The Games We Play

...to keep reporters at bay. And things that we do, to let the stalkerazzi stew.

Normally, I could care less about the latest celebrity scandal. Don't get me wrong, I read 'em when they're blinking in bold type in front of me, but I don't hunt out the dirt, and for the most part I don't get stuck on any one thing. Until now. This is starting to make me sick.

Enter Operation Cruise Control.

(The CIA might want to take notes. Heck, at this point, who says they're not?)

The stalkerazzi's stalking.
The legitimate media's fuming.
The conspiracy nuts are muttering away, huddled in their panic rooms.
The bloggers are scratching their heads in total perplexity. (Myself included.)
Rumor runs rampant, and I'm just waiting for the NSA to officially deny any existence of an effort to determine the exact nature of the communications between family and friends regarding little Suri Cruise.

It's a baby.
(Or is it? Duhn-duhn-duhn!)

I must admit, I'm impressed at the information lockdown from the Cruise Camp. When the best the media can do is run headlines saying that such and such actress has claimed to have seen little Suri... wow. That's a shut-out.

But how far can it go? I more than understand the impulse to keep one's personal life private. I know I'd go shuddering, screaming, and seriously insane if I had the kind of media focus some celebrities have. But when you're so locked away that people are doubting the very existence of your child, take a step back, get over yourselves, and drop a freaking Polaroid in the mail. Something, anything.

The longer the wait, the harsher the backlash when little Suri is released from seclusion. Think about it, this has gone on so long that even when the pics are released, people are going to doubt them. Thousands of words, inches of print, and more talking heads than you can shake a stick at are going to pick this apart.

And ten, fifteen years down the road when little Suri googles herself in a fit of boredom and curiosity, what do Mama and Papa say to their little girl when she asks:

"Why doesn't anyone believe I exist?"
"Why do they say you're not my Mom/Dad?"
"Why doesn't anyone believe you?"

I don't care what she believes, or how self-assured this child will be when she grows up. This is going to hurt.

Is this what we're coming to?