ABSTRACT
One of the problems in the academic study of celebrity is the lack of agreement on the meaning of terms. While some scholars make a clear distinction between fame and celebrity, others use the terms as completely interchangeable. This discussion will recognize the distinction proposed by Trevor Parry-Giles, that celebrity and fame are distinct concepts, with fame being well known for having accomplished something extraordinary and celebrity being well known based on the promotion of one's personality. The recognition of accomplishments that we associate with fame (and the "achieved celebrity" status that sometimes accompanies such recognition) is very much an expression of the particular social, economic, and political structures that exist in a given society at a specific period in its history. As mass media became more influential, personalities were valued for being average and relatable, rather than for being extraordinary.
