Society’s Obsession with Celebrity Drama

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Celebrity drama. We love it or we hate it, there always  seems to be some new tea that everyone is talking about. Why do we spend so much of our time getting and discussing every detail? What is it about big names and big deals that draws us in? Why is society obsessed with celebrity drama?

Recently, social media has been flooded with details and memes about Adam Levine and Ned from Try Guys cheating, the Queen of England dying, and several Leonardo DiCaprio headlines (including the Harry Styles dilemma, sorry Harry stans). It is weird to think that we often tend to talk about other people's lives rather than our own, especially when it comes to celebrities. Maybe it is just to fill in dry conversation gaps, distract ourselves from what is going on in our lives, or just have a quick laugh, but there is a deeper psychological root to it. 

Dr. Frank McAndrew, a social psychologist at Knox College, discussed in an interview with ATTN that society’s focus on celeb current events goes farther back than expected. He explained that “in our ancestral world, any person about whom we knew intimate details of his or her private life was, by definition, socially important to us.”McAndrew also explains that this ranking of social importance over time was transferred to celebrities through articles, social media posts, and general interest. Essentially, the birth of social media, news outlets, and fast communication lead to our brains identifying celebrities as those with importance to us.

This attachment brings us to feel friendly or sympathetic, take sides in drama, and feel the need to learn all the gossip. Think back to the infamous Amber Heard v Johnny Depp trial, where fans of both actors fought over who was in the wrong, those who sided with Johnny Depp created global conversations about the events, and Twitter was blowing up with updates. When celebrity gossip sparks online debates and conversations, people feel a sense of connection with others. Celebrity drama creates social support, as Dr. McAndrew points out, which in turn creates “friends-in-law”, or those who only have relationships because of that interest, and that friendship is only limited to that. It almost seems to be the new small talk, a way to quickly talk and connect without getting too personal.

Members of society strive to be in the know, and celebrity drama is the easiest way to do that. Our fixation with celebrity drama is one that is far beyond interest alone, it is part of our psychology. 

Strike Out,

Writer: Bre Hailes

Editors: Marissa DeMaio & Madison Sloan

St. Augustine