Star power

In the past number of weeks we have been talking alot about what is a movie star and what is an actor in Andy's classes. This on its own raw form, seems like a very easy question to be able to ask anyone and get a very simple answer to. But as soon as you begin to answer this seemingly simple question you can feel yourself tripping up in trying form one.

We live in an age were anyone can get famous by doing very little and with having very little or no visible talent, Jade Goody? This really does make you feel slightly wrong that we as a nation have become obsessed with these talentless people who can make millions of our obsession with them. It all seems rather ludicrous, I can think of half a dozen 'simple' minded blonds that have very little talent other than talking.

Why are we not more inclined to seek out actual real talent? We have shows such as X-Factor and Britain has talent, both shows that claim to do this. But I feel in the end what it really is in its rawest form is a glamourised circus being broadcasted to millions. As the only real reason we watch these shows are for the idiots of are so far in their own worlds they can't see or accept that they have no talent, no matter how bad they are.

You only have to look at the Jedward twins this year on X-Factor, the nation was keeping these vocally talentless 'things' in the show purely because they were funny to watch and annoyed Simon. As people I feel we are exposing ourselves to the kind of creatures we are. We are always looking to make ourselves feel better by watching at 'lesser' people than us. It gives us that feeling of its okay I'm not doing anything real with my life, at least I'm not like them.

This has gotten to the point that actors themselves have been able to get past year in year out with-out actually being in films. We have gotten to a stage that we are more interested in what actors do off screen that on screen, and I bet they make more money of this than actually working.

They mustn't believe their luck, its the dream for everyone. 'Your saying I can get paid with out working?' Point me in the direction of someone who would turn that down. This is all very sad to think about in the end, actors not having to put in good performances and talentless no bodies making millions of our obsession to want to know what people are up to. I suppose in a way it should really be forcing us to look at ourselves in the mirror, but I think in some strange way it does the opposite it gives us the opportunity not to look at ourselves as a whole.

Anyways to the point actors and stars! ... Well this is like a question, how big is the universe. You are going to get alot of different opinions and takes on what they are, with out ever reaching a clear cut answer. For me I think stars are a strange hybrid of once upon a time actors realising and being smart enough to see that they can make more money of selling their lives to the media that actually working, other than putting themselves on the fable career line that is acting. As one day you can be somebody and the other a nobody. I feel this is the fear that has struck a number of actors who know they aren't always going to be the new kid on the block and the actor every studio must have.

Its also been a huge safety net for actors who well ... can't act. They call themselves actors and we take them as actors when we read about them, but try to pin point a recent performance they have done is harder, and harder still a good performance they have done.

Stars are born out of our imaginations, they are the canvas we as a species can project our perfect ideal's on. We can pretend to be like them, buy the same clothes and cars and feel better for it. As its safer and easier than to actually be your own person and expose yourself to judgement.

I would love to say we will get sick of all this in the end, but I can't really say that whilst making eye contact. It would be nice to think that it will swing back around to demanding actual raw real talent. But this in its very nature is a rare commodity and it will always be easier to fish out the talentless than the talented, and in the end it brings just as much entertainment and comfort than real talent for most people.