Celebrities crack me up.  Not all celebrities.  There are some actors and actresses that stay out of the limelight and relish their privacy.  I’m talking about those who are attention-seeking junkies who spend every waking moment trying to be relevant.  Then, when something goes wrong in their lives, they want the cameras off, the lights dimmed, and their “fans” to just go away.  This seems to be what happens when their very public relationships go south.  Here are a few examples.

Someone who fits this category perfectly is Kim Kardashian.  As I read recently, people weren’t interesting in seeing or reading about her “marriage” to Kris Humphries during the multi-million event in August, but rather reading about her “wedding.”  I knew the marriage was in trouble the week after when People magazine’s cover story was “Kim’s Wedding” – no mention whatsoever of Kris on the cover.  The whole event had nothing to do with their “marriage.”

Seventy-two days later, she filed for divorce.  No big surprise there as far as I’m concerned.  But then it was reported that the Kardashian clan banned E! channel from screening anything to do with her divorce drama in her reality show.  According to TMZ, Kim didn’t want cameras to document the private, emotional moments behind her divorce.

What a hypocrite!  Here’s a woman who became a “celebrity” because of a disgusting sex tape released on the internet, who allows the media to film and record every movement she makes on more than one television show, has spent countless hours monetizing on her celebrity status, and created a business empire worth millions.  She and her family have over 10 million followers on Twitter and I can’t read my news feeds without seeing something about the Kardashians.  But now she wants her privacy.

Another example is has-been actress, Demi Moore.  She marries a guy 15 years her junior and for the past six years, has tried to remain relevant in the media even though her last really successful movie was Charlie’s Angels in 2003.  Here’s another one who loves the limelight, is ready for any intrusion into her life by the media as long as it’s considered a positive.  Then when things go bad, she asks that her privacy be respected.  “This is a trying time for me and I ask for the same compassion and privacy that you would give to anyone going through a similar situation.”  Well, every one of these celebrities begging for their “privacy” when times go bad has never wanted to be like anyone else.  Most of the time they don’t think the rules apply to them and certainly want to be treated special, except when they don’t.

Finally, there’s Chaz Bono, who in November proposed to his girlfriend of 12 years on his television show.  Now, they’ve split up and he’s asking for “privacy” during these difficult times.  “No further amplification [of their break-up] will be forthcoming and they ask that you respect their privacy at this time.”  Remember, he put himself out there by allowing his transition from Chastity to Chaz to be documented in “Becoming Chaz,” wrote a book about it, “Transition: How I Became a Man,” and touted being a “different kind of man” on Dancing with the Stars.

I recently met a man who bought and sold celebrity autographs which, apparently, is a lucrative business.  He told me that even has-been celebrities will appear at conventions and will sell their autographs for as little as $5 – but they’re still making public appearances and still crave the attention.  Most are upset if someone doesn’t recognize them.

I have plenty going on in my life that keeps be very busy so I don’t follow any of these people on Twitter or Facebook and only know about them from the headlines. I can’t escape them at the grocery store or on my computer.  I only read about them because they provide fodder for my articles.  But, there are millions of people who are either curious, envious or enamored with celebrities and are truly interested in every tidbit of news or gossip that’s published.  Otherwise, websites like Perez Hilton’s, tmz.com, imnotobsessed.com and thehollywood-gossip.com wouldn’t exist.

But, remember, if that portion of the public wasn’t interested, celebrities would not be celebrities.  In other words, celebrities, who thrive on and crave public and media attention, want their cake and eat it too.  They want the adoration but only when it suits them.  When the going gets tough, they want everyone to back off.  I say they can’t have it both ways.

I don’t get it, but if you do, God bless you.