All you have to do is catch the promos for the shows such as ET and Inside Edition (they usually run on the 6PM local newscasts) or let your eyes rest on a magazine rack at the checkout in your local grocery or big-box retailer to be aware of the notoriety of Britney, AN, et al. You'd almost have to have been living under a rock for the last 15 years not to know who either of these women is.
Unfortunately, the line has been blurred between the public/private lives of celebs, owing to a 24/7 entertainment news cycle...it's no longer just weekly gossip columns in a newspaper, or even a tabloid or 2, plus People magazine. To a certain extent, these folks have put themselves out in the public eye, so maybe their private lives get more "news" coverage than they should. [I can remember about 15 or 20 years ago Ted Koppel bemoaning the "Vanna-ization" (his term) of our society; it's only gotten more pronounced.] Beyond a certain point, however, I agree with you, Britney's rehab and the fight over AN's daughter (e.g.) deserve to be left out of the public square.
That said, I sincerely hope that this show is more than just more of the same sensationalism that we've seen already.
