dylan

i find myself looking more and more forward to your observations.

you are very digable and right on.

jack jett

I agree with the sentiment, but I'm not tired nor will I ever tire of Sanjaya's ponyhawk.

By GLAAD allowing only mainstream media to submit, the final analysis is much more relevant and praiseworthy. What the point of recognizing The Advocate's ability to play nice with the gays?

Expanding the scope is anything buy hipocritical - it's actually a pretty responsible decision IMO. Piece of advice: instead of filling up your column with endless soundbite inspired drivel about Tanya Harding and Paris Hilton (irony much?), why not take the time to thoroughly examine one or two ideas or issues? Just a thought.

BTW , it's really telling how you attack everything gay-related. Good luck with that.

YCKTR

Dear Dylan,

Always a boredom doing reading with you. It boggles the minds of scientists and journalists, metros and fags, why you've been selected from the entire brood of brilliant writers associated with WOW to guest blog.

It's heartwarming how they like to give the sick and the poor a shot at literary glory.

Venus Navigator

Dear Dylan,
I think I might know why everyone is obsesed with Paris, Sangaya, etc. It is because Americans now need topics to dscuss while using cell phones. Apparently, if a person owns a cell phone, they must use it at all times - and mindless fodder has now become important filler for phone conversations that should not be happening in the first place. Does this make sense or is this just the rantings of a cell-phone-hater? (Me)
Love,
Matilda

I'll admit, in the beginning, like- what?- 20 decades ago- Paris and the crew had their attraction.

But now? I actually get a queasy feeling when I see their faces on any mag, website or tv show. To be honest with you, I ALMOST skipped right past your blog-post when I saw the Paris photo.

Somehow, untalented people becoming famous, were just luckier than me or something, I had to know why... and on many occasions I'd give it the ole- public, "roll of the eyes" but the minute I were alone, we'd sink our teeth right to take a big wet bite out of some celeb's self-destruction. And just like Chinese-food, was starving an hour later for more. And your Sous Chef, aka web-sponsors got right on-line, with a helluva menu!
Those were the OJ days. When I actually cared what Al Cowlings ex wife wore to the Kentucky Derby. Huh?

Over the last two years-I can't begin to tell you how many of my regular blog sites I've abandoned due to their, ad nauseum- P, B, & L reporting.

Although I am a Mom, of three Girls 9, 12, & 22...and my un-fabulous brother is in the media spotlight more often than not, I've never been one to preach, "Media & it's effects on our Youth" BLAH!
I'm raising MY GIRLS, the media isn't. MY kids are raised under MY roof, not TMZ's. Parents influences CAN be more prodding than any rag-mag, if they'd only care to be honest and discuss these things openly. Honestly, Even my 9 year old thinks Paris is "LAME," and they all pretty much think the entire lott, "Sucks." Pretty smart.
But there are those other kids.
IE:http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/5291/429345680fc5feb1878oty7.jpg
and what aren't their parents telling them?

Normally when the: "ACLU-
`OMG-Today's-Affected-youth!?" blogging-rocket has lift off, I bid a fond adieu; Buh Bye!
That is until recently, when the attention seeking, status, demi-monde, behavior rather hit "home."
(Just to give you a little subtext, "HOME" is a minuscule-sleepy-little-Santa Cruz Mountain assemblage, equaling prolly, 800. AND NOTHING ever happens here- Notta-thing.)

That is, until, last week.
So- The parking lots of our 3 adjoining campuses, K-5, and 20 yards up the hill, grades 6-8 and another 20 yards, to the west, our High School, known throughout the state for spitting out GORGEOUS Mountain Grown Pro-Ball Hunks, bustling commuter parents and their latchkey kids, yellow school buses sprinkled `round. yep we still have those. I remember actually taking a deep breath and noting how happy I was spring was here. Ok, ya-Barf.
While I was taking in my happy existence...
-somewhere on the other side of the parking-lot, the doors to the H.S. office burst open, and thru it came one of "our" rather un regarded, high school girls, blood gushing from an obvious gaping orifice in her stomach-chest area. Yet, she still had the strength/where-with-all, to scream "Help. PLEASE Help me, "HE" STABBED ME!!!"
For a split second, The office staff/nurses sort of set on their asses- "Early April Fools" perhaps?
No, now way! Not from THIS GIRL.
Completely caught off guard, and even more redundant of me, still poignant-NOTHING LIKE THIS HAS EVER HAPPENED HERE. I'm sure the WATTS School District knows precisely what to do, however, "our" office ladies, & school nurse scrambled for their phones, fumbling to dial 911.

The girl, 16 y/o, was airlifted out of our woodsy little borough with 2 knife wounds to the lower chest & intestine.
They began taking her statement on the Helicopter, where it was revealed that at 8:10, seconds after the final, your asses better be outta the hallways and in your seats," bell rang, a "Crazed Boyfriend" had, -jumped out of the bushes, announcing --"if I can't have you, -no one will...." She had also mentioned to friends, days earlier that she'd received death threats in the form of text messages on her cell.
But more-importantly-
wait? She? had a boyfriend?
Her?
Who knew?
The school, & sheriffs dept conveniently located about 1/4 mile from the school and apparently well trained for such an occasion, (Obviously -loads of time to practice) went into "LOCK DOWN" as they "Swept all three campuses" and made many statements precluding: "This was not a random act, -IT. WAS. NOT. RANDOM. "-he knew her, she knew him."

-but, "HIM" was never found.

Yeah, slightly difficult to nab a "Knife-man" when-
There. WAS. NO. KNIFE-MAN.
No- not like, "The knife man was gone,"
-but, THERE WAS NEVER A MAN WITH A KNIFE.
I know-But the blood? & The gaping hole?
Yeah.
Later after the cops arrived at the hospital, to gather further statements, the young girl, in a pain medicated state, recanted her entire story, explaining that, 'there was no, "Man."
That she had stabbed herself.
And might I just add-NOT SO SUPERFICIALLY, either. (Not like one of those fake-drunk-suicide things, 10 asprin or butter knife cuts SOME of us took a crack at in the 80's eh- hem)
Oh, and not to mention the mental instability it takes to actually execute an act like this.
Apparently distraught over "Recent events in her life" this wasn't an attempt of suicide at all-
Word on the street, is this was SOLID ATTENTION GETTING- celebrity-seeking BEHAVIOR from an under noticed teen- whose parent's both have full time jobs, and no other relatives or friends to speak of in the area. But that describes 80% of our population. Why the one girl.
--
Unless you are Athletically Gifted, or were born with Social assiduity, It has become almost impossible for young girls to get any positive regard. And in that,- yeah, you're right, not a thing has changed since, a collective- "WE" were unpopular kids in the 70's & 80's seeking some regard ourselves.
And you may argue, it's always been that way.
Not a chance. Not like this.
Now we've the Paris' and the Brittney's and the LaLoHans, showing girls other ways to promote themselves- with droves of people clamoring to give them the obloquy they seek.
But you're right Dylan. No one is going to "CLICK" on the story link re: 15 y/o boy who was hailed a hero, after saving the life of another young boy, trapped in a sinking car that had crashed into a lake. (That happened too)
Web-sponsors aren't getting behind a site like that.
We live in the age of: "If you're easily offended, click-........." well, you know.

--How many "hits" has your myspace got? How many more "Friends" do you have? and, "OMG, can you believe?-MADONNA gave me an "ADDY," SHE"S SEEN MY PAGE. "MADONNA IS MY FRIEND"
Ya, well MY kids, and I HOPE YOUR'S TOO, know good and god damn well, that "Madonna" approved NO ONE. That- "Madonna's- PEOPLE," approved her, along with 5000 other "FRIENDS" that THAT HOUR.

Like Puppies and under-socialized dogs, "ANY" attention is good attention. Stemming from, "Any publicity is GOOD publicity" Ain't exactly true. Just ask Mel Gibson!
(Oh, and in case you don't have a "Mel Gibson, connection," C'mon over to my-space, you can PM him from my page, he's in my top 8.
(Not)