To think celebrity worship is weird?

[Doesyourkidhaveacold]

Is it just me, or is the whole worship of celebrities really bizarre? I think appreciating someone’s talent is one thing and I have people I like to watch/listen to, but I find the extremes that people go to really bizarre, spending hours standing around hoping for a glimpse of them, spending hundreds on tickets to go and see them, following their every move and being interested in who they’re dating, obsessing over what they look like and buying everything they make/endorse. I was reading something earlier about best and worst celebrity encounters and it’s like these people have to do the bare minimum. One person raves about Adam Sandler because ‘he said please and thank you to everyone’. Okay, shouldn’t everyone as standard? It’s odd how we heroworship people because they’re born with a good voice or the ability to pretend to be someone else, or kick a football. This isn’t one of those ‘nurses should be paid the same as footballers’ things, I just find it bozarre that we out these people on such high pedestals? I don’t think any famous person is ‘better’ than me and I wouldn’t line up to meet a single one. I respect what they create, but anything more I find odd. Why do we give these people so much within society? They’re just people at the end of the day? I saw a video the other day of a woman saying she was angry that people were at a Taylor Swift concert who weren’t singing along as they didn’t deserve a ticket. Surely this thought process is bonkers? Yet so many people hold celebrity’s on such high pedastals and treat them as though they’re more important people than anyone else. I find it all so odd?! All the fawning and things like award ceremonies for being on tv and such is just so…strange. Am I reasonable or just a bit of a sour face?

And no, I’m not jealous, I have no desire to be famous or go to the Ivy or whatever. And yes, I include people sleeping on the streets for days to see the royals in this.

👍 Totally with you on making up for lost time, you can keep HS though! 😅 You're a long time dead, so keep on doing what you enjoy, sod what anyone else thinks. 🙂

I don't understand it at all. Always struck me as bizarre.

@glassorangerie @underneaththeash
good question-I think it’s a combination of everything for me. Harry is ridiculously handsome, has great hair and is very charismatic and charming. He is awesome live in concert. But there’s something about his music that also speaks to me.

TBF I wasn’t really into him at all besides liking a couple of tracks from the album but DD begged me to go to a concert this year. So, I started listening to his music more before we went so I could enjoy it more and discovered that I really liked it. Some of his songs just make me smile but others resonate; Matilda is one of those. So we dressed up with the sequins and cowboy hats etc which was fun but oh boy! He is such an amazing showman; I’ve never been to a concert like it; he is such a positive chap, interacts with the crowd, very much is about treating people with kindness etc, donates to charity and is good to his mum! I enjoy watching him on TikTok and went on to see him a few times then and each show was a bit different.

i wouldn’t try and find where he lives, visit video shoot places, obsess about his life etc but I suppose it is a little bit of escapism 🤷‍♀️

Did I mention he is a beautiful man?

It really is a bit weird and sad.

That’s a good point.

Does Harry Styles even write his own songs? Isn’t he just Generation Y’s Robbie Williams?

'Celebrity' worship and following bands/singers are not the same thing at all though are they? I'd put people in the former bracket like the ones who obsess over Meghan Markle and 'know' that she's a wrong 'un.
Going to gigs is the best thing in the world. I go to dozens a year (we saw The Unthanks last night) and there's nothing like it. The travelling is great too. Meeting up with like-minded people and the camaraderie. If I had money I'd do it all the time..
My favourite singer is a woman and I see her whenever I can. She's touring later in the year and I hope to go to all of them.
Aside from her, who I've got to know pretty well over the years, I'm not particularly fussed about meeting any of them.
My first concert was Queen and I never quite got over it.
When I was a teenager I wanted to marry Roger Taylor, but a fantasy boyfriend is always fun.

Yes, a lot of them (I'm not a fan particularly, I just asked Google). Robbie Williams writes most of his too doesn't he, so there's no need to be sniffy about it.
Conversely Barbra Streisand doesn't, almost entirely, but she's still a bloody goddess.

@Beefcurtains79 yes he writes most of his own material and plays piano, guitar, drums, harmonica, banjo and ukulele so really very talented and not just a front face for someone else’s music.

I don't think it causes problems really.

Whereas celebrity hate does - that's the thing I find extremely weird. Particularly the concept of 'snarking forums' where people are hugely invested in hating a stranger so much that they devote so much time to it.

I agree completely. There are often threads on Mumsnet called "Who's the nicest celeb you've ever met?" or similar.
I'm always amazed how people fawn over other people because they happen to be on the TV. The way they describe famous people are just how I expect everyone to behave. They say things like "Oh I met Graham Norton (or whoever) and he was sooo lovely. He was so down to earth and polite. He asked what I did for a living and was genuinely interested". Well so what? Most people I know are usually polite and pretend to take an interest in what I do. It's just common courtesy. Famous people are just people. They may be nice and friendly but so is the local cashier I see every day at Sainsburys. No one ever fawns over "normal" every day people like the postman or lady in the cafe but someone famous can be very mildly pleasant and it seems to blow people's minds!

I assume Harry's a decent guy, because even right back since the beginning there's been no reports otherwise and he has a v loyal team that have stuck with him.
I don't think he's a Saint who never has an off day, and I've seen videos where he says no to fans taking his photo.
Fair enough really.
The locals in his village have nothing but good to say about him, they designed a tour for fans, and when I went the ones I spoke to were utterly lovely.

@MrsElijahMikaelson1
Thanks for answering. I always find it interesting when people talk about stuff they really like, because it's always genuine, and even if I have never even thought about the topic before I enjoy their passion.

I saw Robbie last year, he puts on a great show, Harry is the younger, hotter, more up to date version 😉

If Harry ever turns out to be a bad un I'm stuck with two tattoos, but nvm, plus I chose carefully so only other fans will know.

Everyone needs a fantasy, it does no harm so long as they don’t start stalking.

I with you OP - I think the weridest is the way people will flock to bjy something promoted by their favorite celebs. It's often so transprent they're only sayng they like/use/had ever hear of this product becasue they're getting paid but people in the 1000s will rush out to buy it just because Kim Kardashian said it's part of her routine on instagram!

Going to gigs is the best thing in the world. I go to dozens a year (we saw The Unthanks last night) and there's nothing like it.

Ooh* *really like the Unthanks - I bet they were fab!

TBF I wasn’t really into him at all besides liking a couple of tracks from the album but DD begged me to go to a concert this year. So, I started listening to his music more before we went so I could enjoy it more and discovered that I really liked it. Some of his songs just make me smile but others resonate; Matilda is one of those. So we dressed up with the sequins and cowboy hats etc which was fun but oh boy! He is such an amazing showman; I’ve never been to a concert like it; he is such a positive chap, interacts with the crowd, very much is about treating people with kindness etc, donates to charity and is good to his mum! I enjoy watching him on TikTok and went on to see him a few times then and each show was a bit different.

Each to their own - I guess that for me, a singer's looks, outfits, charity affiliations or relationship with their mum wouldn't interest me. Either I like their music or I don't. I'm not interested in their life unless they have done something so heinous that I'd want to boycott them altogether.

I did like the music, from the beginning.
I love singalong stuff, I love boybands, my first concert was Bros, age ten, I'm still seeing boybands now, my next show is Busted, I saw several last year and this year.
I see bands that I'm not obsessed with too, plenty of them, I enjoy the music, the camaraderie of the people there, sometimes the travel, I've travelled for a few plays/musicals this year too, and Women's rights events, off to Skye soon for Women's Rights, then London for a Boyband!
I guess we all have different interests and living in a fantasy is not healthy, but I really don't, so long as you don't Diss my Harry!

@AllProperTeaIsTheft

in the part of my post you quoted, did you miss the bit where I clearly stated I liked his music?

So, I started listening to his music more before we went so I could enjoy it more and discovered that I really liked it. Some of his songs just make me smile but others resonate; Matilda is one of those.

Can't think of one celebrity I would bother to cross the road to see.

What??? Yours is the odd post, of course people scream at gigs/concerts. There are a million examples on youtube but just to start you off, listen to the first 30 secs of

or or (spanning a range of ages/genres)

@Doesyourkidhaveacold also why do humans bow and pray to gods ? everything we know about different gods is all written by humans, so in many ways it could be debated that gods were the original celebrities' ?

It's a shame to have this view. If it's something that makes someone happy then it's incorrect to label it as sad.

Its rather small minded to think that something of no interest of you is a weird or sad pursuit.

It was an all-dayer at The Barbican. Afternoon and evening shows with different sets. Lovely music and clog-dancing...
There's a world of difference between getting excited about Kim Kardashian and loving live music. Or music generally.
It's a joyous communal experience. There is nothing like standing in a darkened room listening to music that moves you.
If it's not for you, then fair enough, but why sneer at people who love it.