As I'm getting older, I'm seeing a lot of the celebs of my youth leave this mortal coil and it's always sad as I feel as though another reminder of my youth has slipped away. When compared to many of today's celebrities - well there's no comparison really! I believe that we live in an age and a culture where people are famous just because they're famous. They don't possess any particular skill or talent and they certainly haven't worked on any craft. This may come across as a bit unfair but this is just how I see it.
A lot of the famous people I grew up watching or listening to, they had 'it' - whatever 'it' was! That special star quality, that je ne sais quois. That ability to make people sit up and take notice, to have this quality that shone brightly. Even if they were famous for just five minutes, they were still remembered years later. I don't really see that now. Who will remember many of todays stars? I don't even know who they are now!
Hey hey, I just created my first post!
A lot of you here have said that it depends on how you define star quality. But I think that star quality is something that can't be defined. It's a special quality that you're born with. It's more than looks or talent. If that were the case everyone who had looks or talent would be celebrities and they're not.
Take the Kardashians for example. I'm not really sure what their talent is, and without all the work they've had done, they'd only have mediocre looks. But they've definiely got somethign that makes people sit up and take notice.
There's definitely lots of truly talented people around who are putting out some amazing work. I think who you class as a legend is up to you and what 'legend' means to you as an individual. It'll be different for everyone. There are some bands for instance who are regarded as iconic and everyone seems to be into them but I just don't get it. To me they seem horribly overrated. But then the ones who I think are flipping brilliant are horribly underrated so I suppose it's a matter of opinion.
Star quality can be summerized in two words - Matthew Perry. 😥💔 Rest peacefully, Sir. 🕊️
Hey Tomato Jam! Or can I just call you Tomato? 😊🍅 Good job on your first post!
I've worked in the entertainment industry myself and I guess the short answer to concerning star quality is that you've either got it or you don't. It's not something that can be learned. I think so anyway. It's a special quality that can't be explained to repeat what everyone else on here has said already.
There are of course many great artists today who have that special quality which is needed to get to the top of their game and more importantly stay there. But I do feel that there is a different type of celebrity that's very different to the kind we grew up with.
This is an interesting question, Tomato - not bad for a first post! 😊
I think star quality, whatever it may be, has always been there and always will. It's just that as the years go by our ideas as to what constitutes star quality changes. I don't think many of the celebrities I grew up with (many of whom have now passed away) would be big names today as I don't think they would appeal to today's audiences. But for the most part, I do agree that star quality is a special kind of magic that a performer posesses that can't be explained. If I'm honest, I'm not sure I'm coming across celebrities with the kind of magic that will give them legendary status in years to come but perhaps my kids will disagree with me!
Congrats on the first post, Tomato Jam!
I think that for as long as there is entertainment, there will always be celebrities and star quality. True people's opinions on what star quality is may differ. But you have to remember how many people there are out there keen to break out into the world of entertainment. It's a very tough industry to get into and only those with that special something will succeed.
I agree with you completely Tomato Jam. I think there's a reason I don't follow mainstream pop culture any more. For me it's lacking in something and it all seems a little bit soulless. I know there's plenty of people who will disagree with me and that's fine. I can't really say whether star quality exists anymore or not becaues I suppose that will mean different things to different people. But I will say that the talent I grew up with did have a special quality that I can't quite put into words which is what makes them all so memorable.
And your opening sentence really struck a chord with me. Every time a famous person from my childhood years passes away, it really does feel like another part of my childhood has gone for good.
I think that for young people today, there are plenty of celebrities who to them are icons. These are the people who will be the bench mark if you like when they get to be much older (like many of us!) A lot like how many of the stars of our time are the bench mark for us.
I can't really say whether star quality still exists or not but I don't feel that the kind of artists we grew up with who had that special something that everyone's been talking about, well I personally don't see it myself today but that doesn't mean it's not there. For me people who had that special quality are people like Madonna, Prince, Aretha Franklin, Freddie Mercury, Michael Jackson etc. I'm not sure there's anyone around today who can match up to any of them. Sure there's Beyonce but she's been around since the nineties
I suppose it depends on what you perceive to be star quality. It's subjective and everyone probably has their own ideas. I think there's lots of great talent around today. You've also got to remember that in the 'old days' there were plenty of talented people whether they be writers, actors, singers who were still milling around waiting for their big break and were never discovered. A lot of the people who did make it big weren't the most talented or even memorable - they just got lucky because they knew the right people.
Take Kylie Minogue or Madonna for example. I think they're both mediocre singers but they both went on to become legends! So whatever this star quality is, I think it depends on who you're asking.
Well first of all congrats on the first post! As for star quality, well I think everyone's definition of star quality is different so it depends really. And also each generation always thinks that theirs produced the best talent with the generation that followed not being as good. So I suppose it's all down to a matter of opinion rather than there being a genuine lack of talent.