Celebrity Photographs, Celebrity Obsession

Many people have an interest in celebrities. Celebrity memorabilia including photographs and posters is very popular. The movie industry in America is a #1 industry and Americans (and many people around the world) have always been fascinated by American movies and American movie stars. Celebrity is fully integrated into the American economy. Even American Idol is no doubt popular because of this fascination especially in "popular culture" with celebrity and stardom. Why do people have such a fascination with celebrity? Why do people even aspire to celebrity status? Why are television shows about celebrities so popular? Why are entertainment magazines that chitchat and gossip about celebrities, even that tell the most fabulous lies - and the most fabulous truths? - about them to sell a good story and exploit them? Why are celebrity photos and celebrity collectibles and memorabilia so popular? Why are even cartoon celebrities popular, from Betty Boop to Bart Simpson? Why is even King Kong a celebrity? Why are some celebrities even given mythic status? Why is there a "Church of Elvis?" Why do celebrities and those who achieve celebrity status continue to have a role in the histories of nations? Even when there are mass movements, like mass political movements, generally a celebrity emerges? Or someone who becomes a celebrity emblem of that movement? And even then, other celebrities connect to that movement? What is there role? That's something for cultural psychologist, or psychologists of popular culture Psychology Today has an article on celebrity obsession: 

www.psychologytoday.com/ articles/pto-20040715-000004.html 

Here is another article on celebrity fascination: 

www.answerbag.com/q_view.php/14185