Celebrities?

Often wonder that myself TF.  I wouldn't give them airtime.

Hi TF

Most of this type of 'celebrity' come from the reality TV trend: Big Brother, The Only Way is Essex, Geordie Shore, Ex on the Beach... etc etc.  In the US, some of the most famous 'career-less' celebrities gained their fame after sex tapes were 'mistakenly' publicised (Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton both became famous and subsequently starred in their own reality TV shows after sex tapes went viral).  Also the offspring of the rich and famous don't need to do anything to become a 'celebrity'... Nicole Richie, the Eccleston girls etc... all often pictured by the non-news press and reported on as if they are relevant to society.

It's an odd state of affairs but society celebrates and financially rewards well known people, hence people seek fame in itself, and our culture has allowed those seeking celebrity status to reach it without cause.  No work or talent required, just be prepared to flash flesh and share your embarrassing moments with the world.

One thing I would say, some of these people are shrewd, educated and intelligent.. but they know that won't help them reach their goal.  What we see in the media does not necessarily represent the real person.  So they may well have a great passion for history or geography, but it's not relevant to achieving their goal of fame and money.

Lily Allen wrote a great song about this phenomenon (though some would argue she is talentless and her celebrity status was faciliated by being the daughter of a celebrity):

I want to be rich and I want lots of money
I don't care about clever I don't care about funny
I want loads of clothes and ****loads of diamonds
I heard people die while they are trying to find them

And I'll take my clothes off and it will be shameless
'Cause everyone knows that's how you get famous.

[Pre-chorus:]
I'll look at the sun and I'll look in the mirror
I'm on the right track, yeah I'm on to a winner.

[Chorus:]
I don't know what's right and what's real anymore
And I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore
And when do you think it will all become clear?
'Cause I'm being taken over by the fear

Life's about film stars and less about mothers
It's all about fast cars and cussing each other
But it doesn't matter cause I'm packing plastic
And that's what makes my life so ****ing fantastic

And I am a weapon of massive consumption
And it's not my fault it's how I'm programmed to function

[Pre-chorus]

[Chorus]

Forget about guns and forget ammunition
'Cause I'm killing them all on my own little mission
Now I'm not a saint but I'm not a sinner
Now everything's cool as long as I'm getting thinner

Fully agree TF you only have to look at so called "Celebrity" editions of shows such as Bake off etc to see the point. I watched a so called celeb special of Mastermind a few weeks ago and I didn't know one person on it they were all Z listers

I agree too TF and not really sure why so many people read newspapers at all - I gave them up years ago and on the odd occasion I pick one up it makes me realise I haven't missed much!  However I do get the local rag once a week - and that's not a lot of cop either!  Must have something to light the fire with! 

I'm sure it is a social media phenomenon.  So called celebrities are praised so much in social media that they achieve on - line status much higher than their talent warrants. 

This is picked up by celebrity chasers and so the myth becomes self perpetuating. 

K 

It would be good sometime if a brave interviewer had the spherical objects to actually say to a so called celebrity  "now tell me .............What was it exactly that you did, to warrant the title of Celebrity?"  They would probably lose their job but become a National hero overnight!

TF

Very often if we watch a program with celebrities in it I have to google their names to find out who they are

I wonder sometimes, why they get given gongs, when compared with those that have put their life on the line for us.

Thanks for the comprehensive explanation Axwj29 

Cheers

Bugs