Too much of a good thing is still too much, and I have to say that while most of the stars I'm listing here are absolutely wonderful, "all things in moderation" is a healthy motto they should probably get acquainted with. In some cases, their overexposure is not their fault -- all their projects happened to "drop" at once, for various reasons beyond their control -- while in other cases, it's totally their fault because they obviously can't say "no" to anything. In either case, enough! Here are the 10 most overexposed celebs of all (but please don't read it or they'll become even more so):
James Franco
Earlier this year, I published a love letter to Franco, praising his willingness to try just about everything without fear or reservation. I still feel the same way and surely wouldn't throw him out of bed, but I must say I've gotten one too many press releases about movies, plays, poetry books, documentaries, scandals, and art projects with his name on them. James, when I said "just about everything," I didn't mean really everything. Hopefully you'll learn to pick your triumphs -- just like your battles -- but until then, there are way worse people who could be overexposed, so I guess just keep doing what you're doing.
Reese Witherspoon
The Oscar winner for Walk The Line has had a patchy career since then, with some flops mixed in with valiant efforts. But now, it seems, she's taken over the universe. Reese stars in The Good Lie, has another Oscar bid in Wild, and also plays a plum role in Inherent Vice. What's more, while watching Gone Girl, I saw her name go by in the credits -- as a producer! Reese, I know the more you do, the more your ex-husband will go nuts, but what about the rest of us?
Jessica Chastain
It wasn't that long ago that Jessica exploded onto the scene by appearing -- due to scheduling quirks -- in seemingly every movie that was being released that year. She proved herself to be a gifted actor in all of them, but the glut of Jessica was surreal and a little bit unsettling for those of us who prefer to discover new stars in stages. Then, last year, she was in nothing, and you had to wonder if the multiple Oscar nominee had burned out from overexposure. Nope. This year, she stars in The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby (which has been seen as a single film and also as a two-parter), the wildly anticipated Interstellar, and the crime drama A Most Violent Year, plus she toplines the Strindberg adaptation Miss Julie, and her Salome (with Al Pacino) finally surfaced in a one-night showing complete with Q&A and will no doubt be seen again. Sheesh. Even Julia Roberts took a long break at one point.
Meryl Streep
There's no denying Meryl's brilliance, her range, and her wonderful ability to pick choice projects. But does she have to get every role for women of a certain age? This year alone, she's in a musical, a futuristic drama, and a western, for God's sake (though she's not a producer of Gone Girl). I'm surprised she didn't also turn up in Guardians of the Galaxy! Even a younger actress recently told a reporter that Meryl shouldn't land all the roles for mature women. Then again, bear in mind that it was Jessica Chastain!
![Screen Shot 2014-10-29 at 3.00.14 PM.png]()
Iggy Azalea/Rita Ora/Ariana Grande/Nicki Minaj/Charlie XCX/Jessie J
These six ladies, in various combinations, seem to have 11 songs in the top 10. Anyone who listens to -- or watches -- music can't escape them these days because they are completely plugging up the airwaves with their big, combined mishmash of sound. Whether it's "Iggy feat. Rita" or "Nicki feat. Whoever," they're all combo-ing it up for endless permutations that don't allow anyone else onto the charts. And it ain't right.
Ryan Seacrest
The man is everywhere. He's good looking and slick and professional and a bit bland in a way that makes the networks able to plug him into any imaginable format, the way you can throw tofu into any dish you could dream of. From reality shows to entertainment news to New Year's Eve, there's no avoiding Ryan's game-show-like grin. In response, I've stopped watching all television except to occasionally check it out so I can cook up lists like this one.
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Kate Middleton
Here's a typical recent news flash: "The pregnant Duchess of Cambridge is reportedly struggling terribly with severe nausea. It has gotten so bad that she has retreated to her family's home in Berkshire with Prince George, according to a heartbreaking new report." And while I totally empathize and hope Kate gets better, I don't want to hear about it anymore! Spare me every royal bowel movement!
![Screen Shot 2014-10-29 at 2.25.57 PM.png]()
Golden Girls
The '80s sitcom about a trio of lovably sarcastic old bags who create a hormonally active family with a simpleton is the most visible show on TV, popping up on no fewer than three channels. And I couldn't be happier about it! The Girls' bitchy banter and endlessly resourceful problem solving totally holds up, so let's let their overexposure reign forever. In fact, I feel they should be on every channel.
Steve Harvey
Steve's certainly funny, but it seems like his face is there every time I turn on the telly. (Every time it isn't Ryan Seacrest, that is.) And I hate to become an old Puritan, but it's pretty low that the Family Feud answers have gotten so aggressively cheesy. No matter what the question is, the responses these days will involve stuff like "A happy ending" or "Farts like a horse." I never thought the Dickie Dawson years would be looked down as a golden age of taste, but hey.
![Screen Shot 2014-10-29 at 3.08.37 PM.png]()
A certain trashy family
They're on TV. Their every tummy tuck makes headlines. Their weddings get ratings. Their divorces get bigger ones.They are everywhere, and I can't even say the name for fear that by adding to their overexposure, they might explode. Though actually....
James Franco
[Photo by Jimi Celeste/Earlier this year, I published a love letter to Franco, praising his willingness to try just about everything without fear or reservation. I still feel the same way and surely wouldn't throw him out of bed, but I must say I've gotten one too many press releases about movies, plays, poetry books, documentaries, scandals, and art projects with his name on them. James, when I said "just about everything," I didn't mean really everything. Hopefully you'll learn to pick your triumphs -- just like your battles -- but until then, there are way worse people who could be overexposed, so I guess just keep doing what you're doing.
[Photo by Andreas Branch/The Oscar winner for Walk The Line has had a patchy career since then, with some flops mixed in with valiant efforts. But now, it seems, she's taken over the universe. Reese stars in The Good Lie, has another Oscar bid in Wild, and also plays a plum role in Inherent Vice. What's more, while watching Gone Girl, I saw her name go by in the credits -- as a producer! Reese, I know the more you do, the more your ex-husband will go nuts, but what about the rest of us?
[Photo by David Crotty/Jessica Chastain
It wasn't that long ago that Jessica exploded onto the scene by appearing -- due to scheduling quirks -- in seemingly every movie that was being released that year. She proved herself to be a gifted actor in all of them, but the glut of Jessica was surreal and a little bit unsettling for those of us who prefer to discover new stars in stages. Then, last year, she was in nothing, and you had to wonder if the multiple Oscar nominee had burned out from overexposure. Nope. This year, she stars in The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby (which has been seen as a single film and also as a two-parter), the wildly anticipated Interstellar, and the crime drama A Most Violent Year, plus she toplines the Strindberg adaptation Miss Julie, and her Salome (with Al Pacino) finally surfaced in a one-night showing complete with Q&A and will no doubt be seen again. Sheesh. Even Julia Roberts took a long break at one point.
[Photo by Sylvain Gaboury/Meryl Streep
There's no denying Meryl's brilliance, her range, and her wonderful ability to pick choice projects. But does she have to get every role for women of a certain age? This year alone, she's in a musical, a futuristic drama, and a western, for God's sake (though she's not a producer of Gone Girl). I'm surprised she didn't also turn up in Guardians of the Galaxy! Even a younger actress recently told a reporter that Meryl shouldn't land all the roles for mature women. Then again, bear in mind that it was Jessica Chastain!
Iggy Azalea/Rita Ora/Ariana Grande/Nicki Minaj/Charlie XCX/Jessie JThese six ladies, in various combinations, seem to have 11 songs in the top 10. Anyone who listens to -- or watches -- music can't escape them these days because they are completely plugging up the airwaves with their big, combined mishmash of sound. Whether it's "Iggy feat. Rita" or "Nicki feat. Whoever," they're all combo-ing it up for endless permutations that don't allow anyone else onto the charts. And it ain't right.
[Photo by David Crotty/Ryan Seacrest
The man is everywhere. He's good looking and slick and professional and a bit bland in a way that makes the networks able to plug him into any imaginable format, the way you can throw tofu into any dish you could dream of. From reality shows to entertainment news to New Year's Eve, there's no avoiding Ryan's game-show-like grin. In response, I've stopped watching all television except to occasionally check it out so I can cook up lists like this one.
Kate MiddletonHere's a typical recent news flash: "The pregnant Duchess of Cambridge is reportedly struggling terribly with severe nausea. It has gotten so bad that she has retreated to her family's home in Berkshire with Prince George, according to a heartbreaking new report." And while I totally empathize and hope Kate gets better, I don't want to hear about it anymore! Spare me every royal bowel movement!
Golden GirlsThe '80s sitcom about a trio of lovably sarcastic old bags who create a hormonally active family with a simpleton is the most visible show on TV, popping up on no fewer than three channels. And I couldn't be happier about it! The Girls' bitchy banter and endlessly resourceful problem solving totally holds up, so let's let their overexposure reign forever. In fact, I feel they should be on every channel.
[Photo by Paul Bruinooge/Steve Harvey
Steve's certainly funny, but it seems like his face is there every time I turn on the telly. (Every time it isn't Ryan Seacrest, that is.) And I hate to become an old Puritan, but it's pretty low that the Family Feud answers have gotten so aggressively cheesy. No matter what the question is, the responses these days will involve stuff like "A happy ending" or "Farts like a horse." I never thought the Dickie Dawson years would be looked down as a golden age of taste, but hey.
A certain trashy family
They're on TV. Their every tummy tuck makes headlines. Their weddings get ratings. Their divorces get bigger ones.They are everywhere, and I can't even say the name for fear that by adding to their overexposure, they might explode. Though actually....