There was a time when entertainment and athletic celebrities were looked up to because of the positive social and moral values that they promoted using their image. This was during the early times of the entertainment industry and there was still an air of innocence about the world. Celebrities were larger than life gods and goddesses whose lives seemed to be picture perfect and enviable.

Back then, life was simple and celebrities, just like the ordinary folk they entertained, needed money to be able to afford to look nice for their audience. Unless they were on a movie set where the production supplied the wardrobe. Off the set, these people were just like any normal people going about their daily lives as ordinary people would. This is what gave celebrities value during that age of innocence. The fact they could be larger than life on screen, impress us with their commanding aura, then walk down the street and mingle with their neighbors as if it were no big deal.

Even when the celebrities endorsed products, they would be endorsing things that their fans can actually use. Practical stuff such as laundry soap and toothpaste were projected as items that helped the celebrities live a simple yet glamorous life. Somewhere along the endorsement path though, something changed the way stars were valued as media personalities and endorsers.

Hollywood has slowly evolved from an entertainment industry, to the biggest advertiser of products and events that people do not need but are told they do through the power of subtle suggestion from the celebrities they are using. The thing is, Hollywood over did the Star Value angle to the point that their celebrities have, become over valued commodities without any entertainment or inspirational purpose.

Star Value is something that has lost its meaning because Hollywood no longer produces any real stars. Instead they produce Starlets and notoriously popular people like Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. Britney had star value at one point in her career, but then, she became over valued and eventually, Hollywood destroyed that which it created. Destroyed yes, but still with star value? Perhaps. Paris Hilton is not a celebrity in the actual sense of the word. She is notoriously popular and Hollywood wants us to believe that she has Star Value because of it. Let us not forget that the wrong definition of Star Value and the over valuation of a celebrity also nearly ended and destroyed the life of Linsday Lohan. Hollywood’s party troika, celebrities with star value? I don’t think so. Just because an actor is always on the cover of magazines, this does not mean that person is a star. That person is merely paparazzi fodder. Over value in the star industry causes more problems that celebrities bargain for and eventually, they forget what it really is like to be a real celebrity. There is no difference between a starlet and a star these days because they are all doing the same things at the same time. Jessica Biel, attended the Oscar awards, a night supposedly reserved for the gathering of the biggest and brightest stars in Hollywood. The woman has never had an Oscar worthy portrayal in all her works and yet she has been over valued by the industry as a star. Why is that? If the criteria for a star now based on how many cameras are going off in her face at any given moment, then there are no more starlets indeed. There are no real stars of value anymore either. All we have is a handful of lucky people in a business where money comes easy for those with looks and not necessarily talent.

The designer clothes and jewelry, signature shoes and almost mask like make up on the red carpet for a premiere or whatever, these things are not what makes a star have value. Real star value is in the way the audience respects a celebrity. A real star or celebrity shines from the inside out without any help from the Hollywood and advertising machinery. The over valuing of the stars came from the overkill of manufacturers in regards to endorsement deals. The money celebrities earn in one endorsement contract is enough to feed a whole third world country for at least a year. That is simply not proper and it leaves a bad taste in the mouth for me to admire someone who does not help with charitable deeds or thinks kids they adopt are like pet dogs good for photo opportunities. .

These days, people go into debt in order to follow the latest trends as set by their celebrity idols. That is the main example of celebrity overkill. Nobody should have to go into debt just to feel like a celebrity. That was how endorsements started. By selling people on the idea that they too can be like their idols. The companies just forgot to mention that each celebrity has a team of private shoppers on their payroll in order to keep them looking that good and that perfect. The clothes and jewelry are usually borrowed for special events like movie premiers or awards shows. It is for these reasons that I firmly believe and reiterate my stand that there has been an over valuing of the star industry in today’s world.

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