Some people just don’t know when to go away. Or shut up.

And of course, we in the media are more than happy to simply hand them a bigger megaphone, a bigger stage, another opportunity to stay in the spotlight.

That’s what so much of news is today. Nothing really shocks us anymore.
Everything is fair game. Put a camera on someone, or offer them a book deal, and they will pour out their souls, especially if it gets them five minutes on the sofa with Oprah. Or back on the cover of People magazine.

Today’s case involves Mackenzie Phillips. Maybe you remember her. She was the daughter of John Phillips, one of the founders of the ’60s pop group The Mamas and the Papas. Mackenzie starred on the popular ’70s sitcom “One Day at a Time,” older sister to Valerie Bertinelli.

She’s been down this road before, telling us all more than we ever needed to know about her drug use and multiple stabs at rehab.

She’s back with a new book offering. I won’t bother to tell you what she reveals. You won’t have much trouble finding it, if you’re so inclined.

If true, I don’t want to lessen what happened to Mackenzie Phillips. I’m just not sure we need to know all about it now, more than 20 years after it happened.

But that’s not the way this works anymore. We tell all, and ask questions later.

What was once our deepest, darkest secrets are now simply fodder for a best-seller, or for big ratings, or to sell magazines and newspapers.

I was shocked when I first heard Mackenzie Phillips’ saga.

But overall I was consumed with another feeling.

It’s just sad. For all of us.