Tom Cruise, Beyonce, Paris Hilton. Today’s hottest stars know how to rake in the big money, and not just for themselves. The celebrity entertainment industry makes billions each year by publicizing every move these stars make. While the paparazzi chase celebrities with their cameras, gossip columnists speculate about the stars’ love lives and careers. The general public has long been fascinated by celebrities’ ups and downs, but in recent years, with the rise of 24/7 cable news and the Internet, the celebrity entertainment industry has grown even larger. Not only can fans find out about their favorite celebrity by tuning in to entertainment channels on TV, but they can follow their star on Twitter, MySpace, or any number of social media web sites. All of these media outlets bring in billions in advertisement revenue. The celebrity entertainment industry is also closely connected with the fashion industry and Celebrity Photos ; at each awards’ ceremony or opening night, fashionists critique the style choices of the stars, who in turn set the trends for the general public.
Celebrities’ ability to create so much money for the entertainment, media, and fashion industries has also impacted the social and political realms. Politicians seek out celebrity endorsements and big cash donations during campaign season. Because of this, the entertainment industry has a great deal of political sway. Lobbyists for Hollywood are able to influence how films, TV shows, and commercials are distributed and viewed, while celebrities lend their voices to political causes near and dear to their heart. Some critics have even charged that the line between the political and entertainment industries has blurred; it is no surprise that California has a movie-star governor, and President Obama has a celebrity status all his own.
At the same time, average Americans dream of becoming stars themselves by lining up for reality show auditions. As the Heene family’s balloon boy hoax suggests, some people will go to great lengths to become a part of the celebrity entertainment industry. With the rise of reality television programming and viral videos on web sites such as YouTube, more and more so-called average people hope to join the ranks of celebrity — if only for their fifteen minutes of fame. And given the amount of cash the celebrity entertainment industry makes each year, who can blame them?