The Cult of Celebrity

Chat with fellow forum users. No adverts or trade links in here please.
Kili01
Posts: 4651
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2016 9:41 am

The Cult of Celebrity

Post by Kili01 »

'Wonder why so many people belong to the 'celebrity cult'. Unless you actually know a person personally why do people get so upset when these people pass on? I reserve feelings of grief for family and other people, and friends who I actually know.
People who entertain us and are paid handsomely to do it, but I don't actually know them and their demise may just give momentary sadness. The exception to this rule for me is the Queen, but then she is an exceptional person.
Dee
User avatar
Devil
Forum Curmudgeon
Posts: 3922
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 8:34 am
Location: Mosfiloti

Re: Sad news

Post by Devil »

hear, hear!
WHL
Posts: 6856
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2017 2:43 pm

Re: Sad news

Post by WHL »

Kili01 wrote: Wed Nov 22, 2017 4:58 pm 'Wonder why so many people belong to the 'celebrity cult'. Unless you actually know a person personally why do people get so upset when these people pass on? I reserve feelings of grief for family and other people, and friends who I actually know.
People who entertain us and are paid handsomely to do it, but I don't actually know them and their demise may just give momentary sadness. The exception to this rule for me is the Queen, but then she is an exceptional person.
Dee
What a load of rubbish, my wife grew up listening to David Cassidy, had the posters.went to his concerts etc etc its part of growing up, its part of her life, I will shed a tear when Jimmy Greaves dies he was my first idol and I loved the man growing up, as for the Queen who is also paid handsomely. trust me, no tears will be shed there.
User avatar
Dominic
Site Admin
Posts: 14911
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 5:00 pm
Location: Polemi
Contact:

Re: Sad news

Post by Dominic »

Showing respect and sadness at somebody's passing, who gave you a lot of happiness throughout life, is not part of a celebrity cult, it is part of being human.

I was gutted when Freddy Mercury died, and to a lesser extent, when David Bowie died. Most other celeb deaths pass me by though. However, I understand that other people might have had more appreciation for the lost talent, and let them get on with their sadness.
Web Designer / Developer. Currently working on Paphos Life.
Living in Polemi, Cyprus with my wife and daughter.
lotus
Posts: 471
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2017 3:01 pm
Location: Choulou

Re: Sad news

Post by lotus »

Blimey WHL people thought some of my comment's rude the other day,mourning an old overpaid football player and not the Queen who to my mind has done a fabulous job all her life and is truly an exceptional lady
User avatar
Dominic
Site Admin
Posts: 14911
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 5:00 pm
Location: Polemi
Contact:

Re: The Cult of Celebrity

Post by Dominic »

I've split the David Cassidy thread, so that the cult of celebrity can be discussed without getting in the way of people wanting to chat about David Cassidy.
Web Designer / Developer. Currently working on Paphos Life.
Living in Polemi, Cyprus with my wife and daughter.
WHL
Posts: 6856
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2017 2:43 pm

Re: Sad news

Post by WHL »

lotus wrote: Wed Nov 22, 2017 6:34 pm Blimey WHL people thought some of my comment's rude the other day,mourning an old overpaid football player and not the Queen who to my mind has done a fabulous job all her life and is truly an exceptional lady
Jimmy Greaves was without doubt the greatest English goal scorer to ever grace the game, and if you knew anything about the game you would know players of Jimmys era were not highly paid, Jimmy is not well and Spurs have been picking up his medical bills....as for my opinion on Royalty they are a bunch of European Inbred familys who got lucky by birth, and should be consigned to the dustbin of History....as I say my opinion..cheers
William Morris
Posts: 339
Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2017 5:57 pm

Re: The Cult of Celebrity

Post by William Morris »

As WHL and Lotus have both expressed .............. it is a matter of opinion.

True, you may not have known a certain individual personally but, for a multitude of reasons, they may have affected your life in one way or another.

When Cilla Black died, I have to say that I was devastated. Not because I knew her but because of who she was and what she represented. Ditto, John Lennon.

The Queen, Prince Phillip and Greavsey all represent something from my childhood and I will be very sad for each of them.

I do not think it is a CULT in any way but social media allows more people to express their sorrow.
WHL
Posts: 6856
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2017 2:43 pm

Re: The Cult of Celebrity

Post by WHL »

William Morris wrote: Wed Nov 22, 2017 9:27 pm As WHL and Lotus have both expressed .............. it is a matter of opinion.

True, you may not have known a certain individual personally but, for a multitude of reasons, they may have affected your life in one way or another.

When Cilla Black died, I have to say that I was devastated. Not because I knew her but because of who she was and what she represented. Ditto, John Lennon.

The Queen, Prince Phillip and Greavsey all represent something from my childhood and I will be very sad for each of them.

I do not think it is a CULT in any way but social media allows more people to express their sorrow.
Very good post,Ive always loved Tamla Motown, since I was a school boy, seen all the Motown greats live, and every time one dies a little bit of me dies, When Jimmy Ruffin past away , on hearing the news I was transported back to the local disco, girls on one side of the hall the boys on the other, and when they played his song, taking that long walk across the room to ask a girl for a dance, praying she wouldn't say no, and embarrass you, its called having great memories that shaped your life.....Music/performers/Sportsman etc do that to you, I would think that is what the majority of people would say.
Maggie B
Posts: 724
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 8:40 am
Location: Inverness, previously Paphos

Re: The Cult of Celebrity

Post by Maggie B »

I love this thread, and have not looked at the 'other' side of the split yet.

Dominic . . . you are some cookie😲 To have had the savvie to separate this subject was, in my eyes, a very astute thing to do. Thank you.

I can be a hard faced human being at times but like many of you other good peeps, have been affected or touched by the so-called celebrities throughout my lifetime - many of whom have been listed above.

I will 'trot off' now and look at the other side - just to see what the Craic is???

Maggie B

I reckon AR and me both shed a tear when Joe Cocker died. ❤
User avatar
PaphosAL
Posts: 2167
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 10:27 pm
Location: Luton UK (Heart: Paphos)

Re: The Cult of Celebrity

Post by PaphosAL »

And let's not forget George Harrison and Roy Orbison. Travelling Wilburys? What great sessions they recorded in Tom Petty's house, along with Bob Dylan and Jeff Lynne...

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=tr ... &FORM=VIRE

That's "Handle with Care". If you watch that to the end, youtube should lead you into "End of the Line", where they have a rocking chair with Roy's guitar on it (after he had died)...

Enjoy! AL :)

PS: Especially for Maggie B, but also for any other Joe Cocker fans out there:

https://www.bing.com/search?q=joe+cocke ... ORM=SNG1CR

He certainly put his heart, soul, and body into his performances!
Gone but not forgotten...
daveg
Posts: 571
Joined: Sun Feb 05, 2017 2:58 pm

Re: The Cult of Celebrity

Post by daveg »

Re Cult of Celebrity, it amazes me that the likes of Geldof, Bono, Lily Allen etc voice political opinions to us minions, when in the majority of cases they got famous for singing etc....
Since when has a pop star had the upbringing to be a Statesman/woman...
User avatar
Dominic
Site Admin
Posts: 14911
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 5:00 pm
Location: Polemi
Contact:

Re: The Cult of Celebrity

Post by Dominic »

Why shouldn't they have an opinion?

What is the criteria for being able to have an opinion?

Don't get me wrong. I think Bono is a monumental tit. But he's allowed to have an opinion. I am equally allowed to shout at the radio whenever I hear his whiney voice. And don't get me started on Coldplay.
Web Designer / Developer. Currently working on Paphos Life.
Living in Polemi, Cyprus with my wife and daughter.
User avatar
PW in Polemi
Posts: 790
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 9:56 am
Location: Polemi of course! Doh!!! :)

Re: The Cult of Celebrity

Post by PW in Polemi »

Well, I clicked on this thread (not having read the other one either) thinking it was going to be about youngsters whose only ambition in life appears to be to become famous ... :oops: So much for firemen and ballerina ambitions (not necessarily at the same time :lol: ).
Kay
Those who do not like cats, must have been mice in a former life! :lol:
robf
Posts: 67
Joined: Mon Mar 20, 2017 2:06 pm

Re: The Cult of Celebrity

Post by robf »

There are Celebrities who really annoy me, but they obviously bring pleasure to some. There are some who are really talented and also bring pleasure to many. There are some who just seem to be there because they are there.
So bringing this back to a Cyprus perspective, where would you place George Michael?
I know that he put a lot of money and time into causes he believed in, many (if not all) on the understanding that he got no publicity whatsoever. So unlike many celebrities the public really only got to know the negative side of his life.
WHL
Posts: 6856
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2017 2:43 pm

Re: The Cult of Celebrity

Post by WHL »

robf wrote: Thu Nov 23, 2017 11:29 am There are Celebrities who really annoy me, but they obviously bring pleasure to some. There are some who are really talented and also bring pleasure to many. There are some who just seem to be there because they are there.
So bringing this back to a Cyprus perspective, where would you place George Michael?
I know that he put a lot of money and time into causes he believed in, many (if not all) on the understanding that he got no publicity whatsoever. So unlike many celebrities the public really only got to know the negative side of his life.
Not my cup of tea, but we are now hearing about how generous he was supporting good causes with his own money, even paying to help family's that couldn't afford fertility treatment etc. the only thing he asked for was no publicity .well done...George...unlike many celebs
User avatar
Jimgward
Posts: 3115
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2016 8:14 pm
Location: Lanark
Contact:

Re: The Cult of Celebrity

Post by Jimgward »

I attended a talk a year ago, given by Sally Magnusson, daughter of the great Magnus. Sally is herself a newsreader in Scotland.

Her father suffered from dementia and Sally setup and is patron of a charity to assist dementia sufferers with music.

They sit with someone in early dementia and recount music with them, then make a playlist of significant music on an iPod.

As dementia progresses, this is chosen to release memories, as well as bring peace. A very inspiring talk that also highlighted to me, the powers of music in many peoples lives and why a singer or band’s passing would bring sadness.

Similarly, sports fans would find the passing of such as Jimmy Greaves if you were a Spurs player....

I dont feel effect of many ‘celebrtities’ Per Se. Including royalty, so I found it bemusing when Diana passed, at the whole scale grief. I was obviously saddened at a young mother, charity head and lovely looking woman passing, but the over the top grief (including from my missus - who wasn’t at the time) did bemuse me.
User avatar
PhotoLady
Posts: 2731
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 10:53 am
Location: Where the river meets the sea
Contact:

Re: The Cult of Celebrity

Post by PhotoLady »

I find the whole process of laying flowers down in public and shedding tears for those who died from people who never even met them in real life very disconcerting too.

Be sad for them and their families indeed, but when and why did this behaviour start?

As to celebrities as such, yes - we feel sadness and grief from the memories that they gave us personally and that we shared with friends or family at various parts of our lives.

I never had those feelings Diana nor do I think I will for our Queen when she goes. They haven't played a big part in my life or given me any real memories. On the day of Diana's wedding me and my mum went to the beach at St. Anne's as I had just returned the day before from 2 weeks holiday in the south of France....
"Have Camera, Will Travel"
User avatar
Dominic
Site Admin
Posts: 14911
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 5:00 pm
Location: Polemi
Contact:

Re: The Cult of Celebrity

Post by Dominic »

She must have had some impact if you can remember what you were doing when she got married. :)

I haven't got a clue.

I remember where I was when she died though. I was at home, trying to work out why the radio was playing such God awful music.

I never got the Diana-grief thing either. I remember being appalled hearing them discuss in all seriousness on the Today program whether she could be made a saint. It was as if half the country had become bewitched.

Personally, I think it was because a proportion of the public had taken ownership of her, and driven the media machine which ultimately caused her death. Coupled to that another proportion who came along for the ride, and you have a fair amount of guilty feelings floating about. Added to that, were the people genuinely upset, and the result was what we all saw.

What proportion were grieving out of guilt, and what proportion out of sorrow, I couldn't tell you. They were curious times though.
Web Designer / Developer. Currently working on Paphos Life.
Living in Polemi, Cyprus with my wife and daughter.
User avatar
Devil
Forum Curmudgeon
Posts: 3922
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 8:34 am
Location: Mosfiloti

Re: The Cult of Celebrity

Post by Devil »

Hudswell wrote: Thu Nov 23, 2017 12:27 pm Public outpourings of grief have become almost expected, fashionable even..... candle vigils, laying teddie bears and flowers, hysterical crying...have become the norm....I would rather see a little more restraint.
I would rather see a lot more restraint, in fact, total restraint. It is sick. Another US import we don't need. And a waste of money (here speaketh the canny Scot).
Post Reply