What is all the hubbub about?

Entourage is another HBO series that is referenced and discussed a la Sex & the City. Curious about the phenomenon I checked out the tvd even though the local video store only stocked the second season (the owner explained that he has the first season at home). What I found was a dude's delight of living the good life in California complete with Playboy Mansion parties, expensive homes and cars. What failed to capture my attention was the writing, acting or any technical quality that merits comparison to other successful HBO series. So tell me, why is this popular?

Is it the wink-wink knowledge that it is loosely based on Marky Mark Wahlberg's experience with his cronies? Or is it that many enjoy another opportunity to look into the world of celebrities? Feeling disenchanted by the first episodes on the tvd I decided to make use of my time by analyzing subsequent episodes. I put on my anthropological specs to look closer at the party scenes. There are many enhanced bodies scantily clad moving about as extras. My favorite observation was the tail end of one scene at the previously mentioned Hefner pajama party. Cut to women dancing. As the camera pans you first see amazingly toned bodies, a little further you see the normal extras complete with a little flab. Can't spot them? They are the ones doing the stripper dance amongst eachother trying not to look at the camera.