Catching up on the news

I've missed a couple of things -- can people please fill me in?When did Tom Cruise become an expert in, well, anything? Why do people ask his opinion about anything other than how he feels about being good-looking?How is it that I now not only have to feel sympathy for Brooke Shields, but also to understand her post-partum pain?When did Katie Holmes, my sweetheart since the start of "Dawson's Creek" and her seminal appearance in "Go!," become completely unattractive to me, despite her growing beauty?Why do we allow the media to continue to stuff this crap down our throats when there are actual issues in the world?