Famous people keep getting press

If you are feeling blue now that you live in a nation were it takes a squadron of police motorcycles and two helicopters to escort Britney Spears through the streets of Los Angeles and to the psychiatric ward at 3:30 AM, you can at least take solace in knowing that celebrity culture is spiraling out of control in Australia too.

This is especially odd because, if you don’t count the ancient Paul Hogan, the Aussie’s haven't even had a real home grown (one who isn't famous because sometimes he or she speaks with an American accent) top-shelf celebrity ever since that nature guy got sting-rayed. But what they do have is Corey Worthington, the 16-year old Jeff Spicola lookalike who recently took the island continent by storm after he threw a wild house party while his parents were away, and then responed indignantly on national television to an anchorwoman scolding him for his irresponsibility.

As he had threatened to the network audience during his introduction, Worthington used his infamy to become a party promoter. Not surprisingly, his first foray into professional party planning was a unmitigated flop. Still Oz’s interest in all things Worthington continues.

The other day Corey and some of his buddies got into a dispute with some other kids at the local mall. Later the two groups meet at a field (a cricket oval to be exact) where Corey and a boy named Chris engaged in an intense twenty second slog of wrestling, shirt pulling and half-punches. Of course it was caught on camera phone, and soon hit the newspapers, Internet and television.

Here we have the kid who recorded the now-famous fight footage ominously predicting – after some prodding by the interviewer – that because of Corey’s fame, stubbornness and upleasent disposition this will not be the last time Australia and the world learns Corey has been involved in a tragic twenty second slog of wrestling, shirt pulling and half-punches.

Those who live in Los Angeles can only hope the next time Britney is institutionalized it isn't during rush hour.