Celebrity Tattle: Demi Moore 'Breakdown Isn't Surprising,' Expert Says

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Demi Moore 'Breakdown Isn't Surprising,' Expert Says

One celebrity watcher weighs in on the actress' latest personal woes.By Jocelyn Vena (@jocelyn1212)

As more details about Demi Moore's recent hospitalization emerge, celebrity watchers are getting an inside look at the actress' personal life since her split with Ashton Kutcher in November. While some revelations may seem too personal, one expert told MTV News this sort of nothing's-off-limits coverage comes with the territory.

"When you're a celebrity, it's open season for the press to scrutinize every aspect of your life, specifically your personal life. Most celebrities are used to being under the microscope like this, but when the scrutiny involves their personal relationships, especially a split, everything is magnified," celebrity magazine editor David Caplan told MTV News on Friday, just as the 911 call from the night of her health scare hit the Web.

"The scrutiny, the press coverage ... can be very stressful for a celebrity, because the majority of the information being disseminated about the relationship and the split in the press is often highly critical of the celebrity," he added.

Photos: Demi Moore's career evolution.

When one bit of bad news — like a divorce or substance abuse — comes to light, the media has a field day trying to uncover even more dirt.

"As the press seeks to explain why the split occurred, skeletons in a stars' closet are revealed, and demons are revealed. In the case of Demi and Ashton, she was basically humiliated since it came to light that Ashton was blatantly cheating on Demi, with younger women, making Demi look like she was manipulated in the relationship — let alone reports claiming they had an open marriage," Caplan said. "Once this was revealed, the floodgates were open and stories emerged of Demi's alleged low self-esteem, how her partying put strain on the marriage and other aspects about her life. For someone who already seems to be on an emotional roller coaster, this doesn't bode well for Demi's mental health and well-being."

As the Demi story continues to hold the public's interest, expect the focus to also fall on her famous ex. "It's also exacerbated by the fact that Ashton seems to be going on with his life and enjoying himself," Caplan noted. "Combining all this together takes such a mental toll, a breakdown isn't surprising."