Why do political parties want to sign up celebrities? We may live in a world that obsessively follows the every thought and move of “celebrities”, the very-slightly-famous and the almost-famous-for-some-reason – but that’s no excuse for politicians to try and get in on the act.
The political parties should look back to the “Cool Britannia” era. Nothing made Blair look worse than his sucking-up to various celebrities, including those of dubious moral standing. Nothing damaged his credibility as a serious politican more than being seen entertaining celebrities and the close association …

Even though it is nothing new, there are few things that annoy me more than politicians talking about celebrities and their issues. The latest example of this is Harriet Harman commentthat

it’s absolutely shocking that Arlene Phillips is not going to be a judge on Strictly Come Dancing.

Which she then tries to justify by following it up with:

And as equality minister, I am suspicious that there is age discrimination there.
So I’d like to take the opportunity of asking the BBC – it is not too late, we want Arlene Phillips in …

The modern symptom of the death of “celebrities” can be shown perfectly by this news story:

Michael Jackson has topped the UK album chart and made six new entries in the singles top 40, six years after his last number one.
Greatest hits album Number Ones rocketed from 121 to the top spot after a surge in sales since the superstar’s death on Thursday…
Four of his other hit albums also made a reappearance in the top 20, the Official Charts Company said…
Jackson’s albums have dominated sales at music retailers and download sites …

He’s quit the Lib Dem front bench in order to fight to become Lib Dem President.
But Lembit Opik simply isn’t a serious politician.
He has had to deny that he is to go in to the Big Brother house, following George Galloway’s lead, claiming that it is
absolute nonsense. There is no truth in it whatsoever.
Yet considering the “celebrity” shows he has been on – The All Star Talent Show, All-Star Mr and Mrs and Celebrity Weakest Link – then one would hardly be surprised were he to take part in the …

Yet again, the ‘celebrity drug culture’ is in the news.
Jurors should be allowed to decide if celebrities caught on camera snorting white powder were taking illegal drugs, the Met police commissioner, Sir Ian Blair, claims.
Blair referred to a recent case when Kate Moss was pictured in a newspaper snorting lines of white powder but no charges were brought. Jurors should be allowed to decide if suspects were taking illegal substances, he told the London Evening Standard. (Guardian)
It’s a story that’s frequently in the papers. Moss, Doherty, Winehouse… the ‘drug taking’ …

From A-list actors driving hybrid cars to red carpets made from recycled plastic bottles, Hollywood is doing its utmost to flaunt its green credentials.But the entertainment industry remains one of the biggest polluters in southern California, campaigners say, with many of its eco-friendly gestures simply showy stunts that make little difference.Producing films and television programmes remains an incredibly energy intensive business, requiring massive amounts of power to operate vast lighting rigs, run air conditioning systems and cameras, and feed huge casts and crews around the clock.Then there is the disposable …