Hmm.. So Britney Spears won Video of the Year last night at the 25th VMAs on MTV. Even though she has been nominated 16 times prior, she has never won in the past. This led me to believe, waking up this morning, that the video she won for, Piece of Me, must be pretty good.

Check it out here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4NayXtzsBo

Hmm.. It’s, you know, fine. I like the message of the song but Video of the Year? Britney video wise, I’d prefer some Oops I Did it Again or if you want a similar video message, I’d prefer Everytime. Actually now that I look back on it, she has a lot of videos that I like better (but are all still kinda mediocre).

But I digress, Video of the Year? Did they see Bjork’s Wanderlust video?

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Sarah Palin is the politics we, the US of A, deserve.  Now by we I don’t necessarily mean you - and I hope I don’t mean myself.  But for the society as a whole, one that takes more notice of a political advertisement featuring Britney Spears and Paris Hilton than any substantive policy stance of the Presidential candidates, the soap opera that is the Sarah Palin pick for GOP Veep nominee is the inevitable destination for an electorate and news media swayed more by personality and narrative than facts.

“This campaign is not about issues,” said Rick Davis, John McCain’s campaign manager, during the recent Republican National Convention in a statement that has been widely mocked by Democrats, including Barack Obama.  Mr. Davis doesn’t really have much choice, for if the campaign revolved around issues, and nothing but issues, his candidate would undoubtedly be down at least 20 points in the polls.  But here we sit, with two short months until the election (though, admittedly, in the midst of an RNC post convention bounce) with the candidates virtually tied in the polls.  Obviously, despite the Democrat’s protestations, much more than issues are at play, and the party that is better able to manage and control those factors in the mass attention span of the public will claim victory come November.

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A Fresh Pack of Gum Blondes is a new exhibition from artist Jason Kronenwald featuring portraits of world famous blondes constructed entirely from chewing gum. Kronenwald, a native of Ontario who resides in Toronto, has been working with gum as an artistic medium since 1996 and has honed his craft to the point where his images come near photorealism in their likeness of his subjects. This show is his second for LE Gallery in Toronto.

All of the portraits are made of 100% chewing gum affixed onto a plywood backing. No paints or dyes are added to gum with all colors and tones coming from the chewed gum itself. Kronenwald smooths the chewed gum onto the backing creating the lifelike skintones and hair colors of his star subjects. The artist uses an enormous variety of gum brands and flavors for his palette, however he prefers not to chew the gum himself unless he has to, having a team of chewers he works with regularly to prepare the medium for him. Once the portrait has been completed in gum, Kronenwald seals it with epoxy resin to preserve it. Subjects cover a cross section of blonde women ranging from the likes of the tabloid trinity of Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan to respected politicians like Hillary Clinton (seen after the jump).

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I really recommend heading over to the Huffington Post to read John Farr’s piece about his disappointment in the media’s preoccupation with celebrity in light of the death of two American movie greats, Richard Widmark and Jules Dassin. Farr writes:

Just this once, I’m going to bite (more like nip) the hand that publishes me, or more accurately, the fingers of those who contribute its content.

I was scanning the Huffington Entertainment page several days ago, looking for some interesting perspective on the life and work of actor Richard Widmark, who died last week at age 93. I saw an article on why Kate Hudson shouldn’t wear wigs. I spied about three tedious looking pieces on Britney Spears (with one titled “I’m Britney’s Neighbor, Bitch!“) and a couple on Brad and Angelina’s purported marriage.

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The TakePart Top 10 Weekly Roundup is a compilation of the week’s most notable stories from our entertainment-meets-social-action blogging network. We brought you some excellent top 10 lists this week on art, technology, director Errol Morris, and naughty celebs who should rethink their eco-lifestyles. Don’t forget to catch up with some of our other most popular articles of the week, as well as a few TakePart blogger favorites.

Katie:

Bush’s War: PBS Frontline Brings the War to a Computer Near You

Inverted Areola, Asymmetrical Breasts, & the Miss Bimbo Game

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Nicole:

Where the Wild Things Are: Top 10 Art Blogs

Dark Water: Artist Explores Consequences of Three Gorges Dam Project

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Giulia:

A Pregnant Man?

Is the Lebron / Gisele Vogue Cover Racist?

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Gina:

Top 10 Technology Blogs

Errol Morris’ Top 10 Films

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Kerry:

Top 10 Celebrities Who Need a New Cause

Dead Bats Flying: Mysterious Fatal Illness Alarms Scientists

America suffers from a collective case of do-gooder deafness: we have a hard time hearing a message when it’s delivered by a dorky academic or an unattractive activist. We’re all ears, though, when celebrities speak out about their pet causes, or their pets, or whatever. So, in acknowledgement of the fact that I, as a mere blogger, can only hope to influence so many people, I’d like to enlist the aid of some of our most oogled and Googled celebrities to help America combat climate change and overconsumption:

1. Britney Spears: Britney’s evidently on the road to recovery after some much needed r “˜n’ r. Here are three more “r’s” I’d love to see Britney promote: reduce, reuse and recycle. Our landfills are overflowing with post-consumer crap and the oceans are clogged up with plastic; what better time for Britney to redefine white trash! Recommended reading/viewing: Garbage Land by Elizabeth Royte; The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard.

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I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream””including Britney Spears, apparently. Who wouldn’t want to scarf down a pint of Ben & Jerry’s after having your private hell turned into a media circus? But with her every move scrutinized, meltdown-mode Britney can’t even self-medicate and chill out with a scoop of Chunky Monkey in the psych ward without getting picked on by PETA, whose founder, Ingrid Newkirk, felt compelled to send a “friendly” letter to Britney’s parents:

Dear James and Lynne: On behalf of everyone at PETA, please accept our best wishes for Britney, and I hope you’ll allow me to share some information that could be helpful to you in your admirable efforts to look after her mental and emotional health. The media have speculated that Britney might be suffering from schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. I certainly realize that the media’s reports might have no basis in fact, but I’d rather send this information than not””just in case it could help.

We also have heard that Britney asked for ice cream while she was in the hospital. There could, in fact, be a connection between her diet and her mental-health problems. Numerous reports indicate that in bipolar patients who have hidden dairy sensitivities (a fairly common condition), the disorder can worsen if the patient consumes dairy products.

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The latest VH1 reality creation, Celebrity Rehab follows a group of celebs living together at an addiction counseling center and being treated by Dr. Drew Pinsky (best known from Love Line).

Is public addiction treatment a good idea? Dr. Drew Pinsky certainly believes so

Dr. Drew has also said

the media has a moral responsibility to start reporting on celebrity drug abuse in the wake of the shocking drug-related death of actor Heath Ledger and the drug-addled travails of pop star Britney Spears.We have a saying in the addiction field: `You’re as sick as your secrets’.Secrets keep addicts ill and cost lives. Families that have addicted members learn to operate with secrecy. And Hollywood is operating, and the media with them, like a sick family. If this secrecy hadn’t been maintained, Heath Ledger could be alive today.”

While keeping addiction secrets is indeed harmful, is exposing them in on-air group therapy the best way to curing these addicts?

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Well I guess it’s good that at least one person in the media is acknowledging the damage done in discussing Britney Spears.

Sorta - The AP reports that television’s “Dr. Phil” McGraw says he regrets talking about Britney Spears’ mental health after visiting her in the hospital, but didn’t violate the family’s trust.

“I regret making the statement. It didn’t help. It didn’t work,” the syndicated TV psychologist said Wednesday on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

McGraw said he visited the pop singer as a family friend, and rejected critics who accused him of practicing psychology without a license.

The Spears family has accused McGraw of betraying their trust by making an “inappropriate” public statement about the singer’s hospitalization.

McGraw had told celebrity news TV shows that Spears was in “dire” need of medical and psychological help.

Now is Dr. Phil is saying such to defend Britney or to now defend himself?

Lesson learned everyone, let’s mind our own business.

For more on the media ethics in psychology and to sign up for the National Alliance on Mental Illness Stigmabusters alerts visit www.nami.org

I don’t know if posting the following is helping or adding to the problem, but the video posted here: http://blog.vh1.com/2008-01-30/just-another-brit-lost-in-her-mercedes/
made me want to cry.

It’s of Britney Spears being attacked by, you guessed it, paparazzi as they try and “help” her drive home. In a strange British accent Britney repeatedly says “I am scared.” Yet the camera’s keep rolling and the photogs keep snapping shots of the girl they have all helped destroy.

You’d think by now there would be better laws against this sort of personal invasion, however for celebrities there are loop holes in these laws. This loophole comes into the picture if you are legally defined as a public figure. Celebrities, public officials and private citizens involved in newsworthy incidences are all legally defined as public figures. Public figures actually have far fewer rights to privacy than an “ordinary person.”

For more on how the paparazzi works and about your privacy rights visit http://people.howstuffworks.com/paparazzi.htm