Photo: Getty Images
You may have heard that David and Victoria Beckham, in the words of our good friends at Defamer, were recently "sent by God to Los Angeles to punish it for its celebrity-worshipping sins." You may have also heard that Becks was recruited by the Los Angeles Galaxy for an astronomical $250 million with the hope that his star wattage would build interest in American soccer.
To wit, Becks debut game on Saturday with the Los Angeles Galaxy was rather "uneventful" but played to a captive and spellbound crowd. After spending "most of the game on the bench because of a nagging left ankle injury", he played about 12 minutes and helped the team ... lose to Chelsea. No worries, because the exhibition game was broadcast around the world and "spectators included [Eva] Longoria, Mary-Kate Olsen, [Brooke] Shields, Alicia Silverstone and rocker husband Chris Jarecki, Drew Carey, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger."
Even more star wattage Sunday night to welcome the Beckhams to Hollywood. Superstar couples Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes and Will and Jada Pinkett Smith hosted a "gala private party" for their new British pals at the Museum of Contemporary Art in downtown Los Angeles. People notes the guest list as a "Who's Who celeb turnout, including Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher, Brooke Shields and husband Chris Henchy, Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy, Bruce Willis...Ron Howard, Brian Grazer and Quincy Jones." Apparently, Hollywood's former top couple, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, were nowhere in sight.
Photo: Getty Images
Hollywood may be going into a tailspin but not everyone is pleased with the Beckhams coming to America—specifically, Becks addition to American soccer. In a biting essay published in the newest issue of The New Republic—a free subscription is required, it only takes thirty seconds to sign up—writer Aleksandar Hemon minces no words: "Beckham arrives in the United States with the dubious achievement of being the most overrated and overpaid player in the history of sports...Unlike the elitist circles of global soccer, where professional players are actually required to win games between their celebrity stunts, American sports-as-entertainment culture seems ready to worship unconditionally Beckham's right foot and boyish attractiveness."
Yes, he is absolutely correct. But the point in celebrity-obsessed Hollywood is that Becks is so very boyishly attractive, no?
That's an interesting sign 'cause I had just the opposite reaction. I came WHEN I saw Beckham.
Posted by: Kenneth | July 24, 2007 at 11:43 PM