Editing Celebrity

{{Short description|Fame in mass media}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Redirect|Television personalities|the band|Television Personalities}}
{{Redirect|Star (person)|people named Star|Star (name)}}
{{pp-semi-indef}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2012}}
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| image1            = Beyoncé - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - 1st June 2023 (10 of 118) (52946364598) (best crop).jpg
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| image2            = Lionel Messi in 2018.jpg
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| image3            = Taylor Swift at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards (3).png
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| image4            = US Army welcomes Gordon Ramsay to Fort Irwin (cropped).jpg
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| image5            = Iman 1996.jpg
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| image6            = Rupert Murdoch 2011 Shankbone 3.JPG
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| footer            = Various celebrities, from top, left to right: [[Beyoncé]] • [[Lionel Messi]] • [[Taylor Swift]] • [[Gordon Ramsay]] • [[Iman (model)|Iman]] • [[Rupert Murdoch]]
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'''Celebrity''' is a condition of fame and broad public recognition of a person or group due to the attention given to them by [[mass media]]. The word is also used to refer to famous individuals. A person may attain celebrity status by having great [[wealth]], participation in sports or the entertainment industry, their position as a political figure, or even their connection to another celebrity. 'Celebrity' usually implies a favorable public image, as opposed to the neutrals 'famous' or 'notable', or the negatives 'infamous' and 'notorious'.<ref name = "I want to be famous ">{{cite news |title= I want to be famous|url= https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/apr/17/i-want-to-be-famous |publisher= Celebbuzz|date= April 17, 2010|access-date=November 17, 2011|location=London|first=Emma|last=Brockes}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Western world kids want to grow up to be famous |url=http://www.news1130.com/news/local/article/304123--western-world-kids-want-to-grow-up-to-be-famous |publisher=[[News1130]] |date=November 28, 2011 |access-date=December 25, 2011 |location=Vancouver |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120101230510/http://www.news1130.com/news/local/article/304123--western-world-kids-want-to-grow-up-to-be-famous |archive-date=January 1, 2012 |df=mdy }}</ref>

==History==
In his 2020 book ''Dead Famous: An Unexpected History Of Celebrity'', British historian [[Greg Jenner]] uses the definition:
{{blockquote|Celebrity (noun): a unique persona made widely known to the public via media coverage, and whose life is publicly consumed as dramatic entertainment, and whose commercial brand is made profitable for those who exploit their popularity, and perhaps also for themselves.<ref name="jenner">{{cite book |last1=Jenner |first1=Greg |title=Dead Famous: An Unexpected History of Celebrity from Bronze Age to Silver Screen |date=2020 |isbn=978-0297869801 |url=https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Dead-Famous-Celebrity-Greg-Jenner/dp/0297869809/ref=smi_www_rco2_go_smi_g5447869900?_encoding=UTF8&%2AVersion%2A=1&%2Aentries%2A=0&ie=UTF8#reader_B07VTMZGGQ |access-date=24 May 2020 |chapter=Introduction|publisher=Weidenfeld & Nicolson }}</ref>}}

Although his book is subtitled "from Bronze Age to Silver Screen", and despite the fact that "Until very recently, sociologists argued that ''celebrity'' was invented just over 100 years ago, in the flickering glimmer of early Hollywood" and the suggestion that some medieval saints might qualify, Jenner asserts that the earliest celebrities lived in the early 1700s, his first example being [[Henry Sacheverell]].<ref name=jenner /><ref name="dabhoiwala">{{cite news |last1=Dabhoiwala |first1=Fara |title=Dead Famous by Greg Jenner review – a joyous history of celebrity |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/mar/18/dead-famous-by-greg-jenner-review |access-date=24 May 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=18 March 2020}}</ref>

[[File:Choregos actors MAN Napoli Inv9986.jpg|thumb|[[Choregos]] and theater actors, from the [[House of the Tragic Poet]], [[Pompeii]], Italy. [[Naples National Archeological Museum]].]]
[[Athlete]]s in [[Ancient Greece]] were welcomed home as heroes, had songs and poems written in their honor, and received free food and gifts from those seeking [[celebrity endorsement]].<ref>{{Cite book|title = Ancient Greek Athletics|last = Miller|first = Stephen|publisher = Yale University Press|year = 2004|isbn = 0-300-11529-6}}</ref> [[Ancient Rome]] similarly lauded actors and notorious gladiators, and [[Julius Caesar]] appeared on a coin in his own lifetime (a departure from the usual depiction of battles and divine lineage).<ref name=BBC>{{Cite web|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1777554.stm|title = A brief history of celebrity|date = April 4, 2003|access-date = June 8, 2014|website = BBC News|publisher = BBC}}</ref>

In the early 12th century, [[Thomas Becket]] became famous following his murder, the first possible case of posthumous popularity. The Christian Church promoted him as a martyr, and images of him and scenes from his life became widespread in just a few years. In a pattern often repeated, what started as an explosion of popularity (often referred to with the suffix 'mania') turned into long-lasting fame: pilgrimages to Canterbury Cathedral, where he was killed, became instantly fashionable, and the fascination with his life and death inspired plays and films.

[[File:Charles Dickens - Project Gutenberg eText 13103.jpg|thumb|left|upright|The reaction at [[Charles Dickens]]'s public readings, where "people sometimes fainted at his shows", have been compared to those of a contemporary pop star.<ref>{{cite news |first=Matt |last=Shinn |title=Stage frights |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2004/jan/31/theatre.classics |date=31 January 2004 |access-date=12 September 2019 |work=The Guardian |archive-date=4 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104173933/https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2004/jan/31/theatre.classics |url-status=live }}</ref>]]
The cult of personality (particularly in the west) can be traced back to the Romantics in the 18th century,<ref>{{cite book|title = A Short History of Celebrity|last = Inglis |first = Fred|publisher = Princeton University Press|date  = 2010 | isbn = 9780691135625}}</ref> whose livelihood as artists and poets depended on the currency of their reputation. [[Lord Byron]] became a celebrity in 1812 after the publication of the first two cantos of ''[[Childe Harold's Pilgrimage]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bostridge |first1=Mark |title=On the trail of the real Lord Byron |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/on-the-trail-of-the-real-lord-byron-126324.html |access-date=30 January 2025 |work=The Independent on Sunday |date=3 November 2002}}</ref> "I awoke one morning and found myself famous," he said.<ref>{{cite book|first=Thomas|last=Moore|chapter=Letters and Journals of Lord Byron, 1830, volume 1|title=The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Quotations|editor-first=Susan|editor-last=Ratcliffe|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|location=Oxford, England|date=2006|url=http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t91.e416}}</ref>  According to McGann: "He rapidly became the most brilliant star in the dazzling world of [[Regency era|Regency]] London."<ref>{{Cite web |last=McGann |first=Jerome |date=23 September 2004 |title=Byron, George Gordon Noel, sixth Baron Byron |url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-4279 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20231004172753/https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-4279 |archive-date=Oct 4, 2023 | url-status=live |access-date=30 January 2025 |website=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography}}</ref>

Establishing cultural hot spots became important in generating fame, such as in London and Paris in the 18th and 19th centuries. Newspapers started including "gossip" columns,<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelprestype/news/concisehistbritnews/britnews19th/ |title = Concise History of the British Newspaper in the Nineteenth Century |publisher = British Library |access-date = June 21, 2014 |archive-date = December 3, 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171203234400/http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelprestype/news/concisehistbritnews/britnews19th/ |url-status = dead }}</ref> and certain clubs and events became places to be seen to receive publicity. [[David Lodge (author)|David Lodge]] called [[Charles Dickens]] the "first writer to feel the intense pressure of being simultaneously an artist and an object of unrelenting public interest and adulation", and Juliet John backed up the claim for Dickens "to be called the first self-made global media star of the age of mass culture."<ref>{{cite news |title=Charles Dickens and Fame vs. Celebrity |url=https://daily.jstor.org/charles-dickens-and-fame-vs-celebrity/ |access-date=11 May 2022 |agency=JSTOR Daily}}</ref>

Theatrical actors were often considered celebrities. Restaurants near theaters, where actors would congregate, began putting up caricatures or photographs of actors on [[celebrity wall]]s in the late 19th century.<ref name="whitaker">Jan Whitaker, "Faces on the wall", ''Restaurant-ing through history'', blog, [https://restaurant-ingthroughhistory.com/2016/09/11/faces-on-the-wall/ September 11, 2016]<!-- Whitaker is an established subject-matter expert (cf. [[WP:SPS]]), a social historian with several published books on restaurant history -- see https://us.macmillan.com/author/janwhitaker/ --></ref> The subject of widespread public and media interest, [[Lillie Langtry]], made her [[West End theatre]] debut in 1881 causing a sensation in London by becoming the first [[socialite]] to appear on stage.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lillie Langtry British actress |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lillie-Langtry |access-date=3 March 2022 |work=Encyclopedia Britannica}}</ref> The following year she became the poster-girl for [[Pears (soap)|Pears Soap]], becoming the first celebrity to endorse a commercial product.<ref>{{cite news |title=When Celebrity Endorsers Go Bad |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/opinions/2002/02/03/when-celebrity-endorsers-go-bad/260776e6-d38c-4319-b683-eb466c499dce/ |first1= Richard |last1=Morin |date=February 3, 2002 |access-date=2 March 2022 |newspaper=The Washington Post|quote=British actress Lillie Langtry became the world's first celebrity endorser in 1893 when her likeness appeared on packages of Pears Soap. }}</ref> In 1895, poet and playwright [[Oscar Wilde]] became the subject of "one of the first celebrity trials".<ref>{{Cite news |title=Is Oscar Wilde's reputation due for another reassessment? |work=The Independent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/features/oscar-wilde-facing-retrial-9773718.html |first1=Marcus |last1=Field |date=4 October 2014 |access-date=16 March 2021 |archive-date=2 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302134040/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/features/oscar-wilde-facing-retrial-9773718.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Another example of celebrities in the entertainment industry was in music, beginning in the mid-19th century. Never seen before in music, many people engaged in an immense fan frenzy called [[Lisztomania]] that began in 1841.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Walker |first=Alan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lCw4cxHmpgYC&pg=PA371 |title=Franz Liszt: The virtuoso years, 1811-1847 |date=1987 |publisher=Cornell University Press |isbn=978-0-8014-9421-5 |language=en}}</ref> This created the basis for the behavior fans have around their favorite musicians in modern society.

[[File:Charlie Chaplin.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Charlie Chaplin]] as [[the Tramp]] in 1915. ]]
The [[Film industry|movie industry]] spread around the globe in the first half of the 20th century, creating the first film celebrities. The term celebrity was not always tied to actors in films however, especially when cinema was starting as a medium. As Paul McDonald states in ''The Star System: Hollywood's Production of Popular Identities'', "In the first decade of the twentieth century, American film production companies withheld the names of film performers, despite requests from audiences, fearing that public recognition would drive performers to demand higher salaries."<ref>{{Cite book|title = The Star System: Hollywood's Production of Popular Identities |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cZjHTABEWTYC&pg=PA15 |last = McDonald|first = Paul|publisher = Wallflower|year = 2000|isbn = 978-1-903364-02-4|location = Great Britain|pages = 15}}</ref>  Public fascination went well beyond the on-screen exploits of [[movie star]]s, and their private lives became headline news: for example, in Hollywood the marriages of [[Elizabeth Taylor]] and in [[Bollywood]] the affairs of [[Raj Kapoor]] in the 1950s. Like theatrical actors before them, movie actors were the subjects of [[celebrity wall]]s in restaurants they frequented, near movie studios, most notably at [[Sardi's]] in Hollywood.<ref name="whitaker"/>

[[File:Elvis_Presley_-_Modern_Screen,_June_1958.jpg|thumb|upright|left|[[Elvis Presley]] was a singer and actor whose charismatic performances and distinctive voice revolutionized the music industry.]]

The second half of the century saw [[television]] and popular music bring new forms of celebrity, such as the rock star and the pop group, epitomised by [[Elvis Presley]] and [[the Beatles]], respectively. [[John Lennon]]'s highly controversial 1966 quote: "We're [[more popular than Jesus]] now",<ref>{{cite news|url = http://www.beatlesbible.com/1966/03/04/how-does-a-beatle-live-by-maureen-cleave/ |newspaper = London Evening Standard|date  = 1966|author = Cleave, Maureen|title=How does a Beatle live |via=The Beatles Bible |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330104259/https://www.beatlesbible.com/1966/03/04/how-does-a-beatle-live-by-maureen-cleave/ |archive-date= Mar 30, 2023 }}</ref> which he later insisted was not a boast, and that he was not in any way comparing himself with Christ,{{sfn|Miles|1997|p=295}} gives an insight into both the adulation and notoriety that fame can bring. Unlike movies, television created celebrities who were not primarily actors; for example, presenters, talk show hosts, and newsreaders. However, most of these are only famous within the regions reached by their particular broadcaster, and only a few such as [[Oprah Winfrey]], [[Jerry Springer]], or [[David Frost]] could be said to have broken through into wider stardom. Television also gave exposure to sportspeople, notably [[Pelé]] after his emergence at the [[1958 FIFA World Cup]], with [[Barney Ronay]] in ''[[The Guardian]]'' stating, "What is certain is that Pelé invented this game, the idea of individual global sporting superstardom, and in a way that is unrepeatable now."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ronay |first1=Barney |title=Pelé's revolutionary status must survive numbers game against Lionel Messi |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jan/01/pele-revolutionary-status-must-survive-numbers-game-against-lionel-messi-santos |access-date=8 September 2023 |newspaper =The Guardian |date=1 January 2021}}</ref>

In the '60s and early '70s, the book publishing industry began to persuade major celebrities to put their names on autobiographies and other titles in a genre called celebrity publishing. In most cases, the book was not written by the celebrity but by a [[ghostwriter]], but the celebrity would then be available for a book tour and appearances on talk shows.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Another Life: A Memoir of Other People|last=Korda|first=Michael|publisher=Simon & Schuster|year=1999|isbn=9780679456599|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/anotherlifememoi00kord}}</ref>

==Wealth==
{{See also|List of celebrities by net worth|List of music artists by net worth}}

===''Forbes'' Celebrity 100===

[[File:MadonnaO2171023_(97_of_133)_(53269593787)_(cropped).jpg|thumb|right|175px|[[Madonna]]'s groundbreaking music career and business ventures have kept her near the top of the list.]]

''[[Forbes]]'' magazine releases an annual [[Forbes Celebrity 100|''Forbes'' Celebrity 100]] list of the highest-paid celebrities in the world. The total earnings for all top celebrity 100 earners totaled $4.5 billion in 2010 alone.

For instance, ''Forbes'' ranked [[media mogul]] and [[talk show host]], [[Oprah Winfrey]] as the top earner "Forbes magazine's annual ranking of the most powerful celebrities", with earnings of $290 million in the past year. Forbes cites that [[Lady Gaga]] reportedly earned over $90 million in 2010.<ref name = "Lady Gaga Tops Celebrity 100 List">{{cite news |title= Lady Gaga Tops Celebrity 100 List |url= https://www.forbes.com/2011/05/16/lady-gaga-tops-celebrity-100-11.html/= |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120118191350/http://www.forbes.com/2011/05/16/lady-gaga-tops-celebrity-100-11.html/= |url-status= dead |archive-date= January 18, 2012 |work=Forbes|date= May 16, 2016|access-date=October 13, 2019 |first=Dorothy |last=Pomerantz}}</ref> In 2011, golfer [[Tiger Woods]] was one of highest-earning celebrity athletes, with an income of $74 million and is consistently ranked one of the highest-paid [[sportsperson|athlete]]s in the world.<ref name="Lady Gaga Tops Celebrity 100 List"/> In 2013, [[Madonna]] was ranked as the fifth most powerful and the highest-earning celebrity of the year with earnings of $125 million. She has consistently been among the most powerful and highest-earning celebrities in the world, occupying the third place in Forbes Celebrity 100 2009 with $110 million of earnings, and getting the tenth place in the 2011 edition of the list with annual earnings equal to $58 million.<ref>{{cite news |title= Madonna highest-earning celebrity of 2014 |url= https://www.forbes.com/sites/dorothypomerantz/2013/08/26/madonna-tops-2013-list-of-top-earning-celebrities/|work=Forbes|date= August 26, 2013|access-date=October 13, 2013 |first=Dorothy |last=Pomerantz}}</ref> [[Beyoncé]] has also appeared in the top ten in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2017, and topped the list in 2014 with earnings of $115 million.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/dorothypomerantz/2014/06/30/beyonce-knowles-tops-the-forbes-celebrity-100-list/#274f04f57c05|title = Beyoncé Knowles Tops the FORBES Celebrity 100 List|website = [[Forbes]]}}</ref> [[Cristiano Ronaldo]] followed by [[Lionel Messi]] in 2020 became the first two athletes in a team sport to surpass $1&nbsp;billion in earnings during their careers.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinasettimi/2020/09/14/the-worlds-highest-paid-soccer-players-2020-messi-wins-mbappe-rises/#7601f0671cff |title=World's Highest-Paid Soccer Players: Messi Wins, Mbappe Rises |work=Forbes|access-date=22 September 2020}}</ref>

''Forbes'' also lists the [[Forbes list of the world's highest-paid dead celebrities|top-earning deceased celebrities]], with singer [[Michael Jackson]], fantasy author [[J. R. R. Tolkien]] and children's author [[Roald Dahl]] each topping the annual list with earnings of $500 million over the course of a year.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Freeman|first1=Abigail|title=The Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities 2021|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/abigailfreeman/2021/10/30/the-highest-paid-dead-celebrities-2021/|website=Forbes|date=30 October 2021|access-date=10 July 2022|archive-date=30 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211030130640/https://www.forbes.com/sites/abigailfreeman/2021/10/30/the-highest-paid-dead-celebrities-2021/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Voytko |first1=Lisette |title=The Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities Of 2022—A Writer Earns Half-A-Billion From The Great Beyond |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2022/10/31/the-highest-paid-dead-celebrities-of-2022-a-writer-earns-half-a-billion-from-the-great-beyond/?sh=1e9d91d82bb3|website=Forbes |date=October 31, 2022|access-date=October 31, 2022}}</ref>

===Entrepreneurship and endorsements===
{{Main|Celebrity branding|Personal branding}}
[[File:Beckswimbledon.jpg|thumb|right|175px|[[David Beckham]] is a successful entrepreneur, co-owning the [[Major League Soccer]] team [[Inter Miami]] and engaging in high-profile endorsements with brands such as [[Adidas]] and [[H&M]].]]

Celebrity endorsements have proven very successful around the world where, due to increasing [[consumerism]], a person owns a  "status symbol" by purchasing a celebrity-endorsed product.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/@14ideas/the-future-of-celebrity-endorsement-c04bcbaceb45|title=The Future of Celebrity Endorsement|date=April 19, 2019|website=Medium}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-apple-watch-status-symbol-20150424-story.html|title=Apple gets stars to set Watch's status|date=April 24, 2015|website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/nov/18/water-bottle-status-symbol-reusable-fashion-statement|title=That's not just a water bottle – it's a status symbol|first=Nosheen|last=Iqbal|newspaper=The Observer |date=November 18, 2018|via=www.theguardian.com}}</ref> Although it has become commonplace for celebrities to place their name with endorsements onto products just for quick money, some celebrities have gone beyond merely using their names and have put their entrepreneurial spirit to work by becoming entrepreneurs by attaching themselves in the business aspects of entertainment and building their own business brand beyond their traditional salaried activities. Along with investing their salaried wages into growing business endeavors, several celebrities have become innovative business leaders in their respective industries.

Numerous celebrities have ventured into becoming [[business mogul]]s and established themselves as entrepreneurs, idolizing many well known business leaders such as [[Bill Gates]], [[Richard Branson]] and [[Warren Buffett]]. For instance, former basketball player [[Michael Jordan]] became an entrepreneur involved with many sports-related ventures including investing a minority stake in the [[Charlotte Bobcats]], [[Paul Newman]] started his own [[salad dressing]] business after leaving behind a distinguished acting career, and rap musician [[Birdman (rapper)|Birdman]] started his own [[record label]], clothing line, and an [[oil well|oil business]] while maintaining a career as a rap artist. In 2014, [[David Beckham]] became co-owner of new [[Major League Soccer]] team [[Inter Miami CF|Inter Miami]], which began playing in 2020.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/02/05/3914127/soccer-star-david-beckham-to-bring.html|title=Soccer star David Beckham to bring MLS team to Miami|work=The Miami Herald|first=Patricia|last=Mazzei|date=5 February 2014}}</ref> Former Brazil striker and World Cup winner [[Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)|Ronaldo]] became the majority owner of La Liga club [[Real Valladolid]] in 2018.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ronaldo: Former Brazil striker buys controlling stake in Real Valladolid |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45397137 |access-date=6 September 2018 |agency=BBC}}</ref> Other celebrities such as [[Tyler Perry]], [[George Lucas]], and [[Steven Spielberg]] have become successful entrepreneurs through starting their own film production companies and running their own [[movie studio]]s beyond their traditional activities.<ref>{{cite news |title=Paul Newman Donates Salad Dressing Ownership To Charity|url= http://www.looktothestars.org/news/890-paul-newman-donates-salad-dressing-value-to-charity|publisher= Look to the Stars|date= June 11, 2008|access-date=November 17, 2014}}</ref>

[[File:LeBron James (1).jpg|thumb|175px|[[LeBron James]] has had endorsement contracts with [[AT&T]], [[The Coca-Cola Company]], [[Crypto.com]], [[General Motors]], [[PepsiCo]], [[McDonald's]], [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]], [[Upper Deck Company|Upper Deck]], [[Walmart]], and [[State Farm]].<ref name="StateFarm-USAToday">{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2008-02-13-lebron-state-farm_N.htm|title=LeBron James enters partnership with State Farm|date=February 13, 2008|work=USA Today|access-date=October 27, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Gise, Molly|title=McDonald's partners with LeBron James|url=http://www.nrn.com/breakingNews.aspx?id=378824|work=NRN.com|date=January 28, 2010}}</ref>]]

[[Gossip magazine|Tabloid magazines]] and talk TV shows bestow a great deal of attention to celebrities. To stay in the public eye and build wealth in addition to their salaried labor, numerous celebrities have begun participating and branching into various business ventures and endorsements, which include: animation, publishing, fashion designing, cosmetics, [[consumer electronics]], household items and [[home appliance|appliance]]s, cigarettes, [[soft drink]]s and alcoholic beverages, hair care, hairdressing, [[jewelry design]], fast food, credit cards, video games, writing, and toys.<ref name="Forbes-2009">{{cite news |title=Best And Worst Celebrity Side Businesses |url=https://www.forbes.com/2008/07/22/stars-biz-successful-forbeslife-cx_dp_0722style_2.html= |work=Forbes |date=July 22, 2009 |access-date=November 17, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118190511/http://www.forbes.com/2008/07/22/stars-biz-successful-forbeslife-cx_dp_0722style_2.html%3D |archive-date=January 18, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

In addition to these, some celebrities have been involved with some business and investment-related ventures also include: sports team ownership, [[fashion design|fashion retailing]], establishments such as restaurants, cafes, hotels, and casinos, movie theaters, advertising and event planning, management-related ventures such as [[sports management]], financial services, [[modeling agency|model management]], and [[talent management]], [[record label]]s, [[film production]], [[television producer|television production]], publishing [[book publisher|books]] and [[Music publisher (popular music)|music]], massage therapy, [[Beauty salon|salon]]s, health and fitness, and real estate.<ref name="Forbes-2009"/>

Although some celebrities have achieved additional financial success from various business ventures, the vast majority of celebrities are not successful businesspeople and still rely on salaried labored wages to earn a living. Not all celebrities eventually succeed with their businesses and other related side ventures. Some celebrities either went [[wikt:broke|broke]] or filed for bankruptcy as a result of dabbling with such side businesses or endorsements.<ref>{{cite news|title=7 Most Embarrassing Celebrity Business Failures |url=http://www.growthink.com/business-plan/7_Most_Embarrassing_Celebrity_Business_Plan_Failures.html |publisher=Growthink |year=2007 |access-date=November 17, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110702110650/http://www.growthink.com/business-plan/7_Most_Embarrassing_Celebrity_Business_Plan_Failures.html |archive-date=July 2, 2011 |df=mdy }}</ref>

==Famous for being famous==
{{Main|Famous for being famous}}
[[File:Paris_Hilton_at_the_US_Capitol_(cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|American [[socialite]] [[Paris Hilton]] is one celebrity that is commonly described as "famous for being famous".]]

''Famous for being famous'', in [[popular culture]] terminology, refers to someone who attains celebrity status for no particular identifiable reason, or who achieves fame through association with a celebrity.<ref name="Jenkins">{{cite book|last=Jenkins|first=Joe|title=Contemporary moral issues|publisher=Heinemann|year=2002|edition=4, illustrated|series=Examining Religions|page=[https://archive.org/details/contemporarymora0000jenk/page/178 178]|isbn=978-0-435-30309-9|url=https://archive.org/details/contemporarymora0000jenk/page/178}}</ref>  The term is a [[pejorative]], suggesting the target has no particular talents or abilities.<ref name="JenJones">{{cite book|last=Jones|first=Jen|title=Being Famous|publisher=Capstone Press|year=2007|series=Snap Books: 10 Things You Need to Know about|page=[https://archive.org/details/beingfamous0000jone/page/20 20]|isbn=978-1-4296-0126-9|url=https://archive.org/details/beingfamous0000jone/page/20}}</ref> British journalist [[Malcolm Muggeridge]] made the first known usage of the phrase in the introduction to his book ''Muggeridge Through The Microphone: BBC Radio and Television'' (1967) in which he wrote:<blockquote>In the past if someone was famous or notorious, it was for something—as a writer or an actor or a criminal; for some talent or distinction or abomination. Today one is famous for being famous. People who come up to one in the street or in public places to claim recognition nearly always say: "I've seen you on the telly!"<ref>{{Cite book|title=Muggeridge Through The Microphone: BBC Radio and Television|last=Muggeridge|first=Malcolm|date=1967|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|page=7}}</ref></blockquote>

The coinages "[[famesque]]" and "[[celebutante]]" are of similar pejorative gist.

This shift has sparked criticism for promoting superficial recognition over substantive achievements and reflects broader changes in how fame and success are perceived in modern culture.

==Mass media phenomena==
[[File:Kim_Kardashian_West,_Parramatta_Westfield_Sydney_Australia.jpg|thumb|175px|[[Kim Kardashian]] rose to fame through [[reality TV]] and social media, transforming her visibility into a powerful brand while navigating intense public scrutiny and personal challenges.]]

Mass media has dramatically reshaped the concept of celebrity by amplifying visibility and extending fame globally. With the rise of television, social media, and reality TV, individuals can achieve stardom not just through traditional talents but also through their personal lives and online presence.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=2022-08-04 |title=Reality TV Has Reshaped Our World, Whether We Like It or Not |url=https://time.com/collection/reality-tv-most-influential-seasons/6199108/reality-tv-influence-on-world/ |access-date=2024-11-02 |magazine=Time |language=en}}</ref> This heightened visibility brings intense public scrutiny, where every detail of a celebrity's life is subject to constant media coverage. Celebrities often become brands themselves, influencing trends and consumer behavior while navigating the pressures of privacy erosion and mental health challenges.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Jaremko-Greenwold |first1=Anya |last2=published |first2=The Week US |date=2024-08-19 |title=When actors become brands, fans become disillusioned |url=https://theweek.com/culture-life/film/actors-brands-blake-lively-ryan-reynolds-robert-downey-jr |access-date=2024-11-02 |website=theweek |language=en}}</ref>

Celebrities may be resented for their accolades, and the public may have a love/hate relationship with celebrities.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Why Envy Celebrities? — Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY |url=https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101970560 |access-date=2024-11-02 |website=wol.jw.org}}</ref> Due to the high visibility of celebrities' private lives, their successes and shortcomings are often made very public. Celebrities are alternately portrayed as glowing examples of perfection, when they garner awards, or as decadent or immoral if they become associated with a scandal.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 18, 2020 |title=Web.colby.edu |url=https://web.colby.edu/cogblog/2020/11/20/are-celebrities-really-that-perfect-how-the-halo-effect-impacts-the-way-we-view-and-treat-others/ |access-date=November 2, 2024 |archive-date=May 28, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240528035735/https://web.colby.edu/cogblog/2020/11/20/are-celebrities-really-that-perfect-how-the-halo-effect-impacts-the-way-we-view-and-treat-others/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> When seen in a positive light, celebrities are frequently portrayed as possessing skills and abilities beyond average people; for example, celebrity actors are routinely celebrated for acquiring new skills necessary for filming a role within a very brief time, and to a level that amazes the professionals who train them. Similarly, some celebrities with very little formal education can sometimes be portrayed as experts on complicated issues. Some celebrities have been very vocal about their political views. For example, [[Matt Damon]] expressed his displeasure with 2008 US vice presidential nominee [[Sarah Palin]], as well as with the 2011 [[United States debt-ceiling crisis of 2011|United States debt-ceiling crisis]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/matt-damon-sarah-palin-presidency-would-be-like-a-really-bad-disney-movie |title=Matt Damon: Sarah Palin Presidency Would Be Like a 'Really Bad Disney Movie' |publisher=Fox News |date=2008-09-08 |access-date=2011-12-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Young |first=Kevin |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/election_2010/8617149.stm |title=Election 2010: Political celebrities – then and now |work=BBC News |date=2010-04-20 |access-date=2011-12-27}}</ref>

==Internet==
Also known as being ''[[Internet celebrity|internet famous]]''.

===Social networking and video hosting===
[[File:MrBeast_2023_(cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|175px|YouTube personality [[MrBeast]] is known for his elaborate stunts and philanthropy.]]Most high-profile celebrities participate in [[social networking service]]s and photo or video hosting platforms such as [[List of YouTubers|YouTube]], Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat.<ref>Murad, Ahmed [https://web.archive.org/web/20090219202913/http://technology.timesonline.co.uk//tol//news//tech_and_web//article5641893.ece "The 50 most popular celebs on Twitter"], The Sunday Times, February 2, 2009</ref> [[Social networking service]]s allow celebrities to communicate directly with their fans, removing the "traditional" media. Through social media, many people outside of the entertainment and sports sphere become a celebrity in their own sphere. Social media humanizes celebrities in a way that arouses public fascination as evident by the success of magazines such as ''[[Us Weekly]]'' and ''[[People (magazine)|People Weekly]]''. Celebrity blogging has also spawned stars such as [[Perez Hilton]] who is known for not only blogging but also [[outing]] celebrities.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Peterson|first=Anne|date=Spring 2007|title=Celebrity juice, not from concentrate: Perez Hilton, gossip blogs, and the new star production|url=http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/jc49.2007/PerezHilton/index.html|journal=Jump Cut|volume=49}}</ref>

Social media and the rise of the smartphone has changed how celebrities are treated and how people gain the platform of fame. Websites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube allow people to become a celebrity in a different manner. For example, [[Justin Bieber]] got his start on YouTube by posting videos of him singing. His fans were able to directly contact him through his content and were able to interact with him on several social media platforms. The internet, as said before, also allows fans to connect with their favorite celebrity without ever meeting them in person.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/social-media/celebrity-social-media-anger/|title=How social media has changed what it means to be a celebrity|website=www.digitaltrends.com|date=April 15, 2013|access-date=2019-08-08}}</ref>

Social media sites have also contributed to the fame of certain celebrities, such as [[Tila Tequila]] who became known through MySpace.<ref>Trebay, Guy [https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/28/fashion/28fame.html "She's Famous (and So Can You)"], The New York Times, October 28, 2007,</ref>

===Asia===
[[File:Song_Hye-kyo_in_2016_KBS_Drama_Award.jpg|thumb|175px|right|[[Song Hye-kyo]] is a renowned South Korean actress celebrated for her roles in acclaimed dramas like [[Autumn in My Heart]] and [[Descendants of the Sun]].]]
A report by the [[BBC]] highlighted a longtime trend of Asian internet celebrities called [[Wanghong economy|Wanghong]] in Chinese.<ref name="Chinese Internet Fame">[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/36802769 "Wang Hong: China's online stars making real cash"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160912113130/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/36802769 |date=September 12, 2016 }} ''[[BBC News]]''. May 1, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2017.</ref> According to the BBC, there are two kinds of online celebrities in China—those who create original content, such as [[Papi Jiang]], who is regularly censored by Chinese authorities for cursing in her videos, and Wanghongs fall under the second category, as they have clothing and cosmetics businesses on Taobao, China's equivalent of [[Amazon.com|Amazon]].<ref name="Chinese Internet Fame"/>

==Access restriction==
Access to celebrities is strictly controlled by the celebrities entourage of staff which includes [[Talent manager|manager]]s, [[publicist]]s, [[Talent agent|agent]]s, [[personal assistant]]s, and [[bodyguard]]s. Journalists may even have difficulty accessing celebrities for interviews.  Writer and actor [[Michael Musto]] said, "You have to go through many hoops just to talk to a major celebrity. You have to get past three different sets of publicists: the publicist for the event, the publicist for the movie, and then the celebrity's personal publicist. They all have to approve you."<ref>[[n:An interview with gossip columnist Michael Musto on the art of celebrity journalism|en.wikinews.org]]</ref>

Celebrities also typically have security staff at their home or properties, to protect them and their belongs from similar threats.<ref>{{cite news|title= Celebrity-stalking has common threads|url= https://abc7.com/archive/6730960/|work= ABC|date= March 26, 2009|access-date= November 17, 2011|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140312225129/http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news%2Fentertainment&id=6730960|archive-date= March 12, 2014|url-status= live}}</ref>

=="Fifteen minutes of fame"==
{{See also|15 minutes of fame|One-hit wonder}}

"[[15 minutes of fame]]" is a phrase often used as slang to short-lived publicity. Certain "15 minutes of fame" celebrities can be average people seen with an A-list celebrity, who are sometimes noticed on entertainment news channels such as [[E! News]]. These are ordinary people becoming celebrities, often based on the ridiculous things they do.

"In fact, many reality show contestants fall into this category: the only thing that qualifies them to be on TV is that they're real."<ref>Maasik, Sonia, and Jack Solomon. ''Signs of Life in the USA''. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006.</ref>

==Health implications==
[[File:Oprah_in_2014.jpg|thumb|right|175px|[[Oprah Winfrey]] is known for her impactful health and wellness advice, particularly through ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]'' and her various media ventures.]]

Common threats such as [[stalking]] have spawned [[celebrity worship syndrome]] where a person becomes overly involved with the details of a celebrity's personal life.<ref name="Schumaker">Schumaker, John F., 'Star Struck' New Internationalist; Issue 363, p34-35, 2p, December 2003</ref>    Psychologists have indicated that though many people obsess over glamorous film, television, sport and music stars, the disparity in salaries in society seems to value [[professional athlete]]s and [[list of entertainment industry topics|entertainment industry-based professional]]s.<ref>{{cite news|last=Horovitz|first=Bruce|title=The good, bad and ugly of America's celeb obsession|url=https://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2003-12-19-celeb_x.htm|work=USA Today|access-date=May 5, 2012|date=December 19, 2003}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=America's Obsession with Celebrities|url=http://www.oprah.com/oprahradio/Americas-Obsession-with-Celebrities|work=June 4th 2007|publisher=Oprah.com|access-date=May 5, 2012}}</ref> One study found that singers, musicians, actors and athletes die younger on average than writers, composers, academics, politicians and businesspeople, with a greater incidence of cancer and especially lung cancer. However, it was remarked that the reasons for this remained unclear, with theories including [[innate]] tendencies towards risk-taking as well as the pressure or opportunities of particular types of fame.<ref>{{cite news|website=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22189177|title=Fame may 'lead to a shorter life'|date=April 18, 2013|access-date=November 11, 2013}}</ref>

Fame might have negative [[psychological]] effects.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/22/health/psychology/22fame.html|title=The Fame Motive|first=Benedict|last=Carey|newspaper=The New York Times|date=August 22, 2006}}</ref> An academic study on the subject said that fame has an [[addiction|addictive]] quality to it.  When a celebrity's fame recedes over time, the celebrity may find it difficult to adjust psychologically.<ref>Rockwell, Donna & Giles, David. (2009). [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233667622_Being_a_Celebrity_A_Phenomenology_of_Fame Being a Celebrity: A Phenomenology of Fame]. Journal of Phenomenological Psychology. 40. 178-210. 10.1163/004726609X12482630041889.</ref>

Recently, there has been more attention toward the impact celebrities have on health decisions of the population at large.<ref>S.J. Hoffman, C. Tan. 2015. “Biological, psychological and social processes that explain celebrities' influence on patients' health-related behaviors,” Archives of Public Health 73(3): 1-11. {{doi|10.1186/2049-3258-73-3}}</ref> It is believed that the public will follow celebrities' health advice to some extent.<ref>S.J. Hoffman, C. Tan. 2013. “Why Do So Many People Follow Celebrities’ Medical Advice? A Meta-Narrative Review,” British Medical Journal 347: f7151. {{doi|10.1136/bmj.f7151}}.</ref> This can have positive impacts when the celebrities give solid, evidence-informed health advice, however, it can also have detrimental effects if the health advice is not accurate enough.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Hoffman |first1=Steven J. |last2=Mansoor |first2=Yasmeen |last3=Natt |first3=Navneet |last4=Sritharan |first4=Lathika |last5=Belluz |first5=Julia |last6=Caulfield |first6=Timothy |last7=Freedhoff |first7=Yoni |last8=Lavis |first8=John N. |last9=Sharma |first9=Arya M. |date=2017-01-21 |title=Celebrities' impact on health-related knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and status outcomes: protocol for a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression analysis |journal=Systematic Reviews |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=13 |doi=10.1186/s13643-016-0395-1 |doi-access=free |pmid=28109320 |pmc=5251292 |issn=2046-4053}}</ref>

==See also==
{{columns-list|colwidth=18em|
* [[Narcissism#Acquired situational narcissism|Acquired situational narcissism]]
* [[All-star]]
* [[Celebrity bond]]
* [[Celebrity branding]]
* [[Celebrity Worship Syndrome]] 
* [[Cult of personality]]
* [[Diva]]
* [[Fame in the 20th century]]
* [[Farce]]
* [[Glamour (presentation)|Glamour]]
* [[Infamy]]
* [[Infotainment]]
* [[Invision Agency]]
* [[List of celebrities]]
* [[List of celebrities with advanced degrees]]
* [[List of celebrity inventors]]
* [[List of entertainment industry topics]]
* [[Look-alike]]
* [[Q Score]]
* [[Radio personality]]
* [[Scientific celebrity]]
* [[Selling out]]
* [[Superstar]]
* [[Teen Idol]] 
}}

== Citations ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== General and cited references ==
* [[Jonathan Goldman|Goldman]], Jonathan (2011) ''Modernism Is the Literature of Celebrity''. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2011. {{ISBN|978-0-292-72339-9}}.
* [[Leonid Grinin|Grinin]], Leonid (2009) "[https://web.archive.org/web/20110809121231/http://old.uchitel-izd.ru/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=184&Itemid=58 'People of Celebrity' as a New Social Stratum and Elite]". In ''Hierarchy and Power in the History of Civilizations: Cultural Dimensions'' (pp.&nbsp;183–206). Ed. by Leonid E. Grinin and [[Andrey Korotayev|Andrey V. Korotayev]]. Moscow: KRASAND/[[Editorial URSS]], 2009.
* {{cite book |last=Miles |first=Barry |author-link=Barry Miles |title=Paul McCartney: Many Years from Now |url=https://archive.org/details/paulmccartneyman00mile_0 |url-access=registration |year=1997 |publisher=Henry Holt & Company |isbn=978-0-436-28022-1}}
* [[Richard Schickel|Schikel, Richard]]. ''Intimate Strangers: The Culture of Celebrity''. New York: Doubleday, 1985. {{ISBN|0-385-12336-1}}.

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite book |last=Marcus |first=Sharon |year=2019 |title=The Drama of Celebrity |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9N9-DwAAQBAJ |location=Princeton, NJ |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=9780691177595 |oclc=1059270781 |access-date=29 July 2019 |type= On the history of Sarah Bernhardt, one of the first "global superstars", and her celebrity}}

==External links==
* {{Wikiquote-inline|Fame}}
* {{Commons category-inline|Celebrities}} 

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Celebrity| ]]