------------------------------------------------------

NASH: FAME'S FLEETING, BUT IT LINGERS OVER WRONG PEOPLE

By Bill Nash
Sunday, July 26, 2009

REF:>http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/jul/26/fames-fleeting-but-it-lingers-over-wrong-people/

It’s summertime, not a time for heavy thinking. And since I didn’t want to think about anything heavy, I started thinking about celebrities, because I can’t think of anything lighter.

It’s interesting what passes for celebrity these days. I was reminded with the passing of Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson.

Like them or not, I think the case can be made that these three people were legitimate celebrities. But there are others, too many others, whose claim to fame seems much less certain.

U.S. historian Daniel J. Boorstin once said, “The celebrity is a person who is known for his well-knownness.” Maybe it’s just me, but I think Paris Hilton’s photo ought to run right next to that definition.

The magazine racks are full of cover shots showing people who are well-known for being well-known. There are Web sites dedicated to them and TV shows making them even more well-known.

A case in point: “I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!” on NBC.

I’m a little ashamed, but I actually watched this show. Twice. It was truly horrible, but I was fascinated by who NBC was willing to acknowledge as a celebrity and what those people were willing to do to maintain that status.

Among the people on the show were Lou Diamond Phillips, an actor I’ve actually heard of; John Salley, a former Laker who retired in 2000; Torrie Wilson, a Playboy model and professional wrestler; Stephen Baldwin, No. 4 on the sliding talent scale of the acting Baldwin brothers; and finally, Patti Blagojevich.

Who? She is the wife of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. He left office under indictment and in a cloud of scandal over his appointment to fill President Barack Obama’s vacated Senate seat. The show actually wanted the former governor, but the judge wouldn’t let him leave the country for the filming in Costa Rica, so NBC settled for his wife instead (seriously).

Truthfully, I preferred watching Patti. She was pretty, articulate and engaging. But a celebrity? I don’t think so.

But NBC and all the other networks, desperate for celebrities, are bringing in casts of semi-famous people to populate their newest batch of reality shows.

At the other end of the spectrum is Michael Jackson. Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Daniel Henniger called Jackson “the last celebrity,” mostly because he achieved his fame prior to the onset of the Internet. He blames the devaluation of celebrity on the World Wide Web and marketing.

“Because of marketing, the world is overflowing with people who are famous, or anyway familiar,” he wrote. “These people aren’t celebrities. Not real celebrities.”

Which, I suppose, begs the question of how to define celebrity. Obviously, the definition NBC uses differs from mine, and I suspect each one of us defines it differently. Andy Warhol predicted everyone would have their 15 minutes of fame. Well, maybe time’s up.

When celebrity is defined by quantity of bosom (Anna Nicole Smith), by irresponsible parenting (Nadya Suleman) or simply by virtue of birth (pick a Kennedy), maybe it’s time to stop the madness.

If we’re going to make someone a celebrity, why not the Teacher of the Year — or a heroic firefighter or police officer? Why don’t we recognize a dedicated doctor or nurse, a farmer or a Red Cross volunteer? These people deserve 15 minutes, and more.

Celebrities shouldn’t be famous for their “well-knownness” but rather their contributions. I’m willing to give my 15 minutes to one of these people; how about you?