In the aftermath of The Oscars and recent articles about less-than deserving celebrities by Art (Art Hates You…and Undeservedly Famous People, Too & AHY – Celebrity Sex Tapes) and with the impending doom of a new season of reality shows, I think the issue of celebrity must be addressed.

Celebrity obsession is a fairly common affliction. Well, obsession may be too strong of a word. But most people have a favorite actor, musician or sports figure to whom they aim to emulate or dream of being romantically involved with. At the very least, most people will read stories in magazines about "who’s dating whom", getting married, divorced or having a baby.

What is so fascinating about celebrities? We imagine that they live glamorous, exciting lives and wish we did, too.

People can get famous just for being on TV now. How many reality show “stars” can you name? What exactly are they famous for? People will do just about anything for those proverbial 15 minutes. Don’t believe me? Just watch Fear Factor.

Celebrities may be beautiful and arguably talented. But are they so much better than the rest of us?

It can take a lot of hard work to be famous. Most people do not become famous overnight. Many actors start out taking whatever work they can. Benicio Del Toro’s first major film role was as Duke the Dog-Faced Boy in Big Top Pee Wee. Many musicians play in bars before they play in stadiums to sold-out crowds. Sports figures work their way up from high school and through college. To be able to stay on top is also a challenge.

We can derive great pleasure from entertainment. Movies, TV, theater, concerts and sporting events are a great way to escape and bond with family and friends. They can contribute to our happiness. They can move us.

Movies, music, sports, etc…are a necessary part of almost every culture. They are a basic means of self-expression and communication.

But what about professions such as teachers, fire fighters, doctors, veterinarians, forensic psychologists, detectives, lawyers and scientists? Obtaining and surviving these jobs is no easy feat. Most require years of schooling and the jobs themselves are often very stressful.

And where would we be without these people? Dumb, burnt, sick and lacking in justice, that’s where. Are these things not as important as entertainment? If so, then why the lack of recognition in these professions?

At least once a month, there is an award show for actors, musicians or sports figures. There are the Grammys, the Emmys, the Oscars, the Tonys and the ESPYs. There’s the Kids’ Choice Awards, MTV Movie Awards, MTV Music Awards and whatever awards show VH1 has at the moment.

Have you ever seen an award show for teachers? What about one for doctors who have made advances in treating disease? Or one for a detective who has solved a difficult criminal investigation?

There may be recognition for such things in the realm of said professions. But only those professionals’ peers would be in attendance, and they certainly aren’t televised. No one has a Teachers Awards party.

But shouldn’t we? A society who cares only about the pretty and amusing cannot be that great of a society. What exactly has a celebrity done to be so highly praised?

I think celebrity obsession is like an addiction. It can be any addiction – drugs, alcohol, food, cigarettes, sex – whatever. It makes you feel good but it may not necessarily be good for you. But because it makes you feel good, you think that it is good. But it’s not really as great as you think it is. You only think it’s great because it made you feel good.

So the next time you tune into Entertainment Tonight to get the latest celebrity gossip, switch over to The Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel, Animal Planet or even Court TV. Better yet, turn off the TV altogether and read a book or a magazine. At the very least, watch The Soup – at least they’re poking fun at the phenomenon of celebrity.

We don’t need to dismiss celebrity completely. Many entertainers do make great philanthropic contributions. Great movies can result in social change, such as Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner and The Burning Bed, which brought about racial awareness and awareness about domestic violence, respectively. The Red Sox winning The World Series brought people together. Woodstock – need I say more?

However, shows that only serve to glorify the spectacle of celebrity could be very damaging. Should someone really be celebrated for making an ass out of his or her self? If we were content to be amused and nothing more, where would that leave us?

America is in grave danger of becoming consumed by our need to entertain ourselves. Let us not forget other important pursuits. If we do, our nation will just be one giant clown car.

[Editor's Note] Hey... get off the couch, turn off the tube, and let us know what YOU think on the Messageboard