Famous for being famous, in popular culture terminology, refers to someone who attains celebrity status for no particular identifiable reason. The individual will often be somehow attached to individuals who are considered to be famous for another reason. The term is a pejorative, suggesting that the individual has no particular talents or abilities. Even when their fame arises from a particular talent or action on their part, the term will sometimes still apply if their fame is disproportionate to what they earned through their own talent or work. A person who is considered famous for being famous will sometimes choose to capitalize on their image for fame and money.
Examples of people to whom the term has been applied
- Michael Alig[1] - Club promoter most known for his 1996 murder of drug dealer Angel Melendez. Alig's fame actually came initially from the popularity of his rave parties, casting doubt on the charge that his fame is for nothing. Many of his companions, known as the "Club Kids," fit the description more accurately.
- Carmen Electra[2] - Carmen's first and only musical album was a critical and commercial flop. It was not until after she gained attention from her romantic relationships with B Real, Dennis Rodman, and Dave Navarro that her name became widely known.
- Kevin Federline[3] - Former husband and back-up-dancer of Britney Spears and father of her children. Federline's own forays into music are viewed as failures. Similarly to Kato Kaelin, Federline is most known for epitomizing the slacker image.
- Zsa Zsa Gabor[4][5] - Her sister Eva Gabor was a popular actress on the television show Green Acres. Zsa Zsa (who also attempted acting) however had no particular success being mostly famous for her multiple marriages.
- Paris Hilton[3] - Great granddaughter of Hilton Hotels founder Conrad Hilton. Perhaps most famous for her celebrity sex tape 1 Night in Paris.
- Kato Kaelin[6] - Friend of O.J. Simpson who enjoyed brief fame arising from his testimony during the O.J. Simpson trial.
- John F. Kennedy, Jr.[7] - Primarily famous for being the son of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, he utilized his name to create the magazine George. He later died in a plane crash, allegedly another victim of the "Kennedy Curse."
- Nicole Richie[3] - Adopted daughter of Lionel Richie and close friend of Paris Hilton (although the two did not speak to each other for 2 years). Achieved national fame by co-starring with Hilton in the reality TV series The Simple Life. More recently, the press has attacked her for her dramatic weight loss.
- Edie Sedgwick[8] - Model who was associated with such 1960s personalities as Andy Warhol and Bob Dylan, believed to be the subject of two of Dylan's songs.
- Anna Nicole Smith[9] - Stripper who married an oil tycoon of advanced years shortly before his death. Later built up commercial success by capitalizing on her "dumb blonde train wreck" image. Many figures in the media claimed her death in February 2007 was one example of "the price of fame".
- Tara Palmer-Tomkinson[10] - English "It" Girl, "famous for being Tara Palmer-Tomkinson". Appeared on I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!.
In popular culture
- In the South Park episode Stupid Spoiled Whore Video Playset, Wendy Testaburger asks (with increasing indignance) what Paris Hilton is famous for, or more specifically "what does she do?" The answers she receives are, in succession: "she's super-rich," "she's totally spoiled and snobby," and "she's a whore!" This episode echoes many human criticisms of such celebrities.
- In the 1990 movie Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael, an entire town is excited for the return of local legend Roxy Carmichael. When Winona Ryder's character asks what Roxy is so famous for, the response is that she is the subject of a popular song.
References
- ^ Neil Young's Film Lounge
- ^ http://www.digitalhit.com/cr/carmenelectra/
- ^ a b c http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0702/28/sbt.01.html
- ^ Listserve entry
- ^ Zsa Zsa Gabor at everything2.com
- ^ CBS Sportsline article
- ^ Famous for being famous - Salon.com
- ^ New York Times article - registration required
- ^ Smith was famous for being famous
- ^ [1]
External link
- "Celibricracy", an article about the phenomenon.
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