What's so great about celebrities? Frum ones too.

amother

Tue, Sep 05 2023, 3:54 am

What is it about celebrities that makes us want to be near them, see them, take a photo with them etc.?
I am a mini celeb within certain circles. I am on stage and in women's movies (sometimes paid and sometimes for chessed or fun) and it's so, I don't know, nothing. Being a performer doesn't make you a better person. You're just a person, no matter what. All the worship of singers, actors etc. now seems so ridiculous to me. I'm trying to figure it out what makes all of us tick in this regard.
(I posted this in this forum because it's the only place I found where I could be anon.)

Regarding admiration for celebs- if they are gorgeous - it's something God given.
If they are phenomenal singers or actors - it's also usually God given.
I look at Hollywood actors way differently than I used to, having been in front of the camera many times. So I can act. So what? Just rambling about something I think about sometimes and it came back to me because of the Ishai Ribo thread.

amother

Dustypink

Tue, Sep 05 2023, 4:45 am

Imo,you're right.
There's worse challenges in life : ) but I actually sometimes feel bad for celebs if they are famous enough that they're usually recognized. When interviewed some speak about being objectified as their persona, like being asked to be in pictures while eating out with family, theyre likely mainly seen as their persona, not as a whole reg person.

Why they're magnetic?
I think it's both that our ego's get excited for whatever yetzer hara reason, desires & what not & they're beautiful or charismatic or entertaining and it makes us feel really good.

But also in a very spiritual way. I don't want to mention which well known Torah educator in case I'm paraphrasing it wrong but someone well known said that man's desires for things like money or beauty etc, while often shrouded in ego, do have their essential roots in deeper spiritual sources in our unconscious attraction to things which resemble things like perfection creativity and symmetry. Has anyone heard that and can expand?

chanatron1000

Tue, Sep 05 2023, 4:54 am

It is a little weird and irrational for people to have a worshipful attitude toward celebrities. On the other hand, it might be worse when people don't. Because taking celebrities off that pedestal won't erase the parasocial relationship. It might do the opposite. Regarding someone as superhuman maintains a certain distance.

amother

Red

Tue, Sep 05 2023, 5:00 am

Worshipping celebs isn't a Jewish thing, unfortunately it has become though.
It bothers me how adults and kids get so caught up in the latest musicians/singers/ preformers that this is what they think about all day. I'm sure they're good people but that's not what I'd want my kids to aspire to be or to look up to as their moreh derech.

amother

Tue, Sep 05 2023, 5:19 am

It's not really a challenge for me. And I'm not complaining. I do feel it's a zchus to be able to make a difference in people's lives.
I just think it's funny how certain people get excited about meeting me because I affected them from the big screen. I can relate to the magazine writer amother. I would probably also be excited to meet her! Probably because of how her writing affects me. It's so interesting how the human psyche works!

amother

Green

Tue, Sep 05 2023, 5:24 am

amother Electricblue wrote:

Totally agree. I write for magazines and when people hear that, they sometimes get star-struck. I explain, "You know how you go to the office every day? This is something I do for a living."

I write for magazines too! And I get a lot of similar name recognition, especially from kids. Never thought of myself as a celebrity, that’s funny.

amother

Cherry

Tue, Sep 05 2023, 6:00 am

Now I'm so curious who you are.
I also acted in a few Jewish movies. I wonder if we acted together.

I was a typical teenager only a decade ago. I was a huge fan of some Hollywood celebrities. For me I think it's the fact that they're so "untouchable", like it's so hard to access them. So whenever I met them or saw them, I would get this feeling like, "wow, this is a rare opportunity that most people don't get to do". And that gave me such adrenaline. That's what it was for me.

giftedmom

Tue, Sep 05 2023, 6:05 am

The way I see it many people have a drive to worship, so they find someone or other to idolize. I see it a lot with all these parenting classes and new-age gurus who claim that they have the key to solve the worlds problems. Each one has followers who swear by them. This is the same idea. Some people just have that personality. Also they probably dream of fame and being near you makes them feel famous by association. Important.

amother

Tue, Sep 05 2023, 6:16 am

amother Cherry wrote:

Now I'm so curious who you are.
I also acted in a few Jewish movies. I wonder if we acted together.
.

I doubt it.
I do mostly kids' (girls) movies in Israel. Some adult stuff in the past.

amother

Brickred

Tue, Sep 05 2023, 6:29 am

25+ years ago there was a very talented and charismatic female performer. She had so many fans. People really idolized her. She was really good at what she did, blessed with lots of talents…. The thing is, I knew her on a personal level. She had lots of challenges in difficulties in her life. She sometimes suffered from depression. I saw her struggle so much yet when she went on stage she was a grand celebrity.
In those days there weren’t too many frum female celebrities.
Now there are many but I’ve learned that they are just regular people who were gifted with a talent. I don’t let myself get carried away and place them on a pedestal.
I think this thread was actually about a specific male performer. People have to realize that they are regular people- flesh and blood like the rest of us.

zaq

Tue, Sep 05 2023, 12:14 pm

giftedmom wrote:

The way I see it many people have a drive to worship, so they find someone or other to idolize. ...Also they probably dream of fame and being near you makes them feel famous by association. Important.

Exactly. People bask in reflected glory. Name-dropping is the same--people think that naming names implies that they run in exalted circles and are therefore exalted themselves.

amother

Pear

Tue, Sep 05 2023, 1:05 pm

I am a frum celebrity.
My children ask me what it's like to be famous. They are constantly asked by their friends what it's like to have the "coolest" mom. To them im just their mom and a normal person.
I think its the most ridiculous thing ever. I pose with everyone for pictures because it makes them feel good. Its meaningless to me.
I dont like being idolised. I don't like being pointed at it public.
I am happy to use my "celebrity " status to bring joy to others and to make people feel good. Thats where it starts and ends.

amother

Tue, Sep 05 2023, 1:41 pm

amother Pear wrote:

This, this, this!!!!!

PinkFridge

Tue, Sep 05 2023, 2:12 pm

amother Dustypink wrote:

That reminds me of something I heard about travel and the need for adventure from Rabbi Tatz, maybe b'shem Rav Moshe Shapiro. That the desire to explore and discover new things and places can really be filled by discovering and exploring the vast sea of Torah.

Cheiny

Tue, Sep 05 2023, 2:21 pm

amother Pear wrote:

I’m trying to think of even one frum woman who’d be considered a “celebrity,” and can’t come up with anything.

I’m curious what exactly constitutes “celebrity” in some people’s minds.

If we’re talking Instagram or influencers, then, no comment…