This is the age of celebrity. Everywhere we look, celebrities gaze at us from the covers of the many celebrity magazines on sale in the shops.
It has never been simpler to achieve fame and notoriety; there are so many Reality Shows on TV, offering instant stardom to the contestants, and also talent contests which aim to find the next American Idol, or the person with the X Factor.
But is all of this a good idea? When I was young I wanted to be famous - what child doesn't - but in those days fame was very hard to come by. It took a lot of hard work. You performed local gigs if you were a singer or a pop group, and took small acting roles to get yourself known, if acting was your forte. This was much better than the shortcuts to fame we see nowadays, which make fame seem too easy. I have come up with five points, in which I argue the point, that fame is not the bed of roses, which people, who are not famous, think it is.
The first point I wish to make, is that, the fast track to fame shows on TV, indicate that fame is something which is the right of every person.
When we seethe audition shows for contests such as '”X Factor,” and “American Idol,” we see the auditions in tears when they are told they have not made it through to the next round. It is as though being famous is the only thing that matters and there is nothing else in life for them! They wail and cry, “I never wanted to do anything else. Please give me a chance!” But the problem is, no one ever told them they couldn't sing, not even if their lives depended on it! In the old days this would not have happened because singers were well trained, and you could not get anywhere if you were no good. But now, people seem to think that anyone can be a singer, therefore, they have a false view of themselves, and also the entertainment business. To be successful in the business, you need to be unique, tough, talented, and energetic. You also need to be realistic about your role, which is that of, 'business commodity.'
This brings me to my second point: In the days before the shortcuts happened, Stars built their reputations slowly. As I indicated earlier, they started from scratch. Their fan bases began small. The problem these days is that a performer will be on a nationwide show, one day, and be surrounded by press and fans the following morning. It is too quick! How can they possibly cope? Especially when all their past love-affairs come out in the papers, as their ex lovers cash in on the new celebrity's success by selling their stories. Of course there can be problems for stars who work their way up to the top, but celebrities who achieve overnight success are starting out with a big disadvantage.
The third point: The people on today's Reality and Talent Shows are people wearing blinkers. They see the fame, the prestige, the clothes, cars and record deals. They do not see the darker side of things.
If you dream of being famous, I'd like you to do a test.
- Close your eyes
- Imagine the most embarrassing moment of your life, or the most shameful
- Imagine the story all over the tabloid press
- Realise that this will be you, if you are famous. .
If you think you can handle this, then go right ahead and try for fame and fortune.
The fourth point is the pressure. Once you start on the golden road you have to fight to stay on it. Record deals last only as long as the public are buying your CDs. There is always someone else waiting to take your place, and your management company will drop you, without a second thought, if you don't live up to expectations. Many famous artists turn to drugs to keep them going, when they really need to rest, but are forced to keep performing and recording. They use alcohol to help them relax. Celebrities may look like 'a million dollars' when we see them on the stage or on TV, but how do they really feel? They have to keep smiling, night after night even if they feel ill or exhausted. Fans have paid good money to see them and cannot go home disappointed.
A very disturbing aspect to the issue of pressure is that, often, Children are subjected to it. Parents practically frog-march their children to auditions. The children may say it is all their own idea and Mum is just going along with it, but parents should know better! Many child stars have burned out early. Some have come to sticky ends. They have had their childhood snatched from them and there is nothing that can make that, right.
