Brad & Jen: kaput

That Brad Pitt & Jennifer Anniston have busted up is no big surprise here at The B'port News as we learned through our extensive network of sources in California that their beachfront swankienda in Santa Barbara has been up for sale for a couple months. Nice pad. Priced reasonably in the mid 20s, and brand new, too. But right next to a very popular beach. I can easily imagine a steady stream of people sauntering up to the backyard door asking to use the can, especially if said can was actually sat upon by the fabulous Brad & Jen. The uninvited guests would be scraping the crapper for celebrity samples to sell on e-Bay, stealing the monogrammed powder room towels, checking out the reading material in the magazine holder.

Scout, our daughter, was genuinely saddened by the break-up. She and many of those in her generation want to believe in marriage and closely identify with celebrities. It's really sort of depressing, not that they want to believe in marriage but that they're so fascinated by the glitterati. Given a choice between People, Time, Newsweek, Texas Monthly and, say, The New Yorker, she'll reach for People everytime. And that MTV? Can't get enough of it, though I do admit that I'll watch a couple hours of "Boiling Points" if given the chance.

Reuters story on Brad & Jen