Cult of celebrity

The cult of celebrity is the widespread interest in famous individuals. It became a prominent social phenomenon in late 20th century Western popular culture.

The public fascination with such celebrities, though not technically a cult, leads to a level of idolatry, hence the use of the religious term. Driven by constant publicity and exposure in magazines, newspapers and television, fame is an essential prerequisite for celebrity status, though the principal reason for such fame is often minor. Such nonebrities, a portmanteau describing those famous for being famous, are often first noticed as reality television contestants, pop singers, actors or society debutantes.

The cult of celebrity is often considered representative of the perceived attitudes towards deliberate apathy, trivia, and dumbing down in popular culture. It is associated with an increased focus on celebrity by the entertainment industry, including the growth of the reality television and talent show genre. Gossip-oriented magazines such as Heat and OK! in the UK and In Touch Weekly and National Enquirer in the US, and television channels E! and VH1 focus almost entirely on promoting the cult of celebrity.

While the cult of celebrity refers primarily to a perceived recent escalation of the phenomenon, the celebration of fame - and the subsequent attraction for some to become famous - is not new. An early example was in the Victorian era when an ambitious young country girl, Lillie Langtry engineered her rise to prominence by having her portrait painted by noted artists then advertising her beauty on penny postcards sold around London.

People held as cult of celebrity icons

• Paris Hilton
• Nicole Richie
• Jade Goody
• Chantelle Houghton
• Coleen McLoughlin
• Kim Kardashian
• Charles Allen
• Emma Watson
• Lady GaGa

See also

• Category:Lists of celebrities
• Celebrity culture
• Celebrity
• 15 minutes of fame
• Cult of personality

References

• Heroes, villains and the cult of celebrity in the 20th century