Dumb Celebs Parade

Why Stupidity Sells

By
Relationship Advice Expert April Masini

Q: Dear April Masini,

As a third grade teacher and a woman, I worry about the role models my female students have. Through no fault of their own, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and Jessica Simpson are paraded in front of these girls as women they are supposed to look up to, because they associate the attention they're getting with success. Who is responsible for their popularity, and why, in a society that appears to value intelligent women, are they getting so much attention?

Signed,

Disturbed Teacher 

A:

Dear Disturbed Teacher,

Stupid is the new black. Don’t believe me? Ask Paris Hilton. Actually — don’t ask her. She’s not really bright enough to answer. But who cares? She’s everywhere; she’s popular; and she’s what so many people want or want to be like now.

Why is she so popular?

Well … that’s because people love to feel superior, and Paris Hilton makes people feel superior. That’s why they can’t get enough of her. Audiences loved it when she thought that Wal-mart was a store that sold walls.

Same goes for Jessica Simpson — when she was popular. She was loved because she didn’t know if Chicken Of The Sea was a fish or a chicken. Her husband loved it about her, and so did the audience.

Stupidity Sells?

Dumb shows do much better than smart shows because people love to see characters dumber than themselves.

Same goes for lazy and smarmy. Smarmy characters are never really happy characters — like George on Seinfeld. The reason is that they’re only successful characters if the audience feels superior. George’s smarmy-ness is only acceptable because he is usually angry or frustrated. He never wins. That’s how his smarmy-ness becomes acceptable.

Lazy people also make audiences feel superior. No matter how little you get done in a day, if you see someone who’s done less than you, you can say to yourself, “At least I’m better than him,” and feel good about yourself — and the lazy guy.

Television has just capitalized on this human dynamic.

April Masini -- nicknamed "the new millennium's Dear Abby" by the media, is author of the best-selling books Date Out Of Your League and Think & Date Like A Man, the two (just released) step-by-step dating and relationship manuals, Ideas for a Fun Date and Romantic Date Ideas, and the critically acclaimed dating and relationship online magazine www.AskApril.com.

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