah Fawcett who died on the same day. She didn’t receive 1% of the coverage that Jackson had made up about him.
Sarah Palin
Her time should have ended in November, 2008 when John McCain lost the election, but this former Alaskan governor can’t seem to let go of the media. This year, she captured days of media spotlight by resigning her post; then she kept us guessing about what she was going to do; promoted fear-mongering on her blog with threats of “killing grandma” and “birth-er” comments; and then had someone write a book on her life. The woman is terrible at giving interviews with “gotcha media” types, but she knows how to promote herself. I can’t think of any time in history that a failed vice presidential candidate has garnered so much publicity. I am sure we’ll hear more from her as she will probably make a run for President in 2012.
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#1 by Janet S. on December 10th, 2009
Excellent list. Sick of hearing about all of the above.
#2 by Dennis Howell on December 10th, 2009
Don’t forget all the Brett Favre coverage…..EXHAUSTING!