As you may already know, one of Hollywood’s most beloved couples have confirmed their engagement. If that was news to you, please move out of that rock you have been living under, or at least let me fill you in. At the Golden Globes this past weekend Zendaya was seen wearing a heck of a rock on her left hand. Fans were quick to theorize that her and boyfriend, Tom Holland, were engaged. Not long after that media outlets were quick to announce that a close friend of the couple had confirmed their engagement. The internet went crazy. The people love a celebrity couple, but why is that? What’s our obsession with celebrity couples? Well, I may just be a teenage girl completely and utterly consumed by pop culture, but I have some educated guesses.
One of the main reasons I think people are so enthusiastic about celebrity couples is because they provide an escape from everyday life. Similar to the appeal of romantic comedies, (omg speaking of which I actually did a column about those…you should go read it.) celebrity couples provide a gateway into a life of glitz and glamor. Instead of thinking about how you performed poorly on a test, missed the shot at practice, or rear ended your car, you can be fully indulged in the high stakes drama and darling love of a couple you don’t even know.
On the other hand, these obsessions can get out of hand. People listen to interviews of them, read articles about them, and watch them walk red carpets. Celebrities don’t have the privilege of privacy as everyday Americans do, so people thrive on this inside look into relationships. Sometimes It actually feels like we know them, and we’re constantly looking at them. This can be quite uncomfortable for these celebrities, and they may feel immense pressure to stay or leave in certain relationships. Although people think they know everything, not every detail of these relationships are plastered online. Sometimes it may be best for a celebrity to leave the relationship, despite the negative response it may have.
Another reason is simply because celebrity couples are like sports teams, we pick our favorites and we root for them. The fan bases of certain celebrity couples are able to foster a community for themselves, much like a sporting team. Talking about the latest updates about a celebrity’s love life creates a sense of belonging if it’s through fan pages, social media groups, or conversations with friends. Fans are ready to support their teams. They cheer for their favorite couples, share for their happiness, and mourn their breakups, all while forming a collective bond. You want this couple to last, but them to break up because he was cheating. You don’t want them to divorce for the kids, but those co-stars have so much chemistry. And so on, and so forth. Just like sports, it’s a betting game that Hollywood is making bank off of exploiting.
I mean it’s hard not to be exposed to the happenings of celebrity gossip when we quite literally carry it around in our pockets. Phones are beckons of information that constantly link people with social media. If it’s available at our fingertips, why not indulge in it? Yes, we as a society may know a little too much about celebrity couples, but that’s not hurting anyone. Sometimes it’s nice to have a team to root for, it’s as simple as that.
