Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's Date Night

So what do you do when the tabloids are sweating buckets to be the first to get the split stories out about your relationship before the next sun rise?

Why, you make a very public appearance, that's what. Which is exactly what Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie did last night at the Director's Guild of America Awards in Los Angeles.

Those present, according to People.com, say that Brad and Angelina were "definitely on a date" and appeared to be having great fun as they chatted up Inglorious Bastard's director, Quentin Tarantino.

There to introduce, Quentin, onlookers say Brad Pitt was very attentive and loving to Angelina through-out the night. Hey, he had even trimmed up his scraggly face hair for the evening as well. What a guy, huh?

So, it appears that if the tabloids and rag mags are salivating for the next piece of "rumor meat" to get tossed their way, they may be waiting a long time. Though the appearance of the sexy love birds certainly hasn't stopped WalesOnline from continuing to report the imminent break-up. Apparently, they say, Angelina thinks "Brad is toxic" and Brad thinks Angelina "Needs a psychiatrist". Like I've wanted to know for days, how the hell do these people know?

Rather than continue to take the low road (like the rest of us banging out break-up stories as fast as our sweaty little fingers can type) the Telegraph UK has printed a high-brow, 3,000 word expose' on the world's fascination with celebrity and celebrity gossip as it relates to the Brangelina break-up story that doesn't end. (Hmm...does anyone else smell hypocritical irony?)

As far as the validity of the stories on whether Brad and Angie are in public relations over-drive, well, it's been reported more than once over the years that Angelina Jolie likes to control her press. But, who's going to condemn her for that? I would certainly do it if in her shoes and could get away with it, I suppose.

Besides, she's in good company. Many others have been known to want to control their press coverage as well. (Barack Obama anybody?)

In 2008, The New York Times business section (yes, you read that right. I said business section) ran a story that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt very carefully crafted the image they wanted the public to see and used large sums of money to persuade members of the press to do it. No waaaay!! Really??? Well, I told you it was in the business section didn't I? Deal. Money. Sounds like business to me. Anyway.

The story said, that for a price, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt would allow certain publications access to their lives provided that the coverage they received was positive. The prime recipient of that deal? People Magazine. Of course, People Magazine, patently denied the story. What else?

But, hasn't it been People Magazine that has been the first to come out with the contradictory stories to the past week's flurry of reporting of an impending break-up? No?

Isn't People Magazine also reporting today, then, about the affectionate and attentive Brad Pitt towards his lady love, Angelina Jolie at the Director's Guild of America Awards in Los Angeles, last night? Gushing, they were "clearly on a date?" And finally, should we care?

Well, in a perfect world, probably not. But, I guess it gets down to this: Hollywood has long been the master of illusion (forget David Blaine, Chris Angel and David Copperfield. We've got celebrities, people). For decades, even.

In the 1930's, 40's, 50's and 60's, it was the studio heads who crafted the images for the stars they owned. For years they covered up the drug and alcohol addiction of Judy Garland and it wasn't until she died of a drug and alcohol over-dose that the truth began to come out.

Rock Hudson was every woman's fantasy until it was revealed in the 1980's that he was gay and dying of Aids. Drop dead, gorgeous, Tad Hunter was gay. Didn't know that did you?

Everybody's favorite attorney, Perry Mason, played by Raymond Burr was gay and there have even been rumblings that the ever macho James Dean was gay as well; though those rumors have never been completely substantiated.

The point is Hollywood and studio heads have been in the business of crafting and controlling image and public relations for celebrities for a very long time. So, if in fact, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have been engaging in "damage control for a price", they are certainly not the first, nor will they be the last to do it.

When this story first broke last weekend, I was all over like 'white on rice' as we say in the South. But, I did say that I really hoped, for the sake of their children, they can keep it together. I still hope that.

I hope that all of this brew-ha-ha is just that, brew-ha-ha and that Brad and Angie can become the next Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward and make it last a lifetime.

Besides, Hollywood has always been good at manufacturing love stories. It would be nice if one of them were actually real.

Sources: Fox News Article: Angelina Jolie's Freedom of the Press

People.Com Article: Brad and Angelina's Affectionate Night Out

WalesOnline Article: The Break-Up of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

Telegraph UK Article: Angelina and Brad - the power couple who blew a fuse