Survey Shows Celebrity Crimes is America's Favorite Type of Celebrity Scandal

Online, August 3, 2010 (Newswire.com) - NEW YORK - August 3rd, 2010 - Americans love their celebrity gossip and nothing seems to dominate the headlines like a scandal involving a famous actor, athlete, musician or politician. According to a new survey by online entertainment news provider Bloginity Networks, when it comes to celebrity scandals, Americans are most interested in news about celebrities committing crimes and going to jail.

Fresh on the heels of Lindsay Lohan's release from jail, the survey of 1,050 U.S. adults, conducted by Surge Research, found that 56 percent of Americans prefer to read about celebrity crime more than any other type of celeb scandal, including celebrities entering rehab or making and distributing sex tapes. Surprisingly, only 18 percent of those surveyed said they want to see more coverage of a celebrity cheating on his or her spouse, indicating that the Tiger Woods and Jesse James affairs may have received too much coverage.

With their focus clearly on celebrity crime, Bloginity Networks asked respondents how they felt when they learned about a star being sentenced to time in jail. More than half of American adults (52%) said they feel validated when a celebrity is sent to jail, feeling the punishment fits the crime committed. Just 24 percent of adults surveyed said they are surprised to learn about a celeb going to jail because they normally don't receive harsh punishment for their crimes, while 17 percent feel disappointed in the star who's a role model for children.

"Interest in celebrity scandals has clearly shifted from affairs, divorce, rehab and sex tapes to crime and punishment; this indicates the public feels victimized by a history of celebrity bad behavior, " said Daniel Haim, Founder and CEO of Bloginity Networks.

"Americans have an insatiable thirst for Hollywood gossip and while celebrity crime is currently satisfying their appetite, it's yet to be seen if their preference is simply tied to the scandal of the moment."

Respondents were also asked why they believed celebrity scandals have become so common today and nearly 70 percent of Americans indicated that celebrities don't feel the rules or laws apply to them, making it the major cause of their outrageous behavior and subsequent problems.
The Bloginity Networks "2010 Scandalous Celebs" online survey was conducted by Surge Research, Inc. (www.surgeresearch.com) from July 26 - 28, 2010. This survey measured the opinions of 1,050 American adults ages 18-64 and has a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points at the 95% incidence level.