Indeed she is, because if one accepts the premise (that a celebrity can have an impact on the behaviour of her fans) then it doesn't matter that she herself is wasteful. A doctor, for instance, might overwork herself in order to do the research that shows that overworking is bad for your health. It doesn't matter that her own actions contradict the prescription they generate. You could argue that Streisand's entourage does not contribute to her celebrity status, but a more sympathetic look would show that these trappings are as much a part of celebrity as overworking is a part (these days) of research.
The bottom line is that News Outlet Y is not adding anything of real value to the discussion, but indulging in "Gotcha" gossip. You get this sort of shallow journalism and analysis on a frequent basis: the "exposé"s on rockers who "rock the vote" but do not vote themselves, the Henwoods (and others listed by Heartfield) who believe in global warming but use aeroplanes, the "leftists" who are unwilling to spend their money on charity for those (the poor, the working class, etc) they claim to argue in favour of, etc, etc.
Hypocrisy is over-rated as a technique for hypothesis verification,
--ravi
This shouldn't need further explication, but clearly if this buy Bercovici can get published, it does need to be done:
In fact, Laurie David using recycled toilet paper (while still flying in private jets) is exactly the right thing. Her value is propaganda regarding particular choices, the ones that are available to the masses whose behaviour (choice) *can* make a difference. Here's a hint: private jets are not one of them.
<this space left for Carrol's comments on "individual consumption choices"> ;-)