I have a funny story about this.

A friend and I were discussing Brad and Angelina. We had discussed it for several minutes. We discussed her issues and his issues. We discussed "Jen's issues." We discussed the effect on the children. We pretty much explored it all.

Then my friend said: "And I'm really insulted that magazines think I care about this!"

Then she smiled sheepishly: "Although it appears I have given it some thought."

I think it is partly escapist entertainment. I had to say that about people's lives, but I think it's true. I'd rather think about Brad Pitt's problems than my own. Secondly, I think there was a time, not so long ago, when it was not uncommon to find communities united in petty gossip. That's how people got bad reputations and never were able to live them down. I'm sure that still happens some, but in our more mobile society it happens less. People get a bad reputation in high school. And then they move away.

Or the people spreading the rumors move away. Or they stay right in town, but hang with different crowds.

We don't even know our neighbors names anymore. How could we gossip about them? But people have a need to share gossipy thoughts. In a way, I think, it's an effort to find otheres like us. How do you know if you're the same kind of person -- if you both disapprove of the same sort of thing. We can't do that about our neighbors anymore. (And thank goodness.) But we can about Brad and Angelina.

That's my two cents.