What do celebrities do between gigs?

[Theo R Cwithin]

eing a celebrity is not a career anymore than I'm a plumber just because I fixed a toilet this weekend.

You, sir, have dashed all my hopes and dreams.



.

 

[Umbran]

The normal American culture (to narrow it down) does not include whirlwind tours of the country, signing autographs, and always being "on stage".

I think you're being a bit too narrow in your definition of "culture". Being in a different career does not, generally, mean you're in a different culture.

 

[Deset Gled]

Dubble poost.

 

[Deset Gled]

The normal American culture (to narrow it down) does not include whirlwind tours of the country, signing autographs, and always being "on stage".

Oddly enough, this describes my job as a field service engineer pretty well. I travel to customer sites, sign off on Preventative Maintenance checklists and repair bills, and am always working in front of the customer. Apparently, I'm the celebrity of the engineering world.

The culture still feels pretty American, though.

 

[Desdichado]

But for people who have to put something out to the general public regularly -- famous actors, singers, musicians, authors, politicians, etc. -- celebrity is a career. And that is a different culture.

No, that is a different career. Same culture.

 

[Bullgrit]

Drug dealer.
Heart surgeon.

Different careers. Same culture?

Bullgrit

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

And insurance and car sales.

I'm in Texas, and I know Aikman had a dealership at one point.

Staubach has a real estate development company (doing work near the Galleria, FWIW).

And if you've been following the news, MLB legend Nolan Ryan is part of a group trying to buy the Texas Rangers team.

 

[coyote6]

Drug dealer.
Heart surgeon.

Different careers. Same culture?

Very possibly. The drug dealer might have been the heart surgeon's neighbor in high school or college roommate. Hell, the drug dealer might be the heart surgeon. Surgeons can prescribe medication, right? Folks get prescriptions to hillbilly heroin from someone.

I get what you're saying, but not all celebrities are Paris Hilton; are Kim Kardashian, Lil Wayne, Robin Williams, Bill Gates, John Elway, and Clint Eastwood all part of the same "culture"?

Celebrity undoubtedly affects how you live, but it doesn't necessarily make you part of some foreign culture or even subculture. Wealth might tend to put them into similar subcultures -- but wealth and fame aren't entirely synonymous. For example, Charles Manson is famous, but he isn't wealthy (as far as I know, anyways).