Answering a Question

Why do we idolize celebrities when they are really no different from us? They are not perfect, they often make mistakes and face lenient consequences. It is often seen in headlines, celebrities caught with illegal substances, pulled over with a DUI, or behaving wildly in public with little consequence. It seems as though not a few weeks later, these same celebrities are caught again for the same, or similar crimes. Most celebrities get a blind eye turned to them when this happens, until it is forgotten or apologized for.  We allow them to be specially treated, although they are just humans who have a sought after talent, or a unique personality. Huge, expensive events and award shows are thrown in their honor, but what makes them so appealing? Millions of people are influenced by celebrities every day, following their fashion trends, interests and diets. Rather than viewing celebrities as perfect people, the obsession stems from the reassurance that someone else does the same things you do, feeling better about your life after seeing the failures of people in the public eye, and being able to invest yourself in the life of another to escape your own.

            Celebrity endorsements have often proven to be successful. People want to be like the celebrities, so they buy similar clothes and do similar things. Magazines have pages dedicated to celebrities doing normal things like shopping and eating fast food, which appeals to public, showing that celebrities are like them. “Celebrity worship… provides a common frame of reference and a currency of familiarity.” (Ondrusek, 234) Although they do not personally know these stars, there is a reassurance knowing that they are dressing and acting like them. As mentioned before, people who are lonely or don’t have a people to reference for social norms, have to look somewhere to influence how they behave and act. Famous people are always there, you just have to open a magazine or turn on the television. When entertainment news shows place so much emphasis on the appearance and personal lives of the stars, it motivates you to improve your own, looking to celebs as the example. Watching the stars receive praise and recognition for looking a certain way can influence the trends that people follow. Advertisements use current stars to endorse their products, promising the best skin, the shiniest hair and the perfect affordable clothes. Using celebrities, the products seem more high-end and there is a trust established in them from the endorsement alone. Seeing famous people eating at certain restaurants that are affordable can also add to the appeal, showing others that they can eat at the same place that celebs do.

There are many examples of celebrity mistakes that people love to watch. A current example is the wild behavior of Miley Cyrus. After her raunchy performance at the VMAs and her smoking pot at the EMAs, the media seems fascinated with her. If she were not a celebrity, she would probably have faced greater consequences for her actions, but since she is, people are fascinated in her downfall. Miley started out on Disney channel, playing a girl who led a double life as a student, and a pop singer, Hannah Montana. Thousands of teen fans followed her every move, bought her merchandise, sang her songs, wrote her fan letters, and went to her concerts. She seemed at the time to be the perfect role model for young girls, until her racy Vanity Fair photo, where she appeared to be topless. From there, she was determined to show the world that she was no longer Hannah Montana, but Miley Cyrus, a grown woman. This allowed people to watch someone who seemed to have a nice life going for them, become swept up in controversy, an almost self-destruction.  This is what appeals to people, it takes their mind off of the problems in their life, momentarily, and focuses on the public downfall of another. Britney Spears is another example, her breakdown was caught on camera as she shaved her head and tried to smash a car window with an umbrella. Recently though, she seems to have mellowed, focusing on her children and her career. People may want to see the celebrities fail, but with Britney, they can see them turn their life around. This gives people hope that they can turn theirs around too, especially since they don’t have the eyes of the world on them. Shows like the X Factor, American Idol, and America’s Got Talent and their popularity prove that people like to watch others either fail or succeed. The shows are entirely based off of the concept of working hard, but ultimately letting the public decide whether you’re worthy to win or not. This decision gives the public the belief that they have some sort of control in the contestant’s lives. In the process, viewers are also watching the making of a new celebrity.

The Kardashian’s are arguably the most recognized reality show family in America. They rose to fame from chaos. The late Robert Kardashian was the lawyer for OJ Simpson in his trial, which already created a recognizable name. Bruce Jenner made a name for himself in the Olympics, further putting the family on the map. Later, the middle daughter Kim found the spotlight when her sex tape was released online. Although this isn’t exactly role model behavior, the Kardashians quickly became the most talked about family. This is the perfect example of investing oneself in the life of another. Through their multiple shows, viewers feel immersed in every aspect of their lives. Other television networks have caught onto this fascination people have with the lives of others, which led to an increase in reality television. This allows the viewer to compare their lives to the people on the screen. The craziness of celebrity lives can be a calming reminder of the normalcy of the viewers. They also allow an escape for people, “It may be that lonely people do get particular friendship satisfaction from consuming entertainment formats where characters reappear on a regular basis” (De Backer, 355) Having lovable families on tv, like the Robertson’s from Duck Dynasty, allow people to imagine a fun life like the one portrayed on the show. TLC has become the network for reality families that seem a little more down to Earth, such as the Duggars, who have a strong belief in God and greatly love one another. The illusion of the fun, loving family and friends in many of these shows can replace the lack of these in the lives of viewers. People can become so invested in celebrity lives that they forget their own, adding to the appeal of celebrities.

                        Celebrities are idolized not because of perfection, but because of their imperfections. If celebrities were not followed off screen, we would not see these everyday behaviors that make them relatable. Although people should not be glorified to the extent that celebrities are, they provide an escape from reality, a detachment from daily boring lives. It is as if people are now living through them, watching every movie or show they’re in. Celebrities get this treatment because people want be like them, they want something to aspire to. Celebrities are just normal people, who have been discovered for whatever talent they have and then become raised on a pedestal.

Ondrusek, M. Gene. “Deconstructing: Perspectives on Perspective-Making” The Cinematic Mirror for Psychology and Life Coaching. Ed. Mary Banks Gregerson. New York: Springer, 2010. 227-246. Print.

De Backer, Charlotte. “Television Programming and the Audience” Applied Evolutionary Psychology. Ed. S. Craig Roberts. Oxyford: Oxyford UP, 2012. 349-360. Print.