Type 1:“The Talented Celebrity.”  Think models who have shown up on the cover of Italian Vogue, actors like Brad Pitt who have starred in everything from comedy to drama, and music moguls who come out with one hit after another (think Madonna).

Type 2: “The Train Wreck- Once Famous, Now in Rehab.”  These are people like Lindsay Lohan and Amy Winehouse, who are no doubt talented, but can’t keep themselves away from the bars and the drugs long enough to earn coveted longevity in Hollywood.

Type 3: “Why the Hell are They Famous?” The people who People Magazine, US Weekly, and Perez Hilton constantly cover, we all read about, and none of us are exactly sure what this person has done to deserve press coverage (think Anna Nicole Smith).  Below is a list of the ten best examples of these non-celebrities – the ones that take over our headlines, but haven’t done much to merit this press coverage.  And if anyone can tell me why we actually care what these people are up to…well, be my guest.

1. Kim Kardashian- While she is no doubt stunning, her fame stems from the fact that her rich father served as OJ Simpson’s lawyer during his criminal trial…and then she had sex with Ray J.  Her lone film, Disaster Flick, came out in 2008, and was rated the second worst film ever created at the Internet Movie Database. Sure, she’s been on Dancing With the Stars and her own reality show since then, but I must ask: why was this one ever on our radar!?

2. Heidi and Spencer Pratt- While The Hills enjoys high ratings, two young adults arguing for a 30-minute episode about their relationship, their parents, and how they should get married is not enough to give anyone celebrity status.  If America wants to watch two people argue, then MTV should come to my house and film my mom begging me to do dumb chores.  Being rich and argumentative is not enough to warrant fame.

3. Octomom – Her birth of octuplets this past year caused a national scandal when people became concerned about child neglect and proper monetary support (and the fact that she looks like Angelina…). Getting six embryos implanted in you when you already have six kids definitely does not make you a celebrity…slightly crazy, but not a celebrity.

4. Nicole Richie – Best known for her stint on The Simple Life with fellow socialite Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie’s presence in celebrity tabloids is mostly in candid photos of her and daughter Harlow, or musician husband Joel Madden of Good Charlotte.  She has yet to sing or act in anything of true merit other than being herself on a reality show and is truly a celebrity’s wife, not a celebrity herself.

5. Tila Tequila -  Tila got famous for having a lot of friends on MySpace. Don’t get me wrong, popularity is cool, but since when do we celebrate the trashy people who actually use MySpace?

6. Kevin Federline – Known mostly for his disastrous short-lived marriage to Britney Spears, Federline’s attempts to make it in “the industry” resulted in his 2006 record being one of the worst-received in music history and making him appear as an Eminem wannabe.  His short stint on One Tree Hill as an aggressive musician did little to advance his acting career, and his appearances on wrestling programming did even less to advance his image.  So, while Britney Spears seems to have come out of her funk with hits like “Circus” and “Womanizer,” Federline is now famous for changing diapers and babysitting Sean and Jayden.

7. Paris Hilton – Just another blonde socialite who formed a fashion line and had one hit song (“Stars are Blind”).  Being born rich does not make you a celebrity.  Becoming rich due to talent does.

8. Melissa Rycroft – Seriously, I’ve been dumped by plenty of guys. Where is my offer to be on the cover of a magazine?

9. Whitney Port – Starring in her very own spin-off of The Hills, Whitney Port was nicknamed “the new Carrie Bradshaw.”  Um. No. Freaking. Way. And if being on a reality show weren’t bad enough, spinning off the show that gave fame to squabbling California teenagers merits even less respect in my mind. She is no Carrie. Don’t even joke.

10. Suri Cruise - This girl gets more covers than paid actors. Just because she was born.  Why do we as consumers care what a two–year-old is wearing?

Life isn’t black and white. As much as we wish we simply loved or hated things, there is often that whole annoying gray area in the middle. Like how we love the idea of a monokini, but we just don’t know if we can pull it off. Or how we love making money babysitting, but hate giving up a Saturday night. Damn you, gray area; you make decision-making that much more complicated!]

Anyone who knows me knows not to call on Tuesday nights. Not only is it Biggest Loser night, but it also happens to be the best night of my week because of one thing only: The Real Housewives. I don’t care if they are from Orange County, Hot-lanta or New York, I can’t get enough of these women.

Yet now that The Real Housewives of New Jersey are on the (polluted) horizon, I’m starting to feel a little confused inside about my love for couture catfights and $16,000 handbags.

Yes, ladies, I’m torn. It’s time to break it all down.

Love It:
Rich women doing fabulous things and talking about one another behind everyone’s backs? It’s like my dream life. I’m really good at the sh*t talking, but I’m seriously lacking in the Chanel bags and Louboutin heels, so it’s nice to live out my dreams through a Bravo TV show. And the drama, while totally blown out of proportion, is just so addicting. Whoever casts this show did a fantastic job of bringing far too many Type A women into one social circle, ultimately leading to many a manicured claw fights.

And could there be anything more entertaining than watching Evil Vicki trip and fall down a stair? Or Nay Nay making fun of her tranny bff, Kim? Or Bethenny (attempting to) open a can of ‘tude on Kelly Bensimon? Short answer: no. There is nothing better. Because drama in your social circle is never fun, but watching rich women drown themselves in it is the best thing since $5 footlongs at Subway.

Loathe It:
I like to think that I’m sorta smart, so I’m embarrassed to not only watch this show, but be totally addicted to it. And know every last detail. Including what kind of heels Jill’s daughter wanted to pack for her summer abroad. (Marc Jacobs. Pathetic, I know.)

Shouldn’t I be watching documentaries on Discovery Channel, or some weird show on TLC? And should I really be contributing to the further success of these rich-tards? With the exception of a few (Bethenny, for sure), these women contribute nothing to society except a few photos for Page 6 and a reason for my mother to call me at 9am on a Saturday to discuss the episode she just watched on her DVR.

We should be giving our attention to people who actually impact our world in a positive way, instead of these useless women who do nothing but lunch and shop and bitch. And then wake up the next day to do it all again. Yes, some of them work, but many of them just marry rich and set an example that money and wealth is the key to happiness. Is that true? Maybe. But is that realistic? Hell no.

And I can’t ignore the fact that this show takes my blood pressure to unhealthy levels. Without fail I end up on my feet (thus dumping my evening snack of dry Kashi Go Lean! all over my floor) yelling at the TV. These women are ridiculous and I can’t handle watching them say and do the dumbest sh*t! And now my snack is on the floor! And now I’m angry at myself because I care so much about this! And now I have to pause it so I can clean up the mess I just made.

Roar!

I know that it’s just a show and I should enjoy it if I want to, but watching this show gives these women power and success they really do not deserve. Is my guilty pleasure really worth elevating these label whores to a higher level, wasting precious cereal and potentially giving me wrinkles?

I just don’t know. I’m totally torn!

I have a special place in my heart for terrible teen television. The O.C., Degrassi, Instant Star, South of Nowhere, Dawson’s Creek: I just can’t get enough of it. The cheesy acting, the terrible love dramas, the catty bitch fights. I LOVE IT.

Which is why I am pumped for my newest terrible teen television drama Gossip Girl. Being an angsty teen is hard enough but when you’re rich, pretty and living on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, life is so bad it’s good. I’m pretty sure I watched the trailer five times because I was THAT excited.

There have been reviews. The New York Times profiled the show while five real UES Manhattan girls watched the first episode. And a few have even written that Gossip Girl is nothing to gossip about. But this is no Arrested Development, people. This is bad television.

The acting is sub par and the plotline monotonous (teens drinking and doing it… not anything new), but this time instead of sunny California it’s New York City.

And a location change is enough for me to be interested. It’s new! It’s fresh! It’s probably awful and I love it.

If aren’t privy to the line up of events, here’s a quick rundown:

Serena van der Woodsen has just returned from a year at boarding school. No one knows why she left, and no one knows why she’s back. But the website Gossip Girl, which chronicles the latest happenings among these UES yuppie teens, has spotted her in Grand Central.

What follows is a tumultuous turn of events. Serena’s ex-BFF Blair is trying to do it with her boyfriend Nate because Serena is back in town. Apparently, Nate cheated on Blair with Serena. Oh, snap.

Blair’s big party, Kiss on the Lips, is happening and Serena isn’t invited. Instead she opts to hang with geeky boy Dan (the luscious Penn Badgly) instead.

Dan’s little sister Jenny snagged an invite to the party because she MADE the invites. Poor darling. She’s trying so hard to be a part of the in crowd. At the party bad-boy drunk Chuck almost rapes her. Good thing there are cells, and 911 texts because Dan and Serena come to save the day.

And then they hold hands. They HOLD HANDS.

Juicy!

So I’ve pretty much seen the entire first episode from the five minute trailer, but if you aren’t convinced enough to want to a part of the in crowd tonight at 9, I’ll give you one more good reason:

The clothes.

Rich girls have great clothes, and Gossip Girl is no exception.

Don’t get me wrong, I wholeheartedly believe that acting and singing are an admirable art. In no way is it an easy job.

Motion pictures or the right lyrics can change peoples’ lives, send important messages, or make you cry hysterically for hours unsure as to why you care so damn much that Rafe forgave his innocent best friend Danny for rolling around in the parachute hangars with the woman that they both love.

My point is, the amount of money that these celebrities are getting paid is absolutely ridiculous, especially considering how much cool shit they get for free just for being famous in the first place!

Daniel Radcliffe (aka Harry Potter) has officially been named Britain’s wealthiest teenager, worth a reported 23 million. (out-earning Joss Stone!). As if that’s not enough, he’s getting paid $50 million for the next two Potter movies. On July 23^rd, Radcliffe will be turning eighteen, not only celebrating his legality by probably sleeping with plenty of thirty-something gold-digging vixens, (he just dropped $17,000 on a custom made Savoir mattress, try and tell me he’s a virgin), but eighteen also means finally gaining full access to his mind-boggling funds. I’m sorry, am I the only one nauseated over the “sexy” pictures of the little boy? Ron was always more my type, I think it’s the flannel.

Hayden Panettiere (aka the rando who decided to date fellow rando Steven Coletti from Laguna Beach. Yes, she’s dating Ste-veeeeeeennnnn) is estimated to make about $2 mil a year. It gets better — her debut album is supposed to be released in 2008. There’s no doubt that her edited off-beat voice drowned out by cymbals crashing and pre-recorded keyboard melodies will make her many more Benjamins.

People Magazine decided this topic was so important that they resolved to make it their July cover story. They also decided to mention Rihanna, who really is only letting you stand under her umba-rella because every time it rains she has a portable roof built and customized right above her head (and million dollar legs.).

Even worse, I was forced to desperately control my gag reflex when I learned that nineteen-year-old Hilary Duff also made the list. Every time I read or see an interview with her I have suppress the urge to punch myself repeatedly in the temple. The girl that once said something (non-verbatim) along the lines of, “I really like the way the word dignity sounds. So, I went online and looked up what it means, and then I liked it. So, that’s why my album is called dignity.” Yeah, she makes about $12 million a year.

Wait, like? One million a month? Hold on, let Hil grab her diamond-encrusted calculator.