Celebrity is accomplishment.  Yes, notoriety seems to have been equated with ability.

Popularity is now par with wisdom.  This is the world we live in, or at least it is the world created, arranged and delivered to us via the media. Does this explain the current Presidency?

There certainly is a symbiotic relationship between entertainment and news presentation.  Hollywood embraces Washington and vice versa.  Major networks seem to blur the lines of entertainment and news presentation.  In fairness, news presentation can be entertaining. Maybe it should be entertaining. But we should keep in mind that entertainment is not news. Subliminally woven into the productions are the notions that entertainers/celebrities are resultantly intelligent, able, knowledgeable, capable or astute.

Who really cares what Matt Damon, Daryl Hanna, and George Clooney think?  I suspect that those who actually do care, also can't answer the question, "What country is just north of South Korea.?"

There has been no greater demonstration of the anointing of celebrity with awards of accomplishment than the Nobel Peace Prize to Barack Obama.  His accomplishment list was essentially empty at that point, merely campaigning and speech delivery. Yet his persona and convention speech created this image of perceived substantive success.  Perhaps he should have received the Nobel Prize for "promising progressive accomplishments".

The Kardashians and their mysterious popularity and wealth seem rooted in nothingness.

Vapid conversations about social dysfunction provide mental chewing gum for the glassy eyed masses.  Have we gone from church services for "shut ins" to stupid conversational discourse for "shut ins"? Sex tapes are now a credit to ones reputation rather than a career ending event. When did we jump that shark?

And now the literati and enlightened at Harvard summons Oprah Winfrey to deliver the commencement speech.  Was Jerry Springer busy? 

Oprah is certainly astute, wealthy, successful, engaging, and popular.  What does she have to do with higher learning?  Is there a marquee at Harvard on which they search for the biggest name?  Will this be just like a TV show special event? Should not the speaker of the commencement be more in the vein of a serious nature rather than in depth interviewing and show biz?

Imagery has replaced measured accomplishment.  Our President's unwillingness to compromise or forge workable legislation is glaring.  Perhaps he simply does not possess the ability.   A constant meter to his speech delivery may have been the beginning of his talents (Democrat Convention) and the end. It is human nature to engage in the things in which you have a talent.  This explains Obama's penchant to speak to Universities and Unions, and fly around the country.  It also explains why he shies from deal making, issue debating and compromise.  Cliché bound and platitude laden oratory grows old.  Leadership and ability metrics now come to focus.  Obama's celebrity wanes and what remains seems lacking.

Hopefully no greater hills to climb than these domestic political tasks for our President.  He stumbles here, and one wonders what leadership and tough decision making would ensue in the event of a national emergency.

The Dennis Rodman to North Korea story sadly became a side bar in celebrity politics.  Certainly, when George Stephanopoulos interviewed the "worm" on his diplomatic mission, the celebrity as news absurdity reached a new high.  Great rebounder, bad wedding gown model.  Can it end there? Please?

Bruce Johnson