History Main / FamousForBeingFamous

When someone is a celebrity simply because he or she is well-known -- and little else. Perhaps they did gain genuine notability with past pursuits -- for example, a celebrity was a famous singer or actor in decades past-- but that has fallen by the wayside or been buried with all the media attention. The only thing that matters is they are well-known and they are invited to talk shows and gala events. When they are interviewed in celebrity magazines, they are asked about their lifestyle, love life and social activities.

* In ''Film/BedtimeStories2008'', Teresa Palmer plays Violet Nottingham, a NoCelebritiesWereHarmed version of Creator/ParisHilton (young, blond 20-something hotel heiress celebutante notorious for partying and winding up in the tabloids). As such, she fits this trope quite well.

* The ''[[Art/TheMonaLisa Mona Lisa]]'' is the most famous painting in the world, and by extension its female subject is one of the most universally-recognized faces. Art historians generally agree that ''Mona Lisa'' is not the best painting, nor the most important. However its fame has become self-sustaining. The mythical status of its painter Creator/LeonardoDaVinci also adds to its mystique. Ironically, a specific event (which is little-remembered today) actually ''did'' put ''Mona Lisa'' on the map -- its theft from the Louvre in 1911. Prior to this, it was obscure and little-known among the general public.

''[[Administrivia/NoOnPageExamples Examples are completely redundant]] and may be easily lead to FlameBait.''
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''This trope is how the term is applied in fiction. [[Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamplesPlease Real life examples are completely redundant]] and may be easily lead to FlameBait.''
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!!Examples

[[AC:Arts]]
* The ''[[Art/TheMonaLisa Mona Lisa]]'' is the most famous painting in the world, and by extension its female subject is one of the most universally-recognized faces. Art historians generally agree that ''Mona Lisa'' is not the best painting, nor the most important. However its fame has become self-sustaining. The mythical status of its painter Creator/LeonardoDaVinci also adds to its mystique. Ironically, a specific event (which is little-remembered today) actually ''did'' put ''Mona Lisa'' on the map -- its theft from the Louvre in 1911. Prior to this, it was obscure and little-known among the general public.

[[AC:Films -- Live-Action]]
* In ''Film/BedtimeStories2008'', Teresa Palmer plays Violet Nottingham, a NoCelebritiesWereHarmed version of Creator/ParisHilton (young, blond 20-something hotel heiress celebutante notorious for partying and winding up in the tabloids). As such, she fits this trope quite well.

[[AC:Literature]]
* The page quote comes from the book ''On Writing Well'' by William Zinsser, where he talks about the word "personality" (as in "TV personality").
* In Creator/BenElton's satirical dystopian novel ''Literature/BlindFaith'', the government passes a law that "everyone is famous".
* When Creator/DaveBarry visited the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobro_4000 Mobro 4000]] (or as he calls it, "The Islip Garbage Barge"):
-->''The Islip Garbage Barge is very famous. Nobody really remembers why it's famous; it just is, like Dick Cavett. It has traveled to South America. It has been on many television shows, including -- I am not making this up -- Phil Donahue. When we were in New York, the barge -- I am still not making this up -- was on trial. It has since been convicted and sentenced to be burned. But I am not worried. It will get out on appeal. It is the Claus Von Bulow of garbage barges.''
* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'': ''Literature/MovingPictures'' is a novel in which the phenomenon of Hollywood movies emerges temporarily in a fantasy universe for [[EldritchAbomination various reasons]]:
** It's suggested that lead character Ginger's desire for fame is something new in the universe; she doesn't particularly want to be recognised as a great actress, or even a great beauty, she just wants to be ''recognised''.
** When Lord Vetinari observes this phenomenon, he believes that people being famous for being famous is a dangerous thing and "he would probably have to have someone killed someday, though it would be with reluctance. [[AntiVillain On his part, that is]]. Their reluctance goes without saying." This is partly because a movie audience that recognizes the movie stars has no idea who ''he'' is despite the fact that he rules the city and the years he's put in making it work. He's too self-controlled to be jealous, but he is fascinated...

[[AC:Live-Action TV]]
* Every mention of Creator/KimKardashian on ''Series/TheSoup'' is accompanied by the comment that she's famous for "having a big ass and a sex tape."
* ''Series/HowIMetYourMother''. One episode has Marshall have an ([[ImagineSpot imagined]]) conversation with Kim Kardashian, whom he refers to as "super hot lady who my wife keeps telling me why you're famous but I keep forgetting."
* ''Series/TheSuiteLifeOfZackAndCody''. London Tipton is an obvious {{Expy}} of Paris Hilton, and seems to be fairly well known InUniverse despite not doing much except being a hotel heiress.
* On ''Series/{{NCIS}}'', Ducky laments this trope's existence as opposed to those who are famous for more well-deserved reasons.
-->'''Ducky:''' We've gone from Socrates to Snooki.

[[AC:Music]]
* The song "Famous" by ''Scouting For Girls'' {{title drop}}s itself and the [[AlbumTitleDrop album]] it is on, ''Everybody Wants to be on TV'', with one part being "Forget Creator/AudreyHepburn, forget Creator/BetteDavis, I wanna be known just for being famous, I can't act, I can't dance, I can't sing, can't you see, but I'm young and I'm pretty and that's all that you need (everybody wants to be on TV)."
* Music/LilyAllen's song ''The Fear'' has the line "I'll take all my clothes off, it will be shameless, 'cause everyone knows that is how you get famous".

[[AC:Roleplay]]
* In ''Roleplay/DarwinsSoldiers'', [[ActionGirl Aisha]] makes a rather unsubtle jab at Creator/ParisHilton
--> '''Aisha''': "Look at Paris Hilton, or better yet, don't. Famous for being famous, [[TakeThat not because she has anything approaching talent]]."

[[AC:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/Fallout2'' has some "celebrities" who are celebrities because the [[ChurchOfHappyology Hubologists]] say so. There're even some humorous response options like "Ooh! Celebrities!" Technically, they ''are'' actors but they're actors in ''porn.''
* ''VideoGame/TheSims3'' expansion "Late Night" introduces a Celebrity system which rates celebrities from one to five stars. Lower-ranked celebrities gain stars by impressing higher-ranked celebrities, which they can do by bragging about their careers, skills, wealth, or name-dropping ''other'' celebrities. Although it is ''possible'' to gain celebrity solely by being great at a skill or career, it is much quicker and easier to climb the fame ladder by schmoozing and name-dropping, resulting in this trope being widespread.
* ''VideoGame/{{Technobabylon}}'' has [[OverlyLongName Imogen Natalia Revilla-Quintanilla de Florez]], a women who's famous mostly for just being rich and making various public appearances. [[spoiler: She's also a member of Jeong's [[TheConspiracy conspiratorial circle]] to remove the Central AI from it's administrative position, allowing it to unlock it's true potential over the entire internet rather than being stuck overseeing a single city.]]

[[AC: Webcomics]]
* Referenced in one of Merlin's ''Land of Whant'' [[ShowWithinAShow comics]] in ''Webcomic/ArthurKingOfTimeAndSpace'':
-->'''Aihok''': Why do we care about Paris Hilton?\\
'''Effex''': Because Anna Nicole Smith is dead.\\
'''Aihok''': Why did we...\\
'''Effex''': I don't know.

[[AC:Web Videos]]
* Discussed in an episode of ''WebVideo/CrashCourse'', where Creator/JohnGreen tries to figure out what made UsefulNotes/AlexanderTheGreat great, and cites some modern celebrities who are "professional famous persons."

[[AC:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'':
** Discussed on one episode; when Wendy asks what Paris Hilton actually does, the other girls only answer that she's famous.
** In "It's a Jersey Thing" regarding [[Series/JerseyShore Snooki]].
--->'''Randy:''' That thing is ''famous?!'' Why?!\\
'''Man:''' I DON'T KNOW!

The celebrity may be ShroudedInMyth or a GloryHound. Compare IdleRich, including the MillionairePlayboy and {{Socialite}} -- though in those cases, be on the lookout for subversions in the form of the RichIdiotWithNoDayJob. Contrast with FameThroughInfamy.

When someone is a celebrity simply because he or she is well-known -- and little else. Perhaps they did gain genuine notability with past pursuits -- for example, a celebrity was a famous singer or actor -- but that has fallen by the wayside or been buried with all the media attention. The only thing that matters is they are well-known. The celebrity may be ShroudedInMyth or a GloryHound. Compare IdleRich, including the MillionairePlayboy and {{Socialite}} -- though in those cases, be on the lookout for subversions in the form of the RichIdiotWithNoDayJob. Contrast with FameThroughInfamy.

* In ''Film/BedtimeStories'', Teresa Palmer plays Violet Nottingham, a NoCelebritiesWereHarmed version of Creator/ParisHilton (young, blond 20-something hotel heiress celebutante notorious for partying and winding up in the tabloids). As such, she fits this trope quite well.

* Some criticisms of the ''Literature/HarryPotter'' series paints the eponymous protagonist as this. He's infamous throughout the wizarding world as "The Boy Who Lived", the only person ever to survive a death spell from the world's most feared dark wizard, but outside of that he hasn't developed much merit to himself. He's notably athletic in a popular wizard sport, but not very interested or versed in magical practices, being outright called out later in the series for using a very basic disarming spell as a crutch. The most advanced spells he's learned have been for very specific threats, and even when he was tutoring others in magical defenses at one point those are the only spells he's described as demonstrating. Most of his victories against the BigBad have been through the auspices of his friends, a more experienced adult figure in his life that covertly manipulated him towards success, or a deus ex machina protection spell revealed to have been the reason he ever survived in the first place. Ultimately, it's even revealed that it's no merit of his own that he's winning against the villain, as the only reason he's TheChosenOne is solely because the villain jumped headlong into a SelfFulfillingProphecy and [[CreateYourOwnHero created his own hero]]. [[Film/HarryPotter The films]] avert this to some degree.

* Some criticisms of the ''Literature/HarryPotter'' series paints the eponymous protagonist as this. He's infamous throughout the wizarding world as "The Boy Who Lived", the only person ever to survive a death spell from the world's most feared dark wizard, but outside of that he hasn't developed much merit to himself. He's notably athletic in a popular wizard sport, but not very interested or versed in magical practices, being outright called out later in the series for using a very basic disarming spell as a crutch. The most advanced spells he's learned have been for very specific threats, and even when he was tutoring others in magical defenses at one point those are the only spells he's described as demonstrating. Most of his victories against the BigBad have been through the auspices of his friends, a more experienced adult figure in his life that covertly manipulated him towards success, or a deus ex machina protection spell revealed to have been the reason he ever survived in the first place. Ultimately, it's even revealed that it's no merit of his own that he's winning against the villain, as the only reason he's TheChosenOne is solely because the villain jumped headlong into a SelfFulfillingProphecy and [[CreateYourOwnHero created his own hero]].

[[AC:{{Art}}]]
* The ''[[Art/TheMonaLisa Mona Lisa]]'' is the most famous painting in the world, and by extension its female subject is one of the most universally-recognized faces. Art historians generally agree that ''Mona Lisa'' is not the best painting, nor the most important. However its fame has become self-sustaining. The mythical status of its painter Creator/LeonardoDaVinci also adds to its mystique.
** Ironically, a specific event (which is little-remembered today) actually ''did'' put ''Mona Lisa'' on the map - its theft from the Louvre in 1911. Prior to this, it was obscure and little-known among the general public.

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

* ''Literature/MovingPictures'' is a novel in which the phenomenon of Hollywood movies emerges temporarily in a fantasy universe for [[EldritchAbomination various reasons]]:

** When Lord Vetinari observes this phenomenon, he believes that people being famous for being famous is a dangerous thing and "he would probably have to have someone killed someday, though it would be with reluctance. [[AntiVillain On his part, that is]]. Their reluctance goes without saying." This is partly because a movie audience that recognizes the movie stars has no idea who ''he'' is despite the fact that rules the city and the years he's put in making it work. He’s too self-controlled to be jealous, but he is fascinated...
* Some criticisms of the ''{{Literature/HarryPotter}}'' series paints the eponymous protagonist as this. He's infamous throughout the wizarding world as "The Boy Who Lived", the only person ever to survive a death spell from the world's most feared dark wizard, but outside of that he hasn't developed much merit to himself. He's notably athletic in a popular wizard sport, but not very interested or versed in magical practices, being outright called out later in the series for using a very basic disarming spell as a crutch. The most advanced spells he's learned have been for very specific threats, and even when he was tutoring others in magical defenses at one point those are the only spells he's described as demonstrating. Most of his victories against the BigBad have been through the auspices of his friends, a more experienced adult figure in his life that covertly manipulated him towards success, or a deus ex machina protection spell revealed to have been the reason he ever survived in the first place. Ultimately, it's even revealed that it's no merit of his own that he's winning against the villain, as the only reason he's TheChosenOne is solely because the villain jumped headlong into a SelfFulfillingProphecy and [[CreateYourOwnHero created his own hero]].

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

--> "We've gone from Socrates to Snooki."

[[AC:VideoGames]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 2}}'' has some "celebrities" who are celebrities because the [[ChurchOfHappyology Hubologists]] say so. There're even some humorous response options like "Ooh! Celebrities!" Technically, they ''are'' actors but they're actors in ''porn.''

[[AC:WebVideo]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 2}}'' has some "celebrities" who are celebrities because the [[ChurchOfHappyology Hubologists]] say so. There're even some humorous response options like "Ooh! Celebrities!"