AFP:
Former US vice president Al Gore on Friday criticized the “trivialities and nonsense” of celebrity gossip in the media and called on people to focus instead on issues like Iraq and climate change.
Gore, who is promoting his new book “The Assault on Reason,” made the comments at a book signing in New York, where he was treated to a rock star reception by more than 1,300 cheering and screaming fans.
“What is it about our collective decision-making process that has led us to this state of affairs where we spend much more time in the public forum talking about — or receiving information about — Britney Spears shaving her head or Paris Hilton going to jail?” Gore asked.
He lamented what he described as the “destruction of the boundary between news and entertainment” and said the United States was “vulnerable as a democracy to mass and continuing distraction.”
Al Gore has no problem, however, with celebrities using their muscle — muscle gained because of America’s diefication of celebrities — to promote causes he holds near and dear. And it’s not just Paris and Britney that Al cites, but Chandra Levy as well. I’m sorry. When an intern to a Congressman is found murdered, I think the public has a right to spend just a little bit of time on the story, especially since the Levy’s are still looking for the killer
But Al Gore really is an expert on this, since he owns a TV station and all. Check out what Al thinks we should be watching.