Let’s celebrate the beginning of the weekend with a definition of celebrity (probably written by some non-celebrity):
ce·leb·ri·ty
səˈlebrədē/
noun
a famous person.
synonyms: famous person, VIP, very important person, personality, newsmaker, name, big name, famous name, household name, star, superstar, movie star
the state of being well known.
“his prestige and celebrity grew”
synonyms: fame, prominence, renown, eminence, preeminence, stardom, popularity, distinction, note, notability, prestige, stature, repute, reputation
“his celebrity grew”
What do my celebrated readers notice about that definition?
Here’s another definition of celebrity, written by a non-celebrity at the celebrated Merriam-Webster:
celebrity
noun ce·leb·ri·ty \sə-ˈle-brə-tē\
Popularity: Bottom 50% of words
Simple Definition of celebrity
: the state of being famous or celebrated
: a person who is famousFull Definition of celebrity
plural ce·leb·ri·ties
1: the state of being celebrated : fame
2: a famous or celebrated personExamples of celebrity in a sentence
The actress lived a life of celebrity.
There were many celebrities at the party.
First Known Use of celebrity
14th centuryWhat made you want to look up celebrity?
This non-celebrity would like to celebrate and answer the question I found in that Merriam-Webster definition of celebrity. That is, what made me want to look up celebrity?
- Since I did not make it onto the TV show “The Voice,” I doubt I will ever become a celebrity (according to the definitions above).
- Yesterday I took a picture of somebody who is a celebrity to me.
That, my celebrated readers, is Bah, who works at the garage where I park my celebrated yellow car. Bah told me he is also the head cook at the hospital where I work, which means that, thanks to him, every Friday I can celebrate THE BEST MACARONI AND CHEESE I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE (featured in previous, perhaps celebrated posts here, here, and here).
Bah also told me, yesterday, that he is one of the celebrities in this celebrated flu-fighting video (appearing at 0:23, 1:07, 2:49, and 3:42):
Perhaps, like Bah, I’ll be a YouTube celebrity one day, too (especially since I’m working on a theme song for my team at work).
Do any of the other photos I took yesterday fit today’s topic of “celebrity,” to you?
Now it’s time to celebrate your thoughts and feelings about this “Celebrity” post. If you leave a comment below, you’ll be celebrated (if not a celebrity) at The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally.
Celebratory thanks to Bah, to Carl Jung,* to THE BEST MACARONI AND CHEESE I’VE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE, and to everybody and everything else that helped me write today’s non-celebrity post. I am now officially celebrating you — of course! — for visiting here, today.
* Yesterday morning, when I was driving into work, I heard beloved Boston celebrity Laura Carlo announce on WCRB classical radio that it was “National Take Your Action Figure to Work” day. Isn’t that something else to celebrate?
The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally 
When I see your gravatar, I know it is you, Ann, you are someone who may be like my old, long closely-held friends who pick up conversations where they were left off. I still see you on our “in common” friend’s blogs. I just have spent the past 6 months wandering in and out of blogs. You and your “song” (voice) have been heard and registered as “special” in my mind. Smiles, Robin
You are always special and celebrated to me, my friend Robin. ❤
I love this post Ann – actually I love all of your posts. It is true that everyone has a celebrity status somewhere, and perhaps we should appreciate all the people around us, that we see everyday, the people that make the sun shine a little brighter, and help us to put a bounce in our steps. Those are the people we need to celebrate, not the airbrushed, photo-shopped people we see on the TV, on the Internet. Have a wonderful day, full of little celebrations!!!!!
I shall have a wonderful day celebrating you, SD!
I think you should let Bah have this:
I think I will, Derrick.
I would even say that you can be a celebrity just even from someone giving you a smile 🙂
I would say that, too!
In the first definition of “celebrity” I saw that one of the synonyms was “movie-star”, but not all celebrities are movie stars. As usual you’ve made my mind buzz with thoughts about something I thought I knew. You have many readers which I think makes you a celebrity, and I think you’ve made Bah a celebrity by celebrating him here. Some are born to celebrity, some achieve celebrity, and some have celebrity thrust upon ’em.
And some don’t. A few months ago I bought a book by S.J. Perelman, a writer I celebrate for being incredibly funny, at a used bookstore. I said to the owner that it’s unfortunate his books are so hard to find. The owner said, “It’s a shame but nobody reads the Algonquin writers anymore. Thurber’s still in some textbooks and people quote Dorothy Parker sometimes but nobody remembers Perelman.” I raised the book I’d just bought and said, “Well I’m somebody!” And we both laughed.
As long as someone is remembered and celebrated they are a celebrity.
You are remembered and celebrated here, Chris (along with the Algonquin writers).
This is an excellent and thought-provoking post, Ann. It is practically just about impossible to come up with a comprehensive and satisfactory definition of ‘celebrity’, I think. But I most certainly take your point about individuals we celebrate. … local celebrities.
I adore the way that the press categorise celebrities ‘A’ list – ‘Z’ list and beyond.
I have decided to be a celebrity: I am on the ‘Y’ list. Comfortably low I’ll think you’ll agree. If I should inadvertently slip on to the ‘Z’ list then no one will probably give a duck’s Ares. But if I should find myself on the ‘X’ list then I will be mixing with such celebrities as Mabel from the fish shop and the young lady who went into labour in the post office last week.
That’s me back on the 5th Reserve Reserve waiting list for the 15th Reserve waiting list for the ‘X’ list I should imagine.
I will leave it in your capable hands.
You are on my “A” list, Chris.
Nicely done, Ann. My private jet is now at your disposal.
Now we’re both celebrities!
A celebrity is a cat with big paws!
I swear I heard about this big and small paws issue on tv last night! Was it the night before? Haven’t they shown that big and small paws don’t have to do with absolutely anything else?
I missed that celebrated political debate, but leave it to these cats to know more about celebrities than I do!
What to say, what to say, I am not sure what to say, I can tell you I do not like the idea of meeting a celebrity as you can bet if I did it would be while they are having a bad day and they will be short and rude and then I wouldn’t like them any more, just saying
I can’t imagine anybody being rude to you, Joanne! I’m always glad you say what you say.
Reblogged this on Crazy Pasta Child.
I’m getting reblogged, like a celebrity!