Why are people so obsessed with 'celebrities'

[Kathyan]

I can't understand why some people are so obsessed with so called 'celebrities'. Who cares what they are doing, I certainly don't. I don't buy goods just because they are advertised by someone 'famous' and I don't buy magazines just because of who is on the cover! Why do people want to look like or wear the same clothes as these overpaid nobodies? I just don't get it.

[4getmenot]

I know what you mean, I hate all the magazines like Heat etc. I prefer to read Pick me up with real life stories and some puzzles to keep me occupied. I'm more interested in gossip round our town than any in the media :-)

[andy-hughes]

I understand what you say Kathyan but there is a massive market out there comprised of people who really do care what celebritis wear, think, and do.

It's the result of a far more sophisticated media than was available in the past, combined with the upsurge in 'reality' telvision and media. It is totally the opposite from the original 'star' culture, when movie icons were ... idolised ... and people envied their sophisticated lifestyles. Now, the media delight in showing 'celbrities' - not the same as stars at all - 'warts and all', almost to comfort the public by showing that all that money, wealth, and good looks doesn;t make celebs happy, or even look that good some of the time. It panders to human nature, and twists and turns with the vagiaries of the culture involved.

Oh, the difference between a star and a celebrity? Easy, Chantelle is a celebrity, Mick Jagger is a star - it's not hard to work out the difference.

[brionon]

To use a phrase from a few years ago, they need to 'Get a Life'.

[surfer mike]

Agree with you kathyan, its so sad.

Someone called Jade goody has just written her autobiography, apparently she appeared on big brother..

Gawd help us and this awful junk tabloid culture we all inhabit..

[spudqueen]

Yes, I totally agree with you Kathyan, I never read the type of magazines that would feature celebrities, and why on earth they use them to advertise certain things I have no idea, who believes that Mel (from Des and Mel) shops at Matalan? Though I must admit that I am useless at the picture round in our local quiz!

[Trojanfarce]

Totally agree, but it's not just celebs is it?

Carrying on Surfer's theme:

That ugly, talentless, fat, ugly, annoying, ugly, stupid (immensely), woman Jade Goody - Just how the hell has someone like that achieved the status of 'celebrity'? She couldn't find her own 4rse with both hands, a map and a searchlight (and it's the size of Malta, fer Crissakes), let alone find the word 'celebrity' in a dictionary. And she's 'written' an autobiography? Jesus wept. If there's any words of more than one syllable in it, someone should sue for false advertising.

[surfer mike]

So true.

[Champagne]

I'm in agreement with AH. It's the upsurge in media which is to blame. I've really noticed a massive difference in the past 5 years alone. Suddenly everybody wants to be a celebrity and all you have to do is sleep with a footballer and get a good PR agent and you are one! I don't own a television set or buy gossip magazines but it's still in my face.

Another example is a friend of mine who is awestruck around celebrities. He doesn't want to be famous at all, but when I took him to a movie premiere he was gobsmacked and practically wanted to stalk anyone that he'd seen on tv! It was really rather incredible to watch, in a pathetic sort of way.

[aquadee]

In our own little lives we have so many ups and downs - sometimes we need more money - sometimes we get spots or cellulite - we long for a nicer bigger house or car or holiday etc. The 'celebs' or 'stars' are portrayed as having all that we would like a taste of. So some people do like knowing what they are upto when they aren't 'performing' their role on telly - we get a very small taste of their imperfections, and that in theory makes us feel better about our own lives.