November 28, 2007 Archives

The phrase "cult of celebrity" didn't come out of nowhere. It's not uncommon for people to worship celebrities they way they worship deities. One such celebrity is megastar actor Harrison Ford, who has starred in films like "American Graffiti," "Air Force One," and the "Indiana Jones" trilogy.

But it's Ford's most iconic role, Han Solo in the first three "Star Wars" movies, that has him at the center of a celeb-worship story. "Star Wars" devotees who claim to practice Jedi-ism (based on, and named for, the group at the heart of the films' mythology) consider Ford their real-life leader.

Ah, the holidays, time for family feasts, parties, and rock-radio countdowns of the greatest songs of all time. At Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's, classic-rock stations traditionally turn to these listener-driven stunts (“You picked 'em, we’re playing ‘em") to salvage some ratings oomph while their audience is distracted by football and family lore. More traditionally yet, “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin always, always, takes the top spot.

The song has little to do with religious visions of paradise, even if the lyrics’ author, Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant, says the song’s opening lines came to him in an almost supernatural fashion. Suddenly, he has said, "my hand was writing out the words, 'There's a lady who's sure, all that glitters is gold, and she's buying a stairway to heaven'. I just sat there and looked at them and almost leapt out of my seat." Plant explains was that the phrase itself "was some cynical aside about a woman getting everything she wanted all the time without giving back.”

While adults on TV seem to be romancing each other with nary a kiss, high schoolers on the other hand, are hopping into bed left and right on the CW's new smash hit "Gossip Girl." Oh, and doing burlesque night club strip teases. And having sex in limos. And having more in the back room on bar stools. All while wearing fabulous, couture designer clothing!

When these kids aren't having sex? They're drinking champagne and ordering designer cocktails at New York City's fanciest bars and hotels. And their parents are snorting cocaine.

Chastity may be the new cool among adult television series, but it certainly isn't among those series catering to teens. "Gossip Girl's" message seems to be the following: the quicker and the more often you can take it all off for the boys, the more popular you'll become! Who needs romance when you can simply have unfullfilling sex with dark-haired rich boys you hardly know? Who needs morals anyway? Morals are so passe! Why save yourself for something special when you've already got all that life has to offer: money, money, clothes, and more money!

There has been speculation in the last year or two that Will Smith and his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith, have become involved with Scientology via his friendship with Tom Cruise. Smith denied those rumors last year, saying that his deceased grandmother, a devout Baptist, would "get up out of her casket" if he became a Scientologist. But now those questions have resurfaced with Smith’s latest interview with Men’s Vogue . In the interview, Smith claims that he sees little difference between the Bible and Scientology, or in fact, little difference between Scientology and any other religion.