Welcome Boost for Brand Brangelina: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are engaged

It was the news that the fans had been waiting for seven anxious years: the most glamorous couple of Hollywood are to get married at some point in time in future – finally.

It was the jeweller, who is said to have designed and made the diamond-encrusted ring, leaked the story to the media, which was confirmed by Brad Pitt’s manager later on; Brad Pitt, 48 and Angelina Jolie, 36, are officially engaged and well on course to become husband and wife.

Fans, some of who are prone to go streetwise at the excitement, are saying that Brad and Angelina are going to be an item. With six kids in between, two of whom are adopted, and a relatively steady romance by Hollywood standard, they already were always an item – but without the official zeal.

With that, seven years of cohabitation - and some aspects of the hyperactive rumour mill - are set to come to an end. Since the couple is tight-lipped about the exact date of the big event, the wedding, fans have to await a few more nail-biting weeks – or months – until the pair makes the closely-guarded secret known to the whole world.

Having been accustomed to resisting the name the corner that they stand in the matrimonial podium for years, the couple finally has an opportunity, in addition to what the union inevitably will shower them with, to prove cynics wrong, who stubbornly think that any celebrity marriage is all about three rings: engagement ring, wedding ring and suffering.

According to the personal jeweller, Brad Pitt had been actively engaged in the design of the expensive engagement ring until it was produced to his satisfaction.

Mr Pitt is no stranger to displaying enthusiasm, when it comes to choosing, designing and in the end, paying handsomely, for rings; he did the same when he decided to be engaged to Jennifer Aniston, his former wife. So, there is no surprise at the nickname that he earned thanks to the laborious activity; for many, he is the real Lord of the Rings.

The couple who publicly declared a few years ago that they would not wed until everyone in America can do so – referring to the obstacles facing gay marriages – now cites the pressure from the kids as the sole reason for the sudden change of stance. The argument of the kids, according to Angelina Jolie, is pretty simple: if Shrek and Princess Fiona in the animated movie, Shrek, can do it, why can’t mummy and daddy? So, Brad and Angelina decided to have a go.

Angelina, who has unpleasant memories for being former Mrs Lee Miller and Mrs Thornton respectively in real life, showed her reluctance to just embrace the perception of ‘third time lucky’, time and again, by being very flippant about the need of official endorsement of the marriage as long as the two grown-ups in the relationship in question are in love and committed. However, now that they are engaged, she will certainly toe the line, in order not to contradict his husband-to-be, Brad Pitt; it is kids who are to blame!

No sooner had the news become public than the media went on overdrive: for those who spot the traces of gospel in the gossip, it is going to be the media event of the century; for some, it is the Hollywood equivalent of Windsor’s – wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton; then, there are people who love to extract spiritual equivalent of nectar by speculating about a catalogue of things ranging from the venue of the wedding to what Angelina would wear on her third big day; over-zealous media moguls, meanwhile, have vowed not to rest until every single detail that matters to them, is known.

It is not just Angelina Jolie whose moves are under intense scrutiny. Bradd Pitt cannot find any consolation in dealing with the media pressure either: will he keep his long hair? Clean-shaven or goatee? Who will be the best man? Will Jennifer be in the guest list?

In short, as some anticipated, there is the potential for the birth of a baby empire within the media empire, thanks to the rare media event. That is not all. If the Americans are so lucky, it may even pull them out of the lingering economic woes and will show them the long-winded path to recovery, as soon as the couple start walking down the aisle. We cannot underestimate the American ability to spot selling-potential in any real life drama.

- Asian Tribune –

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