Remember Celebrities aren't news

Britney, Christina, Lindsay, Amanda — we should have seen it coming.

Hollywood has become notorious for taking young stars and screwing them up left and right, usually resulting in a really interesting haircut or a mug shot or two.

So when it comes to the recent situation with Justin Bieber, it was less than shocking to learn of his arrest and various run-ins with the law.

What was surprising, however, was that an MSNBC interview with U.S. Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., was cut off to announce the so-called “breaking news” of Bieber’s arrest.

I understand he’s idolized by some in our culture for whatever reason, but this is taking it a step too far.

A member of Congress was speaking on national television about issues that are of high importance to many people.

And it was cut off to announce that a spoiled brat celebrity once again did something stupid.

I understand the National Security Agency is a touchy subject, but I think most people would collectively agree that it’s a more prominent piece of news than how many times Bieber dropped the f-bomb when interacting with police.

MSNBC is not solely to blame for its coverage, either.

CNN went as far as to construct a CGI animation to illustrate how Bieber’s drag race could have played out.

As a prospective journalist, seeing such intense media coverage about a baby-faced slime ball is extremely disappointing.

And as an everyday person, I’m just tired of news coverage being so painfully misdirected.

In total, CNN has devoted 103 minutes to their “Bieber Busted” story, Fox News devoted 57 minutes and MSNBC 46 minutes.

The fact that Bieber’s arrest was more than a blurb before signing off the 11 o’clock news is embarrassing.

So as this news coverage continues, as we all know it will, my disappointment will inevitably continue.

Actual news stories such as safety at the Olympic games, President Obama’s State of the Union address, breakthroughs in stem cell research and, heck, even the Royal Caribbean cruise from hell will be either shortened or left out to make way for discussion of what Bieber will wear to court or what Selena Gomez has to say about the situation.    

I think we all expected this out of People Magazine or TMZ, but not actual news sources.

­— cnmcelwa@indiana.edu
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Claire McElwain
on Twitter @clairemc_IDS.