What makes a 'Celebrity'?

The dictionary definition of a celebrity is thus: "A celebrity is a widely-recognised or famous person who commands a high degree of public and media attention. The word stems from the Latin adjective celeber meaning famous or celebrated. While fame is generally considered a necessary precondition for celebrity status, it is not always sufficient. There has to be a level of public interest in the person, which may or may not be connected to the reason they are famous."

In the past, people who were regarded as celebrities were garnered from various professions including movie and tv actors, pop and rock musicians, and famous comedians.

These were all people who in some way entertained us, the public. To a lesser degree, tv presenters sometimes would rank as celebrities because of their constant exposure, and top politicians hit the limelights maybe because of good or bad judgements that affected us all.

These days all it takes to become a 'celebrity' is to appear on a 'reality' tv show. They don't have to have achieved anything, or strived for years to accomplish something historical or life-enhancing. They simply have to be chosen to appear in a show such as 'Big Brother' or 'Survivor', and suddenly they become the darlings of the Western World. Why? What is it about these tv shows that completely captivates millions of regular viewers? Is it because they identify with the ordinariness of the individuals concerned, or is it just a fascination for 'fly-on-the-wall' tv?
I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that we have evolved into a state of 'celebrity culture'. I think there is a hardcore of people within the general public who now genuinely believe that they too could become celebrities, and with it enjoy fame, wealth and unending personal happiness. It's never going to happen for the majority of these people, but the dream is ever prevalent.

There are shows involving chefs, gardeners, interior decorators, diet gurus and hairdressers. They may only achieve C-list celebrity in the hierarchy, but that is enough to get their ugly mugs into the tabloid press, or the spate of magazines that pander to this new-found culture. On a recent 'Celebrity Big Brother', one of the main 'stars' was Jade Goody, whose only claim to fame is that she appeared on a previous Big Brother show. The producers dragged in her whole family at various points, such was the fascination for a jarring East End 'reality'. It seems that the ones with the least intelligence are thrown onto this pseudo-pedestal of fame all in the name of audience ratings. If they shout, scream and fight, the producers are rubbing their hands with glee. Throw in a small-time criminal or at least someone with a couple of ASBOs under their belt, and they are practically hailed as modern day heroes!

(Thanks to friends Lee, and Harvey, for the inspiration to whinge about this subject! LOL)