Another death, another dollar

What is it about celebrity deaths that creates such a media feeding frenzy, even when the celebrity involved did not hit the heights of a Michael Jackson or an Elvis Presley? Websites like TMZ and Gawker are like hyenas in at the kill, tearing the flesh from the bones of the famous before it's even cold.

Brittany Murphy is the latest case. She was not hugely famous, but had acted in some well-known movies (e.g. Clueless, 8 Mile). From a distance it appears that the ambition to be famous is not matched but the reality of being scrutinised by the flashmob generation. This is not a new phenomenon: Sir Tom Courtenay once told Michael Parkinson that he was uncomfortable with fame and that all he'd ever wanted to be was a jobbing actor.

So how can be blogosphere be tempered when it comes to the modern trend of wanting to own celebrity souls? Here are some thoughts:

• Some celebrities seem to have a hinterland (e.g. George Clooney, Kevin Spacey, Meryl Streep, John Cusack, Scarlett Johannsen, Renee Zellweger) in which a private life is possible. The less we really know about the stars (despite any intrusive speculation), the more glamourous they become. Perhaps part of the curriculum at drama and fame schools everywhere should be how to stay grounded under provocation from journalists during PR blitzes for new movies and how to ignore all the gossip sites. Hard for wannabe stars to do when they need the spotlight to advance their careers.

• How about a grassroots campaign for real movie stars along the lines of CAMRA, the campaign for real ale? Perhaps call it CAMERA, the campaign for real entertainment artists? This group could campaign for the public's right not to know everything about media and entertainment performers' private lives. It could promote traditional ideas about stars sharing creative talents with the public and showcase good causes celebrities promote without cynicism. It could seek improvement in the quality of story-telling so that performers can stretch and challenge their abilities for the benefit of audiences and their own careers. It might even look to educate audiences in what makes for a satisfying cultural experience.

The campaign for public libraries in 19th-century Britain improved adult literacy and cultural awareness, and the people responded with wanting to better themselves. In Hollywood from the 1930s to the 1960s, the Hays Code was a draconian, prescriptive set of rules that had the unforeseen benefit of forcing movie-makers to improve their story-telling.

In the digital age, it is all too easy to become media-illiterate through the sheer volume of information and resort to the easily digestible formats presented by commercial media seeking high audience ratings (e.g. reality television, high-concept movies). And higher audience expectations may give stars the opportunity to enjoy private spaces beyond the tabloid public gaze.