A number of celebrities have taken up the keyboard to blog to their fans and loyal readers. This digital skip over the velvet rope — a leap into public discourse rather than shrouded publicist-released statements — has offered a new perspective of the famous.
It’s not just one perspective, however. Every blog reveals something different about its author — something you sometimes would rather not know.
Weird and wired:
Rosie O’Donnell. Miss O’Donnell was never going to win any awards for normalcy, but the former “View” host’s blog at rosie.com is something to behold. For more than two years, “Ro” has blogged mainly in freewheeling, unedited verse. A recent poem waxed on both her post-“View” life and visiting baby geese.
Just like you thought:
Mark Cuban. The entrepreneur and Dallas Mavericks owner blogs at Blogmaverick.com, where he spouts on everything from YouTube’s future to NBA refereeing. Mr. Cuban, known for his outspokenness, sometimes has appeared clownish in his courtside conniptions. His blog entries typically are combative, but he’s frequently spot-on. You don’t become a billionaire by being dumb.
Pretty witty:
Miranda July. The multihyphenate Miss July, an author, filmmaker, artist and musician, increasingly has used the Web as an outlet for her seemingly boundless creativity. Though she posts entries on MirandaJuly.com, the reason she’s on this list is because of the site for her new book, the title of which is in the Web address: https://noonebelongsheremorethanyou.com. The whole site is a series of messages written on her refrigerator.
Yikes:
Britney Spears. The pop star doesn’t exactly blog, but she does frequently post messages addressed to her fans on her Web site. Through her turbulent past two years, she has posted emotional messages that sometimes read like the sort of writings best left to ponder for a day or two before sending. She recently posted a long letter in which she said she hoped to correct the many false impressions people have of her.
Mob musings:
Brian Williams. The NBC News anchor has been contributing posts to Slate.com’s “TV Club” blog, which analyzes every “Sopranos” episode. Joining Jeffrey Goldberg and Timothy Noah, Mr. Williams has brought impressively detailed readings of the HBO series to the site. He recently told this reporter: “My whole day is all within the parameters of the news and the here and now. I can’t have an opinion — I try not to on anything. This has been such a release.”
Wordy for rock stars:
Many bands dispatch occasional messages to their friends via their Web sites, but the Scottish rockers of Franz Ferdinand do much more. For example, bassist Bob Hardy recently posted a number of “things to do” for those coming to Glasgow for the band’s concerts. Still better are the entries by frontman Alex Kapranos, who proved his literary talents with a well-reviewed book last year: “Sound Bites: Eating on Tour With Franz Ferdinand.”
Pleasant surprise:
David Byrne. The former Talking Heads frontman has long had one of the best blogs on the Web. He’s very consistent in posting his thorough, well-written entries on DavidByrne.com. Expect a large diet of music, biking and modern art. What makes Mr. Byrne’s blog especially enjoyable, though, is how he shines through as a fan — like us. If he goes to an excellent concert or museum exhibit, he returns to his computer bursting at the seams to discuss and analyze it.
The dude can draw:
Jeff Bridges. The star of such films as “The Big Lebowski” and “Fearless” has only hinted at his doodling abilities in movies including “The Door in the Floor,” in which he played a children’s book author. His posts on JeffBridges.com aren’t typed. Instead, he uses brilliantly colorful drawings that announce his new projects or make recommendations to fans.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.