THE ATTRACTION TO CELEBRITIES - WHETHER ALIVE...OR DEAD

Commentary by Gary B. Duglin

Some of you may have thought that nearly two weeks of indepth media coverage of Michael Jackson's untimely death was way overdone. I would agree that the broadcast and cable networks; along with such entertainment news shows as Access Hollywood, Extra, Entertainment Tonight and others devoted a bit too much time to the "King of Pop's" passing. However, Hollywood does know how to throw a funeral. The July 7th, 2009 memorial tribute to Michael Jackson was a spectacular event; one that "The Gloved One" would have loved.

According to Nielsen Media Research, approximately 31.1 million people in the United States watched the salute to Michael Jackson on television; with millions more catching video streams on their computers. In comparison to other monumental ceremonies, President Barack Obama's inauguration in January 2009 was seen by 38 million people on American TV; and twelve years ago, 33.2 million people in the United States watched Princess Diana's funeral.

CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, CNN, MTV and twelve other networks carried the Michael Jackson memorial live; a total of eighteen television operations nationwide. Nielsen says the combined audience share was 56, which translates in to 56 percent of the televisions that were turned on during the Hollywood happening were tuned in to the Jackson tribute.

The global audience is not immediately known, but there are preliminary reports of possibly one billion people. More than two-and-one-half-billion people witnessed Princess Diana's funeral on television sets around the world in 1997.

Just in case anyone's interested, the opening ceremony of last year's Beijing Olympics drew 34.2 million television viewers in the United States alone, while the 2009 season finale of American Idol, which aired in May, had 28.9 million spectators in the U.S.A. Former President Ronald Reagan's daytime funeral in 2004 was seen by only 20.8 million TV observers. But, his primetime burial attracted an audience of 35.1 million people.

As for the performances of iconic entertainers, 60 million Americans in 1956 were titillated by Elvis Presley's first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. Eight years later, in 1964, 73.3 million Americans were mesmerized when we watched The Beatles for the first time on Ed's "really big show."

So Americans -
and Earthlings elsewhere -
have an insatiable appetite for celebrities. With a country - and a planet - with astronomical problems...there is a bizarre obsession with the rich and famous. Perhaps by watching and reading about the world's most celebrated citizens - allows us mere mortals...to escape the devastation of wars...the demolition of our economy...the horror of unspeakable crimes...and the arduous times - of life in the 21st century - for even a few minutes. If the magic of celebrities...is what it takes...to get us through the day...then what's wrong with that?

Copyright 2009 Gary B. Duglin. All Rights Reserved