Big Brother: Who And Why?

As I type I find myself back from the pub having watched England glide to an underwhelming 2-1 victory over Italy. Waiting for me is the moon landing of our life time “Celebrity Big Brother: Launch” on Channel 5. Someone called Coleen Nolan has finished a speech about how she despises people who are famous for no legitimate purpose. The looks she received from the other housemates as she entered the house was not the look a God walking amongst men might receive; more the look a drunk might get at a PTA meeting. To be fair to her, the reception the next contestant received by the live audience was akin to the way a sex offender may be received if put in stocks in Liverpool city centre. I can’t profess to have watched Big Brother before but I can’t imagine people who have are impressed by this stock of “celebrities” and more to the point, what kind of society are we living in where these people are the panicle of human achievement?

The term “celebrity” derives from the Middle English “celebrite” and the Latin “Celebritas”…according to TheFreeDictionary.com anyway; and means someone who is celebrated or admired by society. I can understand this in the case of Martin Kemp or at a stretch Julian Clary (both of which I’ve only just noticed are in the house having already mocked the lack of celebrity in the house) but there is a woman in the house who claims “Celeb” status simply by claiming to have had an affair with an athlete whom she doesn’t name, assuming that it’s common knowledge. Now, at what point is that something our society should celebrate? Is that something we should promote to the young women of this country? “Hey girls, I know you’ve just seen incredible human achievement in the last few weeks in the form of the London Olympics and you have potential idols in women like Jessica Ennis and Victoria Pendleton, but hey! Why not just shag a footballer?”

It really isn’t my intention to make personal attacks against individuals, I don’t want to turn into one of “those” bloggers, yet it’s difficult to feel anything but pity when you see the housemates. Yes, some are professional celebrities whose goal since their preteen years has been nothing but fame. Others though, are human beings on the down swing of a career that at some time had meaning, human beings who are only taking part in this freak show because they are obeying the orders of the people who handle their PR. Christ, listen to me. I have an opinion on the lives of people I haven’t met.

I’m not really sure how to summarise this short piece of writing, all I can do is impress the importance of aiming for something in life more important than celebrity, encourage the use of empathy for people you’ve never met, ask you to try to not watch big brother and  promise to write something of greater substance soon.