I don't understand the concept either, exactly. I was a Beatlemaniac when I was 10-11 years old, and beyond that, I can't recall any sort of hero worship or rock star idolatry I ever engaged in, once I passed puberty and became able to evaluate the music of Beatles as music by musicians, and not my idols. I'm not a religious believer, but a secularist. So I can't say as I can relate there either.

I was "over there" when Princess Di went into the wall, and was--as they say that side of the pond--absolutely gobsmacked at the reaction.

I do think much of the Obama stuff is political celebrity worship. Then, when I read yesterday morning that Kennedy had gone into the hospital, I had flash backs of when John John went into the drink, and THAT looked just the same as the Princess Di shit.

Do you see the pattern I'm getting at here? There are politician/political celebrities involved in the Princess Di, the Kennedys, the Clintons, the Obamas (especially now that I am hearing Michelle Obama being declared the new Jackie O).

That's the thing I'm so baffled by here.

American Idol, yeah whatever. Same with boy bands, and all that sort of teen fandom stuff. Star Trek, a bit more disturbing still. Anna Nicole Smith and Brittany Spears, misogynist and REALLY disturbing.

But the political thing is really a throw back to what Milton was talking about...so it feels a bit more ancient, this political idolatry thing.