Though I am not naturally honest, I am so sometimes by chance. — The Winter's Tale, Act IV, sc. iii

That doesn’t seem to be the case with certain Headline Hogging Hos of late. Andy Warhol’s “15 minutes of fame” quote is, sadly, coming all too true. It’s why people subject themselves to all kinds of abuse and humiliation on tons of reality shows, I guess.

We’ve had Falcon Heene, the Balloon Boy, who was victimized by his own parents in their quest for time in the spotlight; the governor of South Carolina disappearing to go “Hiking”—apparently all over his Argentinean mistress. There was Jennifer Wilbanks, the Runaway Bride, and Jayson Blair, the plagiarizing New York Times writer. Then we come to James Frey—perhaps with the biggest cahones of all—he lied to OPRAH!

And now it’s the couple who crashed the White House State Dinner—posing for photos with Rahm Emmanuel and Veep Joe Biden. All while being filmed for the latest “Real Housewives of….” franchise!

Why? What do people hope to gain by this? And how have we warped them via our “Cult of Personality” approach to life. Each year we have more and more people getting wealthy and famous just for being “famous.” Speidy, I’m looking at you….

We seem to be sinking further and further into the depths. Of what I’m not so sure. I know, you’re thinking “E you get up onstage in front of a couple hundred people—isn’t that looking for fame?” I don’t think so… The longer I do this, the more it becomes about the process, not the applause. All I really want to do is take someone out of their everyday life for a couple of hours. Preferably make them laugh, but also make them think. That’s what fulfills me.

Maybe I’m deluding myself, but that’s for another day….