The problem is that that a lot of celebrity worship comes about because there are millions of people out there who will pay good money to see the films, watch the sports, buy the music and the magazines produced and about these 'shining stars'.
Paul Newman, for example, first became known as a film actor/star. People paid to go see films in which he starred and it is those ordinary people who put him, and countless others, in the high earnings bracket that they enjoy. the fact that he has put something back into the community speaks well for him but probably doesn't matter a jot to those who want to know all the details of his private life, the juicier the better.
If Britney Spears' brand of music had not been popular with the teenies do you think that we would be reading about her latest problems on the front pages of the mags in the checkout queue? How many other sad lives don't we hear about because the person involved did not catch the publics' imagination?
It is in the interest of big business to try and titillate the general population's appetite for stories about celebrities and the pervasive presence of the media in all parts of the lives of most people makes this relatively easy to do. You own life seems dull and uninteresting? Never mind, live vicariously through the life of your favourite celebrity!
It is bread and circuses, just as in ancient Rome. The difference now is that there are a vast variety of celebs, one to suit just about every taste on the planet. So choose your flavour - sports, music, films, religion or even politics. Concentrate on your own special 'love' and maybe you won't see quite as clearly what is happening out there in the big world.
I was in the UK when Diana died and was actually rather sickened by the behaviour of many of my countrymen. I thought that the Brits had more class than that! I also found it offensive, a few months back, when Britney Spears' problems were considered important enough to warrant an airing on the nationwide news. It seems that we are really getting to where triviality is king!