celebrity culture

Albert Einstein

“A man who never made any mistakes never tried anything new”

Hollywood is a place“Hollywood is a place where they’ll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul”

I have a dream...

I have a dream...

I will be a legend“I won’t be a rockstar I will be a legend”. Freddie Mercury

“I’m starting with the man in the mirror”M

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I stand for“I stand for freedom of expression, doing what you believe in, and going after your dreams”.

Paris Hilton

“some girls are just born with glitter in their veins”.

Never say never“I’m telling you, people. Everyday we wake up is another blessing. Follow your dreams and don’t let

anyone stop you. Never say never”.

I was born this way“Some people are just born stars, you either have it or you haven’t, and i was definitely born one”

The concept of celebrity culture has changed quite dramatically over the years and how celebrities achieve their status has altered within this time period. It is often argued that celebrities in the twenty first century are less worthy of their status because of how they have acquired it. For example, with the rise in popularity of reality television programmes, ordinary people have become famous through taking part in shows such as Big Brother, in which they live in a house with complete strangers whilst being filmed. They have not done anything significant to earn their fame, unlike famous figures such as Martin Luther King. His fame stemmed from his fight for Black Rights in America, he is an iconic figure who is known for his courage and determination to bring equality into society. It is celebrities such as Martin Luther King who are argued to be “worthy” celebrities.

Throughout the photo-essay it is clear that there is a change over time in the types of celebrities and how they have earnt their fame. The essay starts with Albert Einstein, a man who is famous for his ground breaking scientific discoveries. He is an extremely intelligent man who has been instrumental to society because of these discoveries. The next image is of Marilyn Monroe, a famous actress. Whilst some people may argue that this is not deserved celebrity status, she is an iconic figure who was admired by many people during the time. As time progresses within the photo-essay the celebrities become more controversial and may be deemed less worthy of their celebrity status. For example Paris Hilton became famous initially through her father and his wealth. She has done very little to benefit society in becoming famous.

There is a clear distinction between the earlier image of Marilyn Monroe and Madonna in contrast to more recent images of Paris Hilton and Lady Gaga. The earlier images are much more glamorous and represent beauty and femininity. However, the image of Hilton is very revealing and quite provocative and one which more and more younger girls are aspiring to imitate. The image of Gaga presents a celebrity who is quite different and quirky and who pushes the boundaries in fashion. There is more of a concern that young people of today want to become famous as a career because of the money and attention it ensues. Particularly young girls see images of celebrities and aspire to be like them, and when the images are quite provocative this gives a mixed message to audiences.