One hypothesis is that our obsession with celebrity scandal comes from the halo effect. Research shows that when a person shows unusual talent in one area of life, we tend to believe that extends to all areas of life. This propensity to hold celebrities to a higher moral standard makes their flaws even more scandalous.
But in a town where there's no such thing as bad press, flaws aren't necessarily a negative. In fact, scandals can actually boost a celebrity's popularity; controversy can sell. I am also reminded of my lecturer's saying...if it bleeds it leads. So people really like to read about celebs when they are at their downs.
Chris Brown
Chris Brown-- I'm Turning My House Into Fort Knox!
