Before the discussion

Do you know the following words and phrases? fame entertainer celebrity loss of privacy paparazzi box office fortune idol the red carpet superstar

Discussion 1 Would you like to be rich and famous? Why or why not? 2 Do you have an idol or a favorite celebrity? 3 Are there any celebrities that you particularly dislike? 4 Do you like to hear gossip about celebrities? 5 What are the advantages and disadvantages to fame? 6 Why do so many celebrities behave in a strange way? 7 How much money do you think celebrities make these days? 8 Which celebrity do you feel is the most talented? 9 Apart from music and movies, what other fields of work can turn you into a celebrity? 10 What happens to famous people when they are no longer famous?

Understanding different viewpoints We asked three students from around the world whether they would like to be famous. Here are their replies.

Sasha “Ever since I was a little girl, I have always wanted to be a famous actress. The Hollywood actresses have an amazing life. They are rich and beautiful and everyone wants to be like them. They wear expen-sive clothes and the actresses get to travel all round the world to make movies. Sometimes they even get paid a fortune for advertising a product. It is like money for nothing.” Amanda “A lot of girls want to be famous like Miley Cyrus or Britney Spears, but not me. I couldn’t stand people watching me all the time and following me around. If you are famous, you can’t do normal things like go to the supermarket or go to the park with your family. The paparazzi will follow you everywhere you go and take photos of you. If you have a problem with your husband or your boyfriend, it will be analyzed on television programs and in the newspapers everyday.” Felix “I would love to be rich, but I’m not so sure about being famous. I don’t like the idea that I would lose my privacy. Maybe it would be better to be a famous writer or something. That way, only a few true fans would recognize you. For example, Stephen King is famous, but he can still live a normal life. Anyway, I’m very shy and I’m not good-looking enough to be an actor.”

In English, the idiom ‘15 minutes of fame’ is used to describe a situation where a person is famous but for only a short time. Google ’15 minutes of fame’ and see what comes up!