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Are the words celebrity, national treasure, and star bandied around too easily?

(19 Posts)
Lexisgranny Sun 07-Mar-21 13:41:16

This is a question which crops up frequently between Mr L and myself. We see individuals who have appeared on reality programmes classed as celebrities, elderly actors are national treasures, and someone with a walk on part in a soap several years ago referred to as a star. How would you define the words?

Gwenisgreat1 Sun 07-Mar-21 13:44:21

Don't forget the Legends we have??? They used to refer to deceased people, but now some are nowhere being deceased!! I do agree, people do often little to earn these tittles.

Calendargirl Sun 07-Mar-21 13:46:50

National treasures- people like Julie Walters, Joanna Lumley, Judi Dench to name but three. Really?

Calendargirl Sun 07-Mar-21 13:47:57

Oh, and don’t forget ‘icons’!

Lots of people seem to be icons nowadays.

Blossoming Sun 07-Mar-21 13:52:16

I’ve never heard of most of these people, but I don’t watch TV or read gossip mags and the like. I get the impression many of them are just ‘famous for being famous’.

Riverwalk Sun 07-Mar-21 14:37:49

Someone on Mumsnet said Prince Philip was 'the nation's grandpa'

grin

Oopsadaisy1 Sun 07-Mar-21 15:41:26

Stephen Fry isn’t my idea of a National Treasure, but I’ve been watching various Attenborough programmes since I was a child, so, to me , he certainly qualifies.

lovebeigecardigans1955 Sun 07-Mar-21 15:47:31

Everything is exaggerated these days, people are famous for going on a TV reality show which does not make you a celebrity.

Lexisgranny Sun 07-Mar-21 15:56:33

Maybe I should have asked who should not be called by these names !!

Florida12 Sun 07-Mar-21 16:00:17

In this country we tend to home in on someone, and then over expose them, to the point of they are never off the tv, papers internet, and then they go out of fashion, and they stalk/home in on someone else.

AGAA4 Sun 07-Mar-21 16:06:56

I have watched some celebrity quiz shows and don't know any of them. Obviously not celebrated enough.
When I was young there were only people who most people knew who were called stars.

Bridgeit Sun 07-Mar-21 16:07:35

Don’t have a ‘who’ but Piers Morgan would be a ‘NOT’.

Ellianne Sun 07-Mar-21 16:11:09

I was called a "star" for posting a letter for my neighbour last week. Does that count?

LauraNorder Sun 07-Mar-21 16:23:21

One of my sons often says ‘Mum you’re a legend’. When I’ve helped out with something.
Well actually it’s ‘Mum you’re a ledge’. Perhaps I was being presumptuous and he just thinks of me as a shelf to lean on.
Yes I do agree that words like star, legend, national treasure and celebrity are bandied about without true meaning.
In my opinion the Queen is a national treasure.
Boudicca is a legend.
Celebrity is anyone who can celebrate unique talent, so not many.
A star is any massive self-luminous, celestial body of gas, so probably all of them.

grandmajet Sun 07-Mar-21 16:32:19

?

EllanVannin Sun 07-Mar-21 16:40:00

I hope I never get called a treasure. It puts me in mind of someone/ something having been dug up.

Mollygo Sun 07-Mar-21 16:56:07

Lovebeigecardigan1955and Blossoming you summed it up.
For me a celebrity is someone I’ve not only heard of, but I can name when I see them. There’s not very many-and some of them are not stars because they aren’t very bright.
A national treasure is something everyone could potentially enjoy, like the Lake District.
Florida12 that’s true.
EllenVannin ??

Callistemon Sun 07-Mar-21 17:00:09

EllanVannin

I hope I never get called a treasure. It puts me in mind of someone/ something having been dug up.

? and kept in a museum ?

Callistemon Sun 07-Mar-21 17:03:53

Someone on Mumsnet said Prince Philip was 'the nation's grandpa'

I'd better not tell DH, one of our DC and a DGC are very blonde and blue-eyed, nothing like either of us!
DB suggested the milkman's involvement but we had a milkwoman at the time.