Mia Freedman Wednesday 2 November 2011 10:59am

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What a strange juxtaposition we have in the news this week. No pictures of the terrified, desperate asylum seekers who drowned when their 9m leaky wooden boat sunk on its way to Australia crammed with 70 people including many children. And a stampede of media to greet a brunette girl who first became famous because of a sex video and has since cleverly built herself into one of the most powerful and recognisable brands in the Western world.

Honestly? I’m interested in both. We are certainly not walking any high ground at Mamamia. We covered Kim Kardashian’s divorce announcement yesterday just like everyone else. We run galleries about her regularly and later today we have a terrific post from journalist Alissa Warren about the phenomenon that IS the Kardashians, trying to objectively understand how someone can be so famous…..for being famous. How that cycle is able to amplify itself so exponentially.

I’ve been watching a bit of Celebrity Apprentice and thinking a little bit about what it means to be a ‘celebrity’. As has Deni Hines and Polly from The Block who had the most absurd argument about it.

Maybe we just all need some levity. Maybe celebrities – certainly the Kardashians – are like Barbie Dolls for grown women. We like to look at them and follow the storybook narratives of their lives. It’s a form of escapism. But it’s pretty sobering when your child asks “how do you become famous?” and you don’t know how to reply.

Back to the asylum seekers who have died, I’ve almost not been able to listen to the news this morning, I cannot bear the cynical and opportunistic politicking that will go on. It’s heartless. I accidentally caught Immigration Minister Chris Bowen giving a radio interview where he spoke of ‘removing the incentives for people who come by boat. Incentives? I can only imagine how desperate you would have to be to climb onto a shitty little boat, leaving everyone you love and everything you own behind you in search of safety for yourself and your family.

Where possible death at sea and certain imprisonment behind razor wire – probably for years, even if you have children with you – is preferable to living in your current circumstances.

If you haven’t already read this post, 10 things you need to understand about asylum seekers, I recommend it. Lots of important, factual information in there for when you inevitably come across someone who sprouts rubbish about ‘queue jumping’ etc.

Now – here’s how things have been looking in the office this week – we’ve had lots of new people starting and I’ve moved offices and it feels fresh and novel. MM’s news editor Rick put this gallery together. He’s good with a camera and a caption…..

Our own fashions on the field (office) were won by Mia's jacket, to be frank.

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Tonight, I’m launching Jessica Rudd’s second novel Ruby Blues and I need to finish my speech!

And finally, our very own Digital Marketing Manager Matt (who you can follow on Twitter here) is in the running to be the Clinique It Guy. The competition closes on Friday – we’ve all been voting for him and we’d love for you to vote for him too. You can do so here.

So how has your week been? What’s on your mind?