We all have people in the public eye who annoy us.  Close to the top of my list are Heidi Montag, reality TV star, and Pat Robertson, who needs no introduction.  Yesterday both came out with shocking announcements. Montag had 10 plastic surgery procedures in one day at the age of 23. Robertson blamed the earthquake in Haiti on it's people making a deal with the devil. Both appauling stories that made me shake my head in shock, saddness, horror, and grief.

These two have a lot in common: They love the spotlight. People either love them or hate them. They have platforms which to speak to entire cultures of people. They both have been molded by cultural expectations that are unhealthy and lack accountability. Maybe most importantly, they both provide a distraction in a deeply troubling time.