ABSTRACT

There is an entire genre of journalistic writing devoted to the interviewing and profiling of celebrities – sportsmen, actresses, singers, presidents, television presenters, minor aristocrats, rock stars, even people who are famous just for being famous. The distinction between a profile and an interview is not entirely clear. At one end of the scale is the profile of the star in words that could be written without the writer ever meeting the subject. Such profiles are often anonymous and may be written by an acquaintance of the star, but are otherwise put together from cuttings and perhaps interviews with colleagues, friends and family. If written well these can give an insight into the celebrity’s work or life, although the drawback is that the copy is secondhand and is unlikely to include fresh material in the form of revelations or even lively quotes.