Fun / Gossip

Celebrity Gossip


Who knows why we common folk are so interested in the private lives of the rich and famous? Is it because their lives seem to be so much more interesting than ours? Or is it that by knowing every intimate detail of our favorite celeb, we somehow lead such enviable lifestyles vicariously? Whatever the reason, we seem to revel in juicy gossip about the stars, even if we don't admit it. So if you just can't get enough of the Entertainment Tonight/Extra/A Current Affair-type programs, look to the Web: There are plenty of sites that will satisfy your longings for dirt.

Naturally, People Magazine, the magazine that turned celebrity gossip into a multimillion dollar enterprise, is the best place to start. Once you create your own password and user ID, you have access to most of the features in the newsstand hard copy plus some material that isn't included in the paper edition. Along with the cover article, you can peruse People Daily, which comprises half a dozen blurbs about some celebs' recent interesting goings-on. These tend to be a little more in-depth than those found at Cyber-Sleaze (see below); there just aren't as many tidbits. The Insider gives short updates to the more personal matters of those in the spotlight, such as the status of a celebrity's marriage, relationship, or disease. If you not only read the magazine while standing in line at the supermarket but buy it as well, then you're definitely going to want to visit this site on a daily basis.

Cyber-Sleaze is the best place to go if you want a daily dose of gossip about all the rich and famous, from music giants to movie stars. Hosted by former MTV VJ Adam Curry, this reliable source of celebrity dirt is updated every few days. If you want to be the first to know the latest on the current celebrity scandal, leave your e-mail address and you can have fresh gossip with your morning coffee every day. If there's a particular celeb you just can't get enough of, you can use the search utility to look up all the latest rumors about your favorite famous person. Though the articles are little more than blurbs, they do offer enough meat to leave you satisfied without demanding that you spend enough time to feel guilty about wasting useful brain cells on such tabloid trash.

Hollywood Online is best described as shameless self-promotion, but we have to admit that it's attractive. Read everything you ever wanted to know about the latest big-budget movies, from bios of the entire cast to the chronology of the shooting. You can download photos, videos, trailers, and an interactive media kit, which lets you enjoy more shameless self-promotion without the inconvenience of being on-line. Though it's not for everybody, if you watch Entertainment Tonight, you'll probably like this page.

If you prefer silicon gossip to the celluloid variety, you'll want to check out Gina Smith's home page. As the host of a nationally syndicated radio show called On Computers, Gina dishes the dirt on everyone from Microsoft to Lotus. Updated about once a month, this page puts a nice enough spin on the information to make it interesting and informative, making you feel that your finger is on the pulse of Silicon Valley even if you live in the Rocky Mountains.

The Sunday Show, a cyber-companion to the British tabloid show, posts a slew of new gossip on a weekly basis, about half American and half British.

Earfood is an alternative music e-zine that covers Urge Overkill, Smashing Pumpkins, and the like. Its gossip largely covers the most underground of bands, but some entertaining and enlightening tidbits can be found.

Mr. Showbiz covers as much of the entertainment industry as possible, such as Top 40 and movie box office receipts. You'll also find a reasonable amount of gossip here, though not nearly as much as at Cyber-Sleaze.

by Shane Mooney

ZD Internet Life Home PageTable of Contents


Copyright (c) 1995 Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Ziff-Davis Publishing Company is prohibited. Internet Life and the Internet Life logo are trademarks of Ziff-Davis Publishing Company.

web-doyenne@zdnet.com


Internet Life Vol.1 No.1 Winter 1995