Celebrities: Powerless to Powerful

The celebrity pheomenon is mysterious, why do we like our favorite celebs. What attracts us to Oprah, Jay-Z, Celine Dion and others? Most of us only dream of becoming rich and famous and these celebs have obtained celeb status and come from very humble beginnings, in fact they were living in abject poverty while growing up. Their stories are both amazing and empowering. Celine Dion grew up in rural Quebec very poor, and today she is said to be worth 250 million. Celine is one of the highest grossing female entertainers. Oprah Winfrey had a very troubled childhood and she also lived in severe poverty. Oprah is said to be worth 2.9 billion. Jay-Z grew up in the projects of Brooklyn and today he is said to be worth 150 million (Deane, 2010).

We are fascinated with power and success and these individuals have achieved just that. Their stories are truly success stories. These stars have overcome insurmountable obstacles, and achieved the American Dream. What is their appeal and how did they get there big break? You might attribute their success to pure luck, but one thing is for sure they all believe in giving back. I think this makes them even more popular and successful. Jay-Z and Celine often do benefit concerts to support worthy causes and charities. And Oprah well she has given back enormous amounts through her philanthropic causes. The companies whose products are featured on The Oprah Show or in Oprah's magazine often receive instant success. They call it the Oprah Effect, and it is big!!! After peoples no name products were showcased on the Oprah show their profits soared (Quintanilla, 2009). All of these mega stars gave back to the community, they followed their dreams, and displayed amazing talent; as a result, they gave their best, and they got the best.