Too much free time: yellow journalists

I know I have too much free time when I'm clicking the response button and talking back to lame "entertainment columnists."

I haven't gotten around to chastising hack Ryan Porter for his blurb about Gwenyth Paltrow supposedly not being everybody's chum on the set of Iron Man 2 and not palling around with the new girl Scarlett Johansson who plays one of the villains. I expect that there are any number of reasons that she might feel stand-offish to SOMEONE on the set - like whoever fed the story to reporters. Like maybe she has developed a good asshole-detector over the years. And maybe there is a method in her - Method - keeping apart from a character that she is supposed to have anymosity toward. Even the releationship between Pepper Potts and Iron Man has tension. Why losen up? The trend is to try to "make fun of" Goop the website of Paltrow, but after looking at it I don't see it as being any worse than other similar sites. It's not my cup of tea. I'd like to read journals from her about acting. But it's the kind of thing only a queen like Ryan Porter could pretend to find fault with.

Here is what I wrote to some other gossip hound about an unrelated story.

Amber, your blurbs aren't as bad as Ryan Porter but I'm considering not having sympatico as my home page after so may gossipy, catty little "reports" even if and when they actually originate with TV Guide.

Jeff Goldblume being a TV and movie star of some note, charismatic and well liked, it would possibly be a news flash if he was dating a 60 year old matron.

Is Ellen Degeneres' wife Portia younger and prettier? Yes.

Does Rosie O'Donnell look for prettier and fitter women? Yes.

Did Ian McKellen ever show up at an awards night with a very young man beside him? Yes.

So it's not even like it's an affectation of straight males in power. There is no scandal or strangeness in an older established star attracting and enjoying a younger mate.

Nor is it all that unusual for a young woman to look for someone more mature.

If Jeff has a young chick - score. Otherwise why bother dating? The myth I think these kinds of "issues" perpetuate is that a younger lover is disposable and superficial whereas an "age appropriate" (my gossip standards) pairing is automatically deep, meaningful and lasting.

In reality, starting a new relationship over 40 years old with someone in your own age range guarantees nothing except the chance to share declining years. People may actually be more likely to "use" someone in their "league" as a maintenance date until something better comes along (in which case a lot of need and baggage may be at stake). They are less likely to discard someone who is igniting lust and vitality.

Anyway, that's my reaction to Jeff's perfectly normal choice of girlfriend.