Lauren Keaton

Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie ... these women have successfully dominated national media time and time again for the past few years.

Why?

Because of their drug use?

Or their excessive partying?

Their money?

Probably all of the above ... but more importantly, just by being "wild" women, they are national and global icons today.

These 20-somethings, popularly referred to as "pop tarts," have figured out a strategy for fame without doing much of anything, other than shocking the world- on that point, they have become experts.

It just going to show that any publicity is good publicity.

And for coming up with that ... they deserve some credit for their marketing genius.

I heard someone earlier this year compare Lindsay to a really bad car accident.

It made so much sense to me.

It has been sad to see her spiral from a freckled-faced Disney sweetheart to the recent photos of the hoody-clad redhead passed out in a car after an untamed night.

And it should be hard to watch ... but at the same time, you just can't look away.

Our world seems to be built on guilty pleasures nowadays.

From soap operas to tabloids and reality shows ... drama and scandal is something we feed off of as a society.

Happy and light stories are nice and have a heart-warming effect, but that is not what makes the world dash to their computer for more info. And that is certainly not what makes Web sites such as perezhilton.com and justjared.com so successful.

When Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez was seen straying from his wife earlier this summer with a "busty blonde," news from the White House and happenings overseas were set aside, as the New York Post plastered shots of the jock and his arm-candy on the front-page, headlined "Stray-Rod."

In 2003, Michael Jackson's face and infamous piece sign were featured all over the evening news the night he was booked on suspicion of molestation charges.

The world marveled as they watched the "king of pop" fall into an even stranger and darker hole.

And who could hide from the Anna Nicole Smith death coverage, dragging on with the ensuing custody battle?

But, even Anna Nicole is a perfect example of what Paris and the girls are trying to do.

The Texas-raised sex-symbol began as a model, but really got her name out there when she married the 89-year-old oil billionaire J. Howard Marshall.

Her antics from there on, with nude modeling, her fluctuating weight, her reality show plus the ever-present drug problems, made her a household name.

Much like Anna Nicole, Paris and Lionel Richie's daughter, Nicole, started off playing the money game, but these tabloid divas were born into the spotlight.

Heiress Paris, according to Forbes Magazine is set to inherit just over $50 million of the Hilton fortune, but that is just a cut of how much she is worth. Because of her "celebutant" status, doors have been flung open for her in the music, modeling, fashion and even cinematic realms.

The "Simple Life'' co-star has been given vast opportunities to prove that she is more than just a pretty face and a wad of cash ... alas, she failed.

Her movies and "pop career" (and I use the term loosely) were a crying shame.

Her reality series was the only thing which held on for any amount of time, but it, too, was recently cut.

But does this really mean anything?

Was there even a question of striking her name off the guest list to every red carpet event on the planet?

Of course not.

Because she is Paris Hilton and she played off the failures with the attitude "Of course, I am pretty, so why does it matter?"

Crazy, yes.

Crazier, though, is America bought it.

And with her recent stint in the slammer, she is more popular than ever.

Moving on to Lindsay, who is back to her old ways right out of rehab, which seems to be the hot "vaca" spot for these chicks.

Arrested for another DUI charge and possession of cocaine, she has been making headlines again.

So, we turn to her parents.

What went wrong?

Go ahead, blame her dad for not being around. Blame her mom for being too lenient.

America even turned to her 13-year-old little sister Ali for answers, who wrote in to gossip Web site 24sizzler.com defending her sassy sibling's behavior.

But, through all of this, her sister and her parents have been thrown straight into the limelight.

By the way, Ali also happens to be launching a pop career and trying to be an actress like Big Sis Lohan at this time.

Coincidence that she is now in on the drama? I think not.

Not only is Lindsay's name floating around the water cooler in office buildings across the U.S., but who even knew she had a sister (also playing the PR game) until recently?

And we all know Momma Dina is insatiable when it comes to the camera lens.

So, we play right into their hands - over and over.

Don't like it?

Simple solution: stop watching TV, reading about pop culture and listening to the radio.

A little harder than you thought, isn't it?

I guess that's the idea.

Lauren Keaton is a staff writer for the Tyler Paper.
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