Hi everybody this is Misterduncan in England. How are you today? Are you okay? I hope so.
Are you happy? I hope so. In today's lesson we are going to take a look at something that
seems to take up so much of our attention these days. In this lesson we are going to
take a look at fame and being a celebrity.
The word famous is an adjective that means 'publicly known'...'easily recognisable...'prominent'...'well-known'...'celebrated'...'eminent'...'in
the public eye'. We use the word 'fame' to state that a thing is famous. So fame is a
noun and famous is an adjective. We can also describe a person as a star. The word is often
prefixed with the thing they are famous for doing or the field that they are in. 'Music
Star' , 'Football Star' , 'TV Star', 'Movie Star', 'Pop Star'. A famous person can be
described as a 'Star' 'Personality' or as a 'Celebrity'. More often than not, the word
'celebrity' is used, especially when describing an event where many famous people will be
seen. A celebrity dinner, or a celebrity gala. The word 'glitzy' can also be used, which
describes an even where many stars will be.
It is possible to be famous for anything. fame is often achieved for doing something
positive. Normally a famous person will have some sort of outstanding talent or ability.
Of course it is also possible to be famous for a negative reason. Being well-known for
doing something bad is a kind of fame, but in this case we will often describe them as
'infamous'. Someone who has gone down in history for doing something despicable and barbaric
will more often than not be described as being infamous.
There are many reasons why a person wants to be famous. Maybe they want the recognition.
Perhaps they are attracted to the attention they will receive from that recognition...and
of course there's the large amount of money that can be earned from being famous. You
will want to 'cash in' on your fame. That is to say, you will want to make as much money
from your star status as possible.
Who is your favourite celebrity? Is there a famous person who you admire. To like or
follow a celebrity is very easy to do these days. many well-known celebrities have their
own Instagram, Facebook or Twitter page. Some celebrities administer their page personally,
while others might have a PR company to do it for them. The initials PR mean 'public
relations'. Most well-known people will have a manager, agent, or PR company working with
them, their job is to make sure that their client always looks and behaves their best
in front of the general public. Just like marketing a product, image is everything.
The industry that produces celebrities and helps to keep them in the public eye is called
'Show business' or for short we say 'Show Biz'. The world of show business is often
seen as a glamorous and exciting one. But it is worth remembering that for every George
Clooney or Justin Beiber, Emma Stone or Rihanna, there are thousands of hopefuls eagerly waiting
for their big break. To get your big break means to be noticed by someone for your talent.
To perform in front of someone who can help you become famous, is to get your big break.
You have been discovered, your journey to fame and fortune begins with that big break.
Of course there are many drawbacks and disadvantages of being famous. One of the biggest problems
comes with the loss of privacy. Many celebrities find that their privacy is often invaded,
which can create a lot of stress and anxiety for those on the receiving end. Newspaper
journalists and photographers will often try to interview and photograph as many celebrities
as possible. The people doing this are often referred to as 'paparazzi'. The paparazzi
will follow and sometimes chase celebrities for that exclusive picture. So being a celebrity
is not always glamorous or fun or pleasurable there are many downside to being famous.
Do you want to be famous? Would you enjoy being a well-known celebrity? It would appear
that being famous can be a double edged sword, in that it can bring you both happiness and
heartache, quite often at the same time. The pressure to be at the top can take its toll
on a person. The hardest part of being famous is not the attention or the invasion of privacy...oh
no. The hardest part of being famous is staying famous. To stay in the public eye for as long
as possible is what most celebrities aim for. The dizzying highs of being in the limelight
can be addictive and for those who have fallen under its spell, they will do anything to
prevent that light from fading away. that as they say...is the price of fame.
Some people believe that come too obsessed with those who are famous. Every day we hear
on the news or read in the paper the latest trivial events concerning those in the public
eye. It would appear that no story is too large or for that matter too small. Trivial
moments of small insignificant events are blown up out of all proportion, quite often
for financial gain. Some celebrities are talking about all the time. Film stars, musicians,
singers, glamour models, are all discussed at great length for our entertainment and
amusement. Even the occasional YouTube creator might break through into the mainstream and
become a minor star. Some celebrities are well known for doing very little. We often
rate celebrities depending on how popular or in demand they are. For example Tom Cruise
is an A-list celebrity. This means he is very famous. Then there are B-list celebrities,
for example actress Hilary Swank is a B-list celebrity. She is known, but not a huge star.
Then there is the D-list celebrity. Those in this category are people who want to be
famous but don't quite break into the mainstream. Many of them appear or have appeared in reality
TV shows. They tend to have no discernible talent but still want to be famous. Rarely
a day goes by without some tittle-tattle about a celebrity being talked about on the TV and
internet. Especially so nowadays as the (current) president of the USA is both a reality TV
star and a celebrity, which begs the question, have we become too obsessed with famous people?
Do we put too much emphasis and importance on being famous? What do you think?
It would appear that nowadays everyone wants to become famous. Everywhere you look there
are opportunities being offered to those who want to hit the big time and become famous
in their own right. Of course in reality, most people would rather stay out of the public
gaze. They would rather stay anonymous and unknown. The pressure that comes with being
famous is not easy to handle. There are many cases where a person suffers because of their
fame. They cannot handle the pressure. They feel overwhelmed by the attention they get.
Unfortunately once you've become famous, if often takes a long time to adjust to the new
lifestyle. Some enjoy being in the limelight and handle the attention well, while others
crack up under the pressure, leading them to take drastic measures to keep going. The
pressure to perform well, or to keep that energy going can lead a person to find ways
in which to stay on top. Drink and drugs tend to be the quick fix solutions to these fame-related
problems.
Have you ever met anyone famous? There is nothing more exciting than meeting a famous
person. Quite often we will get that person to write their name on a piece of paper or
some other item. This is called an 'autograph'. The famous person signs autographs for their
fans. What? You want my autograph? Oh no...I'm not famous...well not yet anyway. I hope you
have enjoyed this lesson and for those who wish to be famous, I have this piece of advice...keep
your eyes on the stars, but keep your feet firmly on the ground. This is Misterduncan
in England saying...thanks for watching me, teaching you and of course...
ta ta for now. 8-)