World Of Tourism

My brother is the biggest Simpsons fan on the planet, as cliche as that sounds I can say that with absolute certainty. I remember visiting him one sunny afternoon and I was secretly ushered into his room, he had told me that he needed to show me something. He pulled a pillow case out of his desk draw and I was trying not to look too puzzled when he pulled out a comic of the Simpsons and held it so carefully that I had to stifle a giggle. This was serious.....from that day on I classified my brother as a lost cause, a lost soul caught in the world of the Simpsons. Posters, figurines, DVD's, the works. He once sat on an online quiz and tried to answer 150 of the most difficult Simpsons related Trivia, he got to 130 and was devastated when he got one wrong and couldn't continue.

With this in mind, every time I hear about anything related to the Simpsons, I think of him and his weirdness that makes him such a special part of our family. I'm not a Simpsons die hard fan, I'm more of an avid Desperate Housewives watcher. But I came across a story this morning that caught my attention because I vaguely remember my brother saying something about it, after a while you switch off to the thousands of Simpson's facts and I couldn't help but enjoy reading it.

Marge Simpson, the wife of Homer Simpson, has appeared nude on the cover of November's Playboy to mark the 20th anniversary of the show. The blue-haired housewife became the first cartoon character to appear in the adult magazine, with her modesty concealed by a Playboy bunny-shaped chair. Inside, she features in a three-page spread including a centrefold pullout, and there is an interview entitled "The Devil in Marge Simpson". Playboy founder Hugh Hefner said an alternative cover, featuring lingerie model Alina Puscau, would also be available, adding: "True fans will want both." He also revealed that the raunchy shots, which show Bart, Lisa and Maggie's mother in various states of undress, were taken by her husband Homer.

As much as appreciated the show when I did watch it, I was reminded by this, what an icon it has become, millions of fans from around the world revel in this kind of stuff. They've become our alternative family and an hilarious one at that. Way to go Marge! You look hot!

Jasmine Fiore, if you haven't heard about her by now, you've been living under a rock. She's the playboy model that's recently been murdered and her husband is the prime suspect, only problem is, he's disappeared. Reality TV contestant Ryan Alexander Jenkins is wanted in connection with her death after her mutilated body was found stuffed in a suitcase.

It looks to be a clear case of obsessive jealousy because as it turns out Jasmine was texting her ex Robert Hasman, after her death he received a text simply saying "suck it" sent from her phone from the killer, apparently her other half. I've always been fascinated by these barbie women, the women who spend their lives perfecting their looks and living a life of sex and decadence, in a way it sounds like a lot of fun and when we watch shows like Girls of the Playboy Mansion, we almost envy their lives but the reality of what these girls go through is a lot different to what we like to think it is. Surgeries, sex, most likely drugs, being treated as objects instead of people, it can't be all its cracked up to be.

When things like this happen it makes people like us, the regular joes, realize that the world of glitz and glamour has a nasty side that has no mercy. This woman, who was beautiful and probably had very low self esteem, was mutilated and shoved into a suitcase. She had to be identified by the serial number on her breast implant because her teeth and fingers had been removed. Where the hell is the dignity in that?

Women are starting to lose perspective. We need to start realizing that WE have the power. Embrace your crooked nose, love your small breasts, celebrate being a natural woman, we are all beautiful and we need to start recognizing it, low self esteem is making women who are naturally unique and special end up in dumpsters in a suit case. Love yourself!!! I promise its the way forward!

What boy doesnt love his mother? What boy wouldnt do anything to protect her? The Fifa World Player of the year is no exception. Yes that's right, I'm talking about playboy Cristiano Ronaldo, Mr Moneybags himself. Once again he's found himself in the media spotlight and this time it was in valiant defense of his mama, or so he's claimed.

It was a dark and stormy night.....no seriously, Cristiano and his mama were on their way to an Elton John concert near their home in Lisbon when an incident occurred. Now this is where it gets hazy, a 17 year old girl claiming to be a fan was filming the football star when he flew into a rage and kicked in her window, she was treated for cuts because of the glass but the story gets interesting when you hear it from his side. She is apparently an aspiring paparazzi photographer and a professional was seated next to her. Ronaldo has claimed that it was not as innocent as the media has portrayed it to be. It wasnt just a fan filming an icon, it was a paparazzi looking for the money shot with an apprentice.

Now I can understand that hollywood movie stars, football legends and so forth are getting a little more than fed up with the paparazzi's attention but honestly isn't that the price of fame? People are voyeuristic in nature and if you're earning the big bucks people are going to want to know about you. I am actually hestitant to say that because I've never been harassed, followed, had my trash dug through or been photographed repeatedly, although saying it like that, it has a certain appeal.(wink)

I could never understand, even as a young impressionistic child, why people, who are essentially entertainers, earn so much money while the rest of the world suffers. Shouldnt we be giving that kind of money to doctors, nurses, paramedics, firemen? You get my point. So when I hear on the news, or read a story about famous people whining about their privacy, I dont really have very much sympathy. And when I hear about a reaction as testosterone fuelled as this, I cant help but want to have a laugh about it.

I remember when the TV show Footballers Wives was released and I watched it thinking to myself, 'I wonder if this is an accurate depiction of what it's really like for these people?' I instantly thought, 'no, that's not possible', but when I see how some of these people behave I start realising that the lines between fiction and Non fiction become very blurred and maybe our television shows have a lot more truth in them then we realise.

My final thoughts, suck it up Ronaldo, go to a few anger management classes, we all know you can afford it and accept the fact that with an 80 million pound contract comes a whole lot of paparazzi, didnt you read the fine print??