Is Gossip News?

The Today show dedicated half-an-hour to the rift between Star Jones and Barbara Walters Friday. If you don't know or don't care who these people are then you shouldn't. Normally I watch the Today show because they do very informative segments on everything relevant to my life, or anyone else's. It is one of the very few programs on TV that isn't mindless and uninteresting. But here they were spending a incredible amount of time interviewing the fired former host of the ABC program, The View.

In New York we are used to two newspapers that regularly have gossip on the front page. But it seems that gossip has become mainstream. What was once found exclusively in the National Enquirer or Star magazine are now typical part of the "respectable" press. Paris Hilton, who's only talent is getting her picture taken by the paparazzi in New York, has became a major celebrity. For days the sex life of a not-so-famous football player was front page in New York. Allegations of his homosexual predilections made by his divorcing wife were allowed to be reported. It didn't matter that these were charges made by a spiteful former wife. All that counts is that they are scandalous tabloid-like headlines.

It is just like the allegations made about those Duke Lacrosse players. They were convicted in the press. Now its turning out that they are probably not guilty of raping that stripper. I'm sure you've heard that one. It is a nightly part of the 24-hour news channels; along with the missing white female stories.

Is it any wonder why America is going down the toilet. We've got our heads in it.