Personally, I think this is not something that should be plastered all over the news. I should have to look somewhat hard to find this, but for some reason its front page news.

I think today's society is hooked on hollywood like a drug or something, mainly because the news (and mucis) reflects society in allot of ways. News companies KNOW they need something to get people to watch and I guess TomKat is something to get people to hear about the latest in the Iraq war, resent crimes in the area and lost children. Otherwise who would watch the news or pick up a paper?

Or is this all a dream made up by newscasters who think they will loose their audience if they don't talk about hollywood stuff?

I guess I'm gonna find out shortly since I am opening up an entertainment website (I call it edutainment because I am going to make sure that there is a educational element in what I do).

Oh wait....I just realised.....cool....thx to the 'feature gods'!

Congratulations!

I think today's society is hooked on hollywood like a drug or something, mainly because the news (and mucis) reflects society in allot of ways. News companies KNOW they need something to get people to watch and I guess TomKat is something to get people to hear about the latest in the Iraq war, resent crimes in the area and lost children. Otherwise who would watch the news or pick up a paper?

Yes, you're probably right. Then they wouldn't do it if we didn't eat up so much. I look at it as people just using it as excapism. Our real lives are not like theirs, so we like looking at how they live.

guess I'm gonna find out shortly since I am opening up an entertainment website (I call it edutainment because I am going to make sure that there is a educational element in what I do).

So it's not lost on you too eh?! Good luck!

Congratulations!

Thanks Doc!

I didn't even know he had a contract with Paramount. I didn't think any actor did. I know like in 30s, 40s and 50s, actors were tied to whatever studio they had contracts to, and if they wanted to make a movie with another studio they were "loaned" to the studio for maybe an actor the first studio wanted.

I think Paramount got rid of Tom Cruise only because his fee is too high, and the movies he's in cost a lot to make. They weren't getting a big enough return on their investment. It doesn't matter how crazy Tom is. He could jump like an idiot on all the couches he wanted, get in a million arguments with every morning hosts, and the studio wouldn't care as long as they were getting more money than they projected.

I agree with your article. No way should it have received the coverage it got. But the sad truth is people love these stories. If no one did TV News, papers and tabloids wouldn't cover it as much as they do. San Chonino said it best, Everyone should get a grip.

But the sad truth is people love these stories. If no one did TV News, papers and tabloids wouldn't cover it as much as they do. San Chonino said it best, Everyone should get a grip.

Exactly!

Or perhaps Cruise upped his asking price too much and they simply decided he wasn't worth the pesos.

No one's worth the pesos that movie stars get paid . . . well, maybe I could be.

they really should blame the fact that this time MI 3 wasn't that hot. [so says the woman who as yet to see it!lol! but that doesn't matter, I'm going to love it anyway, just because I like the whole MI series!]

It's actually my favorite of the series, Serenity . . . I really, really liked it. If you liked the other two, you'll find this one quite enjoyable, methinks.

It's actually my favorite of the series, Serenity . . . I really, really liked it. If you liked the other two, you'll find this one quite enjoyable, methinks.

I did and that's good to know!

I have never understood people's fascination with celebrities and what they do in their personal lives. If an actor makes movies I enjoy, great. I really couldn't care less what they do the rest of the time. I think these people have far too much time on their hands.

I really couldn't care less what they do the rest of the time.

If only everybody think this way! Celebrities would be in trouble!!

Celebrities would be in trouble

so would a fat majority of daytime programming . . . what would local TV have to air (or stations like E! for that matter) if we stopped caring about Hollywood? No more Extra - Rumor Control? No more Access Hollywood? That would only transfer into more Dr. Phil-esque talk shows . . . not sure which is worse here, the kettle or the fire.

Here is my take on the role of celebrity in our society:

The one of the fastest ways to bond with someone is to gossip about a third person. Sad, but there you are. It used to be that you lived in a small town and picked a victim and gossiped about that person and it was easy because everyone knew everyone else's business. Now that we live in a bigger world, we don't know our neighbors so well. Or we meet a stranger. What now becomes the common denominator to gossip about? Celebrities.

In fact, one could see celebrities as perfoming a public service. By having the gossip focus of attention centred on them, they are taking away the gossip-spotlight from you! Don't you feel so much safer now that the gossips are digging into a celebrity's life rather than focusing all attention on the neighbor's dirty laundry?

While channel surfing Sunday night I turned it to one of those red carpet shows live from the Emmys. I can't remember the guy's name, I think it's Billy Bush, well he was interviewing Jeremy Piven, who plays the agent Ari Gold from the HBO show Entourage. The first question I seen him ask was, "You live in Malibu near Tom Cruise. Have you seen Baby Suri?" Then after he dismissed the question he was asked, "You play an agent. How would your character Ari Gold have handled Tom Cruise getting fired from Paramount, if he was his agent?"

I started laughing, and looked at Rose and said, "I can't believe all the dumbass questions".

Good thing Mariska Hargitay from Law & Order:SVU wasn't asked questions from Billy Bush. I can see them now. "You play a cop on your show, would you have arrested Mel Gibson for drunk driving?" then his next question would've been, "Your character is part of the special victims unit, how do you feel about John Mark Karr?"

Good thing Mariska Hargitay from Law & Order:SVU wasn't asked questions from Billy Bush. I can see them now. "You play a cop on your show, would you have arrested Mel Gibson for drunk driving?" then his next question would've been, "Your character is part of the special victims unit, how do you feel about John Mark Karr?"

You get an insightful from me, uDigIt. Loved it.

The one of the fastest ways to bond with someone is to gossip about a third person. Sad, but there you are. It used to be that you lived in a small town and picked a victim and gossiped about that person and it was easy because everyone knew everyone else's business. Now that we live in a bigger world, we don't know our neighbors so well. Or we meet a stranger. What now becomes the common denominator to gossip about? Celebrities.In fact, one could see celebrities as perfoming a public service. By having the gossip focus of attention centred on them, they are taking away the gossip-spotlight from you! Don't you feel so much safer now that the gossips are digging into a celebrity's life rather than focusing all attention on the neighbor's dirty laundry?

You know Momijiki, that's an interesting way of looking at it!

Good thing Mariska Hargitay from Law & Order:SVU wasn't asked questions from Billy Bush. I can see them now. "You play a cop on your show, would you have arrested Mel Gibson for drunk driving?" then his next question would've been, "Your character is part of the special victims unit, how do you feel about John Mark Karr?"

hahaha...good one!

I really couldn't care less what they do the rest of the time. I think these people have far too much time on their hands.

But an executive of a movie studio might care if the actor's actions are costing them revenue.

I still think there was a LOT more behind the scenes on this than we'll ever know. And I can't rule out the "South Park" feud possibly being part of it (rumor had it that Cruise threatened not to promote MI:III unless Comedy Central banned the "offensive" SP cartoons).