TOW #24: "The Unsettling Thing About Ellen" by Steven Kurutz

            When one amasses as much wealth as modern celebrities of Los Angeles do, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that some extravagant spending might take place. Ellen DeGeneres, talk show host and comedian, validates this supposition through her long list of real estate ventures. In an article published in the New York Times titled “The Unsettling Thing About Ellen,” Steven Kurutz details how the star’s interest in architecture and interior design has led her to make a number of pricy purchases on properties from all over California. Now an experienced home designer, Ellen usually takes charge of arranging the décor in her houses, which include paintings by Cy Twombly and Jean Prouve lamps.

            Because this article was published specifically in the Home and Garden section of the New York Times, there is a good chance that its readers will enjoy it. Although the New York Times has a reputation for reporting on national and global conflicts, the audience of this article is most likely made up of adults with a hobby relating to interior or exterior design, given its context. The author, Steven Kurutz, has many articles in the NY Times that cover art-related topics, so he has a level of credibility in writing this story.

            One notable rhetorical device in this article was the author’s asides that were dotted throughout the article. When describing DeGeneres’ solemn attitude towards her former Malibu beach house, Kurutz wrote, “‘I would just stare at it’ from the window, Ms. DeGeneres said, a metaphor for modern celebrity if there ever was one.” The accompanying description to Ellen’s quote expands the horizons of the article, and asks the reader to consider the life of fame that Ellen endures, which at times may not be as fun as designing your own house.

            Kurutz’s purpose therefore might be larger than romanticizing Ellen’s real estate life; it attempts to give readers an accurate glimpse of Hollywood life, specifically through Dengeneres’ eyes. I believe this purpose was achieved, because of how Kurutz’s both told the story of house buying and media attention for a celebrity.