Sandra Bullock and Jesse James

For the most part, I am not the kind of person that really cares about celebrities or their lives, and I do believe that even celebrities are entitled to privacy in their own lives, no different that the rest of us. Of course, some seek more attention that others, but that is another story. I worked in the entertainment in Hollywood, California, for well over 10 years, doing legal work for TV soaps/shows/movies and some films. Being in the legal department, I really got to know celebrities, and to be honest, I was not impressed.

Celebrities are a product of their agents, lawyers and their fame. We, the regular Joe Blows, are the ones that put the celebrities where they are, and the bigger the fame, the bigger the head. One of the reasons that I find celebrities to be huge hypocrites, is their pompous demands. Certainly, demands not dignified of people that always seem to be "bleeding" for the causes of the little people. In celebrities' contracts, we find clauses such as: travel (first class air/hotel/transportation); trailers must not be smaller than so many feet; only this water can be purchased; fresh flowers every day; no contact with extras unless necessary (in the original 90212, extras were not allowed to look at the show's stars unless they were working -- imagine that -- that is a liberal idea!); car and driver; an entourage of stylists: make-up, clothing, hair; clauses to keep the clothes provided on the show; family clauses; pet clauses; entertainment clauses, it just goes on and on. And then they turn around and criticize the middle-class Americans in the tea parties that what to keep a little bit more of their income to make ends meet, or perhaps fund a yearly vacation for the family or a fancy toy at Christmas for the children. I think celebrities only care for causes out of guilt.

When you see Jennifer Aniston in her bikini in some foreign fancy beach resort sunning herself, do you think she's thinking of the starving children in India? Hardly. Yes, celebrities do give a lot to charities, but they have to, they make a lot of money. Either Uncle Sam gets it, or charities. Charitable contributions are a huge deduction. And, please, when a celebrity tapes a spot for a charity, pompous demands go with that shoot, too!

Having said all of this, I will say that I am saddened by Sandra Bullock's breakup with Jesse James. Sandra is one of the nice ones in Hollywood--sincere, down to earth, sweet. She really believed in Jesse's love, and the family (his children), she was raising with him. Even in her acceptance speech during the recent Oscars win, she thanked her husband for "having her back." (Actually, he was having someone else's back, and probably pounding it pretty hard...I am just saying here.) Jesse is just trash, and what Sandra saw in him, I just don't know. I think women just like bad boys. We feel safe with them. It's programmed in our primitive brains from the cavemen days. Women take care of the cave, and men hunt and gather food, and wrestle dragons (so to speak).

In any event, it is not my business. This is something that Sandra and Jesse, and the children, have to work out in privacy, and I hope the paparazzi understands this, and the rest of us do too. Sandra is human. Having a few million in the bank is not going to make the pain, violation of trust or unhappiness, any easier. On the contrary, Sandra now has to deal with this horrible betrayal in public, and the loss of what was, her family. One day you have a family, the next, gone. I wouldn't want it, and you wouldn't want it. People tend to forget the seedier side of Hollywood break-ups. Yes, the fame and money must be fun, but I am not sure I would want the lack of privacy. Who would?