On any given day, at any given place you can hear just about allthe celebrity scoop you can stand.
Ask any person what's the deal with Jennifer Lopez and BenAffleck, and they'll give you a run-down of their entirerelationship, pre-and-post engagement.
Mention the name Kobe Bryant and people will take sides quickerthan a football team at the line of scrimmage.
The question is why do many of us (average people) care?
And shouldn't celebrities be entitled to their fair share ofprivacy, eventhough they are in the public's eye?
Iain Christie, co-author of "The Law of Privacy and The Media,"said in a BBC news interactive forum, that the courts are in theprocess of reconciling the idea that celebrities have a right toprivacy against the public interest.
"The law (of privacy) applies equally to everybody of course,"Christie said. "But what it does recognize is that there is agreater interest in the private lives of public figures."
So while paparazzi gets paid to film a star's every move, why dothe majority of people (who aren't paid) talk about celebritiesconstantly?
"People probably get into famous individuals business becausethey think that the average Joe's life is boring," said JosephCook, senior biology major.
To some, everyday life pales in comparison to the glitz andglamour of Hollywood.
"It's like (you're) living vicariously through the televisionstars," junior Jason Jaxon said. "You see them on TV, so theirlives are automatically interesting."
On the other hand, if it's okay for us to wish for more excitinglives, is it okay for celebrities to wish they had more privateones?
Some students like LaToya Dansby said celebrities are doing whatthey love and because of that they're giving up a freedom mostpossessively cherish -- privacy.
"When you choose to be in the limelight, your business becomeseveryone's business," Dansby said. "That's the decision you makewhen you choose to be famous."
But what happens when our intrusion into a star's privatematters begins to affect them personally?
Such was the case, when Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jonessued the UK magazine Hello! in February for the release of intimatewedding photos that were to be published exclusively by theirrival, Okay! magazine.
There's nothing wrong with innocent fascination -- everyonelikes to be entertained -- but one should always know where to drawthe line.
Celebrities are ordinary people too. Very rich ordinary people,who deserve at least a little bit of privacy.
