Tired of Paris and Britney? You're Not Alone

Nov. 18, 2008— -- All press is good press, the old adage goes. This does not apply to Paris Hilton.

The celebutante's every move, from her club-hopping to her jail stint to her search for a new best friend has proved fodder for the flashbulbs and celebrity press. But what has the incessant coverage garnered her? Eye rolls--and worse, audience disinterest.

In fact, 65 percent of the U.S. population would use the term "overexposed" to describe Hilton, according to Los Angeles-based E-Poll Market Research, which provides "appeal" rankings for nearly 4,500 celebrities. To put that in perspective, most celebrities average between 3 percent and 7 percent on the E-Poll celebrity index during the peak of their careers.

Click here to learn more about Hollywood's overexposed celebrities at our partner site, Forbes.com.

But Hilton isn't the only star to have worn out her public welcome. Audiences have tired of Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan and Pamela Anderson, among others. And while overexposure may have less to do with the precise number of headlines than it does the public's perception, the 10 celebrities on our list have proved that familiarity can, and does, breed contempt.

So who's to blame for the media onslaught and the fatigue that follows?

"Is it the paparazzi's fault? They contribute," says Lori Levine, chief executive of talent brokering firm Flying Television. "Is it the insatiable appetite of the American public? That contributes. Is it the invention and obsession with YouTube? Yes, that contributes too."

And don't forget the growing list of spotlight-seeking stars that chase the flashbulbs as much--if not more--than the flashbulbs chase them. Consider Lohan, third on our list, who seems to make a habit of migrating to paparazzi stalking grounds like Les Deux, Villa and trendy eatery Katsuya.

Star Editor-in-Chief Candace Trunzo says that if celebrities don't want to line the pages of her magazine, they don't have to. "By and large, if you really want to be a private person and live a private life, you can do it," she says, citing Johnny Depp as an example.