Things that concern me - 1

I don’t know if things have always irked me like this, or if it’s developed with age. Certainly the older I get, the more often I do it – you know, get irritated by the world. The bad drivers (in other words, potentially anyone but me), the people who walk over the top of you in supermarkets or never say thank you when you hold a door open for them, and my particular favourite – people who always moan!

Oh ……right….yeah, it’s OK, I think I’ve spotted a flaw there myself. Moving on – think of this little area of The Daily Mellis as a soapbox on the world. You can add your own pet peeve here if you like, or reply to mine if you agree or disagree.

First up…..this.


Believe me when I say I wish Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes all the best when they get married in Italy today in a Scientology ceremony. My understanding is that it's similar in nature to a standard church wedding service, except for the fact it's 95 per cent collection, 5 percent marriage.I even believe, (unlike their harshest critics), they're very much in love.

But not because Tom told me via the media, which he has been doing incessantly since they touched down in Italy earlier in the week. The latest sound-bite I heard from him this morning told us just how much he loves marriage. He must do. This is his third time. Once more and he gets a Ross Geller t-shirt.

My gripe is not with him.

Nor Katie Holmes.

They're just the latest incarnation of the problem, which is this:I just can't ever, for the life of me, understand, one human being, literally worshipping another.

And that's what's happening here.

There are people who have followed Tom and Katie from America to Italy. It's like a pilgrimage. Now they're there, they've mounted a constant vigil, and Tom and his parade of guests are playing to it, dining out wherever possible, in a supposedly very relaxed manner. Chatting to reporters, but not the public.

It's a circus - an exploitation, all designed to make them look good in the public eye. It's all about the public perception they create. They live or die by it. It's how they make their money- what makes them bankable, and creates their worth.

They only do this though, because there's an audience to play to.The sort of people who do follow their idols everywhere.

The ones who'd wait outside a courthouse in Santa Monica and release doves when Michael Jackson was declared 'not guilty'

The sort of people who say 'they can't go on', and have to call help-lines when their favourite boy band split up.

The type who've remodelled their homes to become shrines to their favourite star.

They're the ones who concern me.

Why worship another human? They're the same as you.

Respect them, sure.

Admire them - of course.

But give your life to them? Surely not.

I could go on, but I'd probably spontaneously combust, and I think I've more than made my point. I'll step back down off my soap box.

If you're really interested, maybe I'll bring out a book, then a film. Make sure to buy all the associated merchandise, and come to the public appearances.

Remember - at the end of the day, I'm nothing without you.

God Bless.