What makes someone famous? Is it measurable by the amount of people who know you? Do you cease to be famous once you drop below that threshold?

Is Prince "famous" anymore?

Is Ben (our glorious leader), Famous?
Similar to the tree falling in a forest philosophy, if you don't know someone exists how can they be famous?

Any theories on fame, just curious

If you had a time machine and went back in time wouldn't u have to get out of the time machine before you got in?

Fauxie said:

Whats that got to do with being famous

PREDOMINANT said:

Isn't it obvious?

Fauxie said:

This threads going nowhere

I guess it's anyone in the public gaze, somebody we dont know personally but know of. I'm not sure I would class Ben as famous as he is only known within the Prince community and to me fame in the true sense of the word is on a larger scale.

Lleena said:

Finally, I knew I could count on you hun

How larger scale?

PREDOMINANT said:

I'm not sure, I was just thinking, I guess there is local fame..as in a local celebrity, known to the immediate community. ( there goes my comment about Ben ) and global fame. A person who is recognised on a worldwide level. there are differnet degrees of fame.

However, it is subjective also, as somebody who may be famous to one person may be completely obscure to another. The only people I can think of that EVERYONE is aware of are Jesus and Elvis


...
[Edited 2/4/05 5:25am]

Then again..We're all going to get our 15 mins of fame..or are we?..

Lleena said:

:got ya thinkin'

YOu just wrote almost the exact thoughts that went through my head and made me post the thread in the first place

I still can't get my head round it

There are must be people who don't know who elivis and jesus are?

Perhaps NOBODY is famous?

It has to be related to the number of people who would recognise you.

PREDOMINANT said:

fame must be one of those ego-driven mind constructs. it separates one being from another, based on some action or event. seems like a silly thing to pursue, but it's awfully tempting.

irresistibleb1tch said:

Where did it come from though, who first coined the phrase "oooo he's (or she's) so famous".

I'm not suggesting one persue fame, the concept just bothered me today. Mind always wanders when I should be working hard

PREDOMINANT said:

interesting question. i suppose wide-spread fame must have come with increased media proliferation - radio, tv, movies.

I suppose being famous is actually living on in a persons mind...be that one person or many...

You could divide it into popular fame ....i.e. Those who are living ...and is pretty transient....

And Historical fame which is more permanant.






Another famous spelling edit
[Edited 2/4/05 6:22am]

I was at a local restaurant last night and an elephant just walked up the street by the side of our table and broke somebody's tail light.

irresistibleb1tch said:

Hollywood? Radio?

Before the turn of the century would anybody have had fame (certainly not as we now know it)? But I don't remember my Grandparents talking about famous people.

"he was famous throughout the land" is the oldest kind of phrase I can think of, fairy tails, ledgends maybe?

Steadwood said:

Unless they seemlesly pass from one to another?

PREDOMINANT said:

....

...I sort of see what you mean

...Actual "Fame" ..is a state of perception...and if one or a group of people identify with a person...

...He or she will be regarded famous by them...someone to aspire to, or inspire.

Outside of Hollywood, I think it's a person having done something where others take notice. I dunno, there's obviously varying degrees of fame, but I think that the more people that know of you and what you're being talked about/remembered for the more "famous" you become.

You have the hometown guy/gal who does something kind/extraordinary/perverse and they're mentioned in the local news and gain a certain amount of fame, but it usually passes quickly, but they're still famous for what they'd done.

You have serial killers like Ed Gein or Ted Bundy who are more widley known than say, Michael Ross, but they're all famous and even though they aren't spoken about as much, I don't think it lessons their fame any. The Marquis De Sade, Al Capone, Charlie Manson, Lizzy Borden, they're all famous for their actions in the past and we made them famous from talking about them. I think the more people talk about something that someones done, and the longer they talk about it, the more famous they'll become and they'll be remembered longer for it as well.

As for Hollywood, I think that you'll always have the fame from there, it just so happens that once you're no longer talked about there's no longer any need for your services and then you're pushed to the side. Still famous, just not famous enough to be talked about as often. Look at Milli Vanilla... still famous, though not for what they intended. Ashlee Simpson, I think she'll forever be famous for her SNL screw up. Michael Jackson will be doubly famous and will still be centuries from now simply because he's constantly been talked about for so long.

AzureStarr said:

"LOCAL WOMAN ARRESTED FOR DISPLAYING 'FLAIR' ON MAIN STREET"

But, what's the difference between being famous and being infamous?

irresistibleb1tch said:

WOW...I think we'd all be over-stimulated

applekisses said:

true! it just seems that there are so many people right around us who have done amazing things, and we're too busy worrying about Brad & Jen to notice.

applekisses said:

in




stupid answer, i know

irresistibleb1tch said:

I knew what you meant, hon...it's just that I thought about it...and it seems like a wonderful idea...but, then I thought about how we're bombarded so much with celebrity info...if they did that with everyone we'd never be able to get away from it!

applekisses said:

It would probably be easier to just treat people with the respect and admiration they deserve. I vote we stop putting Brads and Jens on pedistals instead, our attention would soon turn to those who deserve it more.

Most famous people have the paparazzi following them and invading their privacy. That's the price of fame - you have no life, and you just cannot walk around freely without avoiding fans, and stalkers.