When We Stop Believing

Don at Article 19 has an interesting post that dovetails to some degree with one I wrote last week about TV commercials. Citing a Tina Brown column in The Washington Post concerning Tom Cruise and his entirely unconvincing infatuation (or life-long love, depending on how it works out) with Katie Holmes, Article 19 wonders how the PR industry (which is extended to include politics) will react when it realizes we know it feeds us nothing but lies.

We're on to them. We know Paris Hilton isn't really that stupid; that Flavor Flav isn't really in love with Brigitte Nielsen; that Madonna isn't really Jewish now; that Bill Frist didn't really learn to love Jesus in Washington; that George W. isn't really like one of us.

TV cameras are the new truth serum. The harder they try, the clearer we see right through them. Famous people need a new schtick. We're so done with them.

That's an interesting question, but I'm more intrigued with how we react. My immediate, somewhat cynical reaction is that nothing much will happen. Are we becoming less consumer-driven? But then I have this odd bit of optimism (yes, Stevie T., there it is again) when I realize that movie theater receipts are currently in a slump. George W. Bush's approval ratings (as well as Congress's) are down and continuing to sink. Could this be a result of our coming to grips with being lied to for so long? If so, what happens next? So far, I don't even begin to have any answers. For the time being, my optimism extends to asking the question, not offering any responses.