Celebrity Dish: Serving up the gossip you should know!

There are times when gossip means more than simply discussing who’s dating whom or what actor was cast in a certain role. In fact, there are times when gossip can impact our daily lives. That happens when the worlds of gossip and politics collide. Say, for example, a Congressman decides to step down after rumors of an affair. That has a direct impact on his constituents.

Europeans have seen this collision of politics and celebrity for years. The late Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales, is a perfect example. While she had tremendous political influence on issues that were important to her – AIDS and land mines, to name two – the media reported just as much, if not more, about who she was wearing.

In America, the blend of politics and celebrity can summed up in two words. The Kennedys. This clan is referred to frequently as the United States’ royal family, and it is hard to disagree with that observation. They have had the same grand loves and heartbreaking losses of any Hollywood blockbuster. They also have held a seat in the Senate since 1953. While the context is certainly different, the Kennedys might just be modern-day Tudors, loving and living publicly and still shaping the future of those they are serving. You might not agree with their politics, but the influence this family has had on this country is easily felt.

Sen. Edward (Ted) M. Kennedy passed away last week of brain cancer at the age of 77, and the worlds of politics and celebrities were once again brought together at his funeral Mass. President Obama, who Kennedy campaigned tirelessly for, sat with former presidents and other political leaders. With them were stars such as Jack Nicholson and Tony Bennett. In fact, Yo-Yo Ma and Placido Domingo performed at the service.

Kennedy himself embodied the combination of these two worlds. He was no stranger to gossip, particularly after Mary Jo Kopechne drowned after his car went off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island in July 1969. But he was also the “Lion of the Senate,” fighting tirelessly for health-care reform among other issues. It might be too early to call this family a dynasty, but Ted was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery near his big brothers, President John F. Kennedy and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, who certainly left behind their own political influences.

DJ AM (Adam Goldstein) also passed away last week at the age of 36. His body was found in his New York City apartment Friday. An autopsy was completed, but a cause of death won’t be determined until toxicology test results are finished. In the meantime, musicians and celebrities continue to pay their respects.

Krista Richmond is a journalist and pop culture enthusiast. Have a question, suggestion or hot gossip tip? Send them to her at krista@killerfilm.com.