After reading this, please don’t judge me. Following months of lying and deception, I feel like I need to get this secret off my chest.

I have a subscription to “US Weekly.” I’m not proud of it, but I can no longer hide my gossip magazine behind my schoolbook.

My embarrassing social devotion goes beyond flipping through the “trashy” magazines as I wait in line at the grocery store. It has almost grown into an obsession.

Am I addicted? I’m scared to say.

Thank God I don’t wake up in the morning and pop a “People” to get my day started. And when I’m having problems in a relationship, I don’t turn to “In Touch” to drown my sorrows. So for now, I think I am in the clear.

Some people have MySpace and Facebook. I devote my online time to Perez Hilton.

What does it say about our society when two years ago a nobody by the name of Mario Lavandeira can change his name to a play on a famous heiresses’ name, and skyrocket to fame by blogging about everything Hollywood. Are we pathetic? Am I?

I might be, but at least I am woman enough to admit it. People who have cable television might have noticed channel 28 for the Fresno area. E! delivers everything pop culture, from celebrity news to the E! True Hollywood Story. Yes people, this is serious journalism.

The station even has a nightly news segment. Instead of the week’s weather forecast, Ryan Seacrest delivers whether or not Eva Longoria is pregnant.

Do I care that Britney got her visitation rights back to see her children?

I kind of do.

I’m not a bad person, just curious. It didn’t keep me up at night, but it did keep me checking the gossip sites.

Heck, I remember when Britney was spotted dining in Clovis. It was exciting, you intellectuals know it. Although her talent is questionable, she did used to captivate millions. She was America’s sweetheart for a time; now she has turned into a train wreck, and I can’t help but rubber neck.

Some people can argue that I could be doing a lot better things with my time, and money for that matter. How about you don’t check your MySpace for once and I won’t read the gossip columns for a day?

Didn’t think so.

Like the belligerent one in the room, I too can be the life of the party with my vast knowledge of everything pop culture. Six-degrees of Kevin Bacon anyone?

Interest in people’s lives now goes beyond magazines and television shows. Recently, VH1 hosted the 2nd annual World Series of Pop Culture. I am not alone in my problem.

Maybe my pseudo-addiction really isn’t a problem at all. Of course it isn’t as serious as an alcohol, drug or tobacco problem, but for some people it might just be.

Where is my Betty Ford clinic? My patch to put on my arm? I don’t get a 12-step program for Gossip Anonymous.

In no way am I making light of these addictions, but the next time you see me checking Perez Hilton, please don’t make the faces and point your nose to the sky.

I saw you checking your comments five minutes ago.